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Steven Hogg – #clearyourhead
Wellbeing Pages | 7th Sep 2020
As a member and player of Stewartry Rugby Club, I have been asked to write and share some thoughts and tips on how I #clearmyhead and how I cope with my mental health on a ‘down day’ or a ‘bad day’.
For those that are unaware it is suicide prevention week and as a club we are taking the opportunity to highlight and share our own tips on how we cope during tough times. Throughout the week other members of the club will write an article sharing their own tips and experiences on how they themselves cope with ‘down days’ or ‘bad days’.
Having down days or bad days isn’t something that is out of the ordinary for anyone, especially in the current circumstances that the world currently finds itself in. Taking the time to unwind or clear your head is vitally important to your mental health as well as your physical health.
There is a couple of things I like to do when I am having a bad day or down day to help me cope or process whatever issues or events that may have affected me during my day or previous days. One thing I am passionate about that helps me unwind is music, listening to music helps me to drift off, it helps clear my mind and most importantly it helps me relax after a busy or stressful day. When I get home from work every day I like to take 10 minutes where I just sit with no TV on, no phone just silence where I work on some deep breathing exercises and try letting go of the gripes or the moans of the working day.
While at work when possible I like to listen to podcasts especially when doing a long drawn out task, I listen to various different podcasts ranging from sports, comedy, interview podcasts and educational so depending on my mood or what I fancy I have a decent variety of choice. I also like to cook at home I find cooking to be very therapeutic if I have some free time on my hands, trying out different recipes and styles of cooking often with varying results I may add! Going out and walking the dog also helps me, it gets me out of the house, gets me fresh air and to see the excitement of my dog when we are heading out for a walk gives me a laugh or puts a smile on my face especially on the days where I don’t feel like smiling.
If I had any advice to anyone who may be struggling with their mental health I would say to them that they are not alone, people care about you whether its friends, family or teammates, talk to someone, a problem shared is a problem halved.
Lastly I would like to say having down days don’t make you weak or less of a person, they make you human, feeling sad or down is just an emotion like happiness is and if we can learn how to deal or control our issues then the more we can find ourselves being happy, smiling, laughing, excited all the things that make us the best versions of ourselves #itsoknottobeok #clearyourhead #behappy
Steven Hogg
Men’s 1st XV Player
SRFC Mental Skills Coach
