Hello!

As many of you know I am incredibly passionate about raising awareness and fundraising for anything to do with mental health. Mind is one of the amazing charities out there who have really helped many people, myself included. 

RED January started 1st January 2020 (obviously, haha). However, I have only found out about this today (5th Jan) through my local gym. So I will start my RED January now and extend 5 extra days into February seeing as though I have missed 5 already! 

I started going to the gym around early March time last year. Although I went to lose weight I had heard that the gym can really have a positive impact on your mental health. I wasn't in the best frame of minds at that time and so I was willing to try anything to help. My doctor really helped me out and to cut a long story short I was assigned to a gym instructor. Steve. I met Steve once to get weighed, measured and talk gym. My mum was sat with me the whole time because I couldn't physically travel anywhere on my own. We then arranged our first one to one session and that was that. The first one to one with Steve didn't even happen. I backed out, didn't turn up. Didn't even let him know. (Sorry Steve!) I just freaked out, I couldn't see myself attending a place without my mum, completely on my own with a random guy helping me exercise. So I ignored it, put it to the back of my mind. Fast forward a couple of weeks and I didn't dare set foot back in the place to even try again because I was full of all different anxieties that surrounded me, it didn't help the fact I did not show up last time. 

And now.... January 2020. A whole year later. Never thinking I would say the words "I love the gym" but I do. It has been SO good for my mental health. Since then I am a lot happier and even 2st lighter!! I owe a lot of thanks to Steve for encouraging and supporting me throughout my gym journey, especially the amount of patience he has given me. I've gained a lot of confidence from going to the gym and I never in a million years would have thought I'd attend classes on my own but I do! Sometimes even completely on my own haha! Since RED January is encouraging to look after your physical health which also helps your mental health I thought it was something I couldn't miss out on! I've slacked recently on working out and exercising and I don't go as often as I was doing. So I thought that for the month I will attend the gym for 5 days out of 7 in the week. Whether it be a class or just gym - I WILL go. I know 5 days for most people will probably think is easy anyway but for me it is several challenges. 

1) I have never been for 5 days in a week, let alone 5 days every week for a month.

2) I face many struggles daily, having severe OCD not every day is the same and some days it takes a lot to get out the house. The rituals are so time consuming and sometimes it is just far easier to stay at home in my safe place and surroundings. So getting out 5 days of the week on my own is a pretty big deal to me. 

'She can say she is attending the gym but how do we know?' Well my friends, keep up to date with me on social media or my blog thegirlwithocd.com to see photo updates of how I'm doing. Trust me I don't want to share photos of my sweaty after gym face but if I know by doing so can prove and share my progress then I'm happy to do so. 

I would appreciate HUGELY any kind of donation! Mind is so close to my heart and the help they provide is inspiring and just damn wonderful! I do not care the size of the amount you may choose to kindly donate, I care more about the fact that every little helps and it is heart-warming to know it is going to such a good cause. If however you cannot donate at all then that is absolutely fine, I just ask that you please share my page or any other Mind fundraising to help in anyway you can. OR sign up for your own RED January. 

This January, the RED community will be challenging themselves to get active every day. Whether running, swimming, cycling or choosing a favourite fitness activity, REDers will be going the extra mile to support themselves and others.Their fitness and fundraising efforts combined with your generosity will help continue Minds life-changing work, ensuring no-one has to face a mental health problem alone. Thank you.