Day 5: Keep Learning, Me Ako Tonu - Mental Health Awareness Week

It’s the last day of Mental Health Awareness Week! Ka pai for putting the wellbeing tools we’ve highlighted this week into practice.

As it’s the last day, it’s fitting that today’s focus is keep learning/me ako tonu. As we wrap the week up and reflect on what we’ve learnt, we should strive to keep learning and trying new things.

Discovering new hobbies, learning about new topics, and trying new things creates a sense of achievement within ourselves and encourages us to engage with the world around us. Evidence shows that all of this has a positive impact on our wellbeing.

Here’s how Jan Carter, Volunteer Rural Firefighter keeps learning:

Here are a few ways you can me ako tonu today and every day:

• Have you been wanting to learn a new skill? Starting learning by putting on a YouTube tutorial or podcast about it.
• Set a goal to read one pukapuka (book) a month – maybe even read about a new topic each time!
• Join a class or group. Whether it’s learning a new instrument, how to dance, or a new language, learning can be even better when doing it with others.
• Find a new recipe from a cuisine you haven’t cooked before and have a go at making it!

Wellbeing doesn’t happen by accident, it needs to be looked after and preserved. Hopefully this Mental Health Awareness Week has shown you some new tools to help nurture your wellbeing, and some encouragement to put them into practice!