Mental Health

Mental health. It’s everywhere right now. You can’t scroll, switch on, or sit through a meeting without hearing the words. Some people say it’s being overused. Maybe it is — but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. For too long, no one said a word about it. You just got on with it, right? Keep calm, carry on, stiff upper lip and all that nonsense.

The truth is, mental health isn’t just “a thing” — it’s part of being human. It’s stress, pressure, worry, guilt, burnout, fear, loss, all rolled into one messy, complicated mix. We’ve all been there. If you haven’t, give it time — life will catch up.

What’s good now is that people are finally talking. We’re realising it’s not something you can sweep under the carpet or “man up” out of. And honestly, it’s about time. Because when we ignore it, that’s when people break. I’ve seen it first-hand — I lost a good friend to mental health issues, and it hit hard. You don’t forget that. You realise that this stuff isn’t just about the person struggling — it affects everyone around them: friends, family, people who care but don’t always know how to help.

And I’ll be honest — I’ve had my own issues in the past. I’ve had those times where you wake up and just feel… off. Or empty. Or angry and you don’t even know why. It’s a rough ride, but it’s also made me far more aware of what other people might be going through, even when they’re smiling on the outside.

In my talks, I touch on mental health a lot — sometimes directly, sometimes through stories about pressure, choices, and resilience. Because let’s face it, we all deal with it. Whether it’s stress at work, problems at home, or just trying to keep up with life, everyone’s carrying something.

The key isn’t pretending it’s not there — it’s figuring out how to handle it in a healthy way. Talk about it. Own it. Laugh about it sometimes, even — because humour doesn’t dismiss the pain; it helps us get through it.

At the end of the day, none of us have it all figured out. We’re all just trying to manage the chaos between our ears. But if we can be a bit more honest, a bit more kind, and a bit less “I’m fine” when we’re clearly not — then we’re already heading in the right direction.