For men, keeping mentally healthy is not always easy, wherever we live. However, living remotely in a rural area can make things more difficult.

This note is based on the five ways to well-being and CHIME aims to give some ideas about keeping mentally fit and healthy.

Conversations

Engaging in conversation with people in a rural area is not always easy but spend time to speak to and listen to what others have to say.

• Have a conversation with a delivery or tradesperson ask them about their work.
• Start a conversation with people when you fill up with fuel or visit a shop.
• Engage walkers in a conversation and ask them about what they enjoy about your area.
• Tell your family something about your day and ask them about theirs.
• Connect with others at community events for example at the village hall, cricket club, or church.

Be active

Being active helps us all feel good about ourselves but it doesn’t have to be a sweaty session at a gym discover a physical activity that you enjoy and suits your level of fitness perhaps:

• Regularly walking a short distance in the open air.
• Gardening.
• Getting a bike for short or long rides.
• Joining a fitness class, a village sports club, or a team.

Take notice of things around you

Being aware of the world around us and noting what we feel, helps us appreciate what matters to us, savour the moment when:

• Eating a meal.
• Enjoying the view and signs of activity in the countryside.
• Listening to the birds sing, sheep bleat, or the noises made by other animals.
• Noticing the colours and smells of autumn, the frost and snow of winter, the green shoots of spring, lambs in the field and sent of blossom, the warm summer sun, and the smell of new-mown hay.

Keep learning

Learning new things helps our confidence and is fun, be aspirational have some goals of what you want to achieve perhaps:

• Find out about plants for a garden or crops to grow.
• Learn about different pets or animals to keep.
• Try cooking a new recipe.
• Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving.
• Attend an evening class or follow an online course.

Giving

Giving to others need not be hard it can be as simple as:

• Think of complimenting someone for what they have done.
• Smiling at a stranger or purposely saying ‘have a nice day’.
• Carry out small acts of kindness for neighbours.
• Helping at a village event or looking after a community building or area.

Above all as men we should try to connect with others, dream, find our identity and meaning from what we see and do. Take control and make a difference in some small way for yourself others or the place and community where you live.

Based on the Five Ways to Wellbeing and CHIME.