Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator 

Dear Families,

I cannot believe how quickly this term has gone by. I’ve been really busy in my new role as M-HAWC and am always surprised at how quickly the end of the day seems to come. Being busy seems to be what many of us are all doing at the moment. Quite often I’ll be in conversations with people, and on many occasions, we will start talking about how busy we are. The business of life, I guess.

For many years I’ve woken up at 5am and ridden my bike along Thirteenth Beach Road to Breamlea before returning home to get organised for the day. I would often check my average speed, always trying to go faster and improve my fitness. I purchased a GPS watch to track my heart rate and ride statistics. As time went on, I noticed that I was so focused on my ride information that I wasn’t paying any attention to my surroundings. So, I decided to get rid of my fancy watch and take the speedometer off my bike. What I started to notice was that I began to slow down. I re-engaged with nature on my ride. I saw clouds and trees, heard birds and waves, felt the wind in my face (obviously not in my hair) and witnessed spectacular sunrises. I found that I was more mindful of my surrounds and noticed that I was grateful for so many things. I actually started to enjoy my ride a whole lot more and the rest of the day seemed so much better.

With the holidays starting at the end of the week, I’ll be slowing down a whole lot more. Over Easter, Sandi and I will be camping with our kids Daisy, Finn and Monty down the coast. This is such a great opportunity for us to do very little and really enjoy each other’s company. When we return, I’ll be taking off with a couple of friends and heading to the Flinders Ranges to do a two-week cycling trip (I won’t be at OGPS for the first week of term two as I’m taking an extra week of long-service leave). We’ll be carrying all our camping and cooking gear and slowly meandering and taking in the spectacular scenery. When I go cycle touring, sightseeing always the focus rather than speed or distance covered. 

With the holidays coming up, this might be an opportunity for us all to slow down, which may be challenging with so much going on in our lives. I invite you to spend some time together playing games, going for walks or bike rides or even cooking a meal together. Holidays can be a great chance to relax and recharge our batteries and enjoy everything we have. Have a safe and relaxing break and enjoy your wonderful family.

Thanks for all your continued support,

Andy McNeilly

Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator