Around The Paddock

Welcome to this sixth edition of my new fortnightly newsletter,
Around The Paddock!
I’m taking this opportunity to inform you of all that’s happening with me Warren Davies, The Unbreakable Farmer…

This edition includes:

• My proud involvement with Cottage by the Sea - what being an Ambassador to this great organisation supporting children means to me…

• The next two episodes of my new podcast - Beyond The Back Paddock - as a way of sharing wisdom through storytelling.

• What’s coming up as I travel ‘Around The Paddock’ - where you can find me speaking soon and if I’m nearby you can book me in too!

• Some inspiring ‘Fodder For Thought…’ - this focuses on grounding techniques as a group of strategies to help someone keep in the present.

• ‘Your Corner Of The Paddock’ - an opportunity for you as readers to contribute items of interest! In this edition Nathan Carkeek, a recent guest on my Podcast, shares some inspiring poems.

What Being An Ambassador To A Great Organisation Means To Me

I am proud of my involvement as an Ambassador at Cottage by the Sea. It is a special place, supporting children continuously for over 130 years. The programs and camps may have changed over time, but the mission and values stand fast.

Our mission is to enhance the lives of more children by providing inspiration, fun and opportunity within a holiday environment.

Closely inline with the values of
Respect; Adventure; Integrity; Belonging; and Community.

Cottage by the Sea is a non-government, not-for-profit registered charity. This provides inspiration, fun and opportunities for disadvantaged young people in a positive, healthy, seaside environment. The vision of Cottage by the Sea is that every child deserves a happy and a healthy life.

Cottage by the Sea offer children and young people Inspiration, Fun and Opportunity through offering diverse programs in a wide range of environments.

During their camp experience, they provide opportunities for building positive relationships with peers and adult role models to help participants learn and grow. Whatever the program, Take a Break, REEF or Mentor, Cottage by the Sea encourage participants to have fun, take risks and explore options in a safe and supportive setting.

At Cottage by the Sea we seek to assist young people to:

• Develop self-awareness.

• Acquire confidence and resilience.

• Inspire them to remain engaged in education, family
  and their community.

• As well as to achieve their goals.

Also, at Cottage by the Sea there is an initiative close to my heart. And this initiative supports regional communities feeling the impacts of natural disasters like drought, bushfire and flood.

Just this week students from Rochester have experienced all that Cottage has to offer. This has given them a break from the ongoing recovery in their community.

A major facelift has taken place at Cottage by the Sea over the past few years. This now makes the facility and programs all inclusive, as well as enhancing one of the best views in Victoria.

If you would like to know more about Cottage By The Sea or would like to donate to support these life changing programs please visit www.cottagebythesea.com.au

If you are ever in the Queenscliff area please arrange a tour, learn more about this amazing place and enjoy a cuppa while taking in the view.

I have the privilege of some amazing people joining me
who I have met on my travels.
Here they are now sharing their stories and wisdom with you.

The next two episodes are now available at www.beyondthebackpaddock.com.au

Bonnie Pappas is a social worker who's worked across the mental health field in many situations, including flood recovery. Bonnie is now working in a secondary school. This is a topic and field I'm very interested in. There are many pressures navigating the teenage years, for both children and families. This is a great conversation. Bonnie has a tremendous amount of value to share. If you are from a community recovering from disaster, a parent of a teenager or a teenager yourself, please take the time to listen. Also, if you know someone who might benefit from listening please share this conversation with them.

Rory Phillips, a 17-year-old regional NSW student is an aspiring (and inspiring) young guitarist/singer/songwriter. He has a passion for positive change. I recently had the privilege to witness his talent when he toured to Nathalia with The Bushwackers. This man has a bright future in anything he will put his hand to. Rory also did a short video as a collaboration piece with Headspace. You can listen to his songs too on YouTube.

You can also catch up on all of my episodes including, the last two with:

• Tess Marnane - from Cork in Ireland. She is a Birth Doula. Tess spent 18 years of her working life in the care industry. She tells how she’s chosen a different path to becoming a Doula. Tess focuses on providing families with support needed in childbirth and parenting, particularly with young families.

• An interview I did with Justin Smith for a campaign called Tough Times from the Heart. Here, I’ve taken a departure from the normal format so as to provide this appropriate message for broadcasting this Podcast on World Mental Health Day, Tuesday 10 October.

All of the episodes are available too in Spotify

Speaking Dates and Where To Find Me Next

Public Speaking Events

• 2 November - Cobden Community Dinner, Cobden, Victoria

• 3 November - Cobden Tradies Breakfast, Cobden, Victoria

• 5 November - Mitchell Shire Flood Recovery Community BBQ, Nagambie, Victoria

• 8 November - Horsham BestWool/BestLamb Group, Horsham, Victoria

• 9 November - New South Wales Local Land Services Ducks in a Row Workshop, Wentworth, New South Wales

• 10 November - New South Wales Local Land Services Ducks in a Row Workshop, Hay, New South Wales

• 12 November - Seymour Mitchell Shire Flood Recovery Community BBQ, Seymour, Victoria

• 15 November - Warrnambool: Master Builders of Victoria Networking Event

• 17 November - National Agricultural Day Celebration Dinner, Yass, Victoria

• 19 November - Strathbogie Shire Flood Recovery Community Dinner, Eurora, Victoria

• 23 November - Primary Care Connect Community Event, Nagambie, Victoria

• 24 November - Noumi Limited, Shepparton, Victoria

Private Speaking Events

• 13 November - Traralgon Gippsland Psychology Group, Traralgon, Victoria

• 20 November - Brown Brothers Winery, Milawa, Victoria

• 30 November - AUSVEG Wellbeing Webinar, Online

It was a privilege, last week to share the stage with rugby league sporting icon, Wally Lewis, MC Steve Haddan
and some special local speakers. They were each appearing with the intention of Kicking Off the Conversation in the Burdekin Region.

Inspiring ‘Food for Fodder’

Grounding Techniques are a Group of Strategies to Help Keep Someone in the Present

They help someone to regain their mental focus from an often intensely emotional state. Grounding skills can be helpful in managing overwhelming feelings or intense anxiety that can stem from extended stress or as a result of a traumatic event. I was first exposed consciously to Grounding techniques recently but discovered after further research that many of the strategies that I employ to cope with stress or anxiety were also Grounding techniques.

After being involved and witnessing a very traumatic event, I found myself struggling to process what had happened. I was suffering from shock, flashbacks, low mood, and was having trouble concentrating and sleeping. After a week, these symptoms had not alleviated and actually started to intensify, so I decided to reach out for some help to get back on track.

Realising that I was going to need some professional help I reached out to a psychologist to see what I could do to get back on top of things.

The Psychologist suggested some grounding strategies to try and arrest the cycle that was playing out both mentally and physically.

Several of the strategies are listed below but I focused on two, breathing exercises and one that I thought was a bit left of centre but really worked, walking barefoot as much as I could to connect with the earth. As a farmer and having an ingrained connection to the land, Dervla said that this strategy was vitally important being directly grounded to the earth would be of great benefit.

The breathing strategy consisted of Breathing in through the mouth for the count of five, hold for the count of six and breathe out for the count of seven. Do this four times in total, three times per day. This helped regulate the anxiety to a certain extent and helped with the sleeping.

The barefoot strategy took a bit of getting my head around, probably because I started with the mindset that it was mumbo jumbo, but to my surprise, it actually worked. I tried, over several days, to walk around barefooted as much as possible, relaxing and breathing as I was walking. While going through this process we took a family drive to the Redwood Forest at Warburton in Victoria and connected with nature and the surrounds. It is a serene, mystical place, a perfect place to walk barefoot, so I did with great benefits to my wellbeing. It was so connecting, and if you focused you could feel the energy.

To connect with the here and now, do something (or several things) that will bring all your attention to the present moment. Be sure to keep your eyes open while you're grounding yourself so you're aware of everything that's going on around you. If you notice that you're slipping into a flashback or a dissociative state, try some of these grounding techniques listed below:

Sound
Turn up the radio or blast your favourite song. Talk out loud about what you see, hear, or what you're thinking or doing. Call a loved one. Put on some nature sounds such as birds chirping or waves crashing. Read out loud, whether it's a favourite children's book, a blog article or the latest novel.

Touch
Hold an ice cube and let it melt in your hand. Put your hands under running water. Take a hot or cool shower. Grab an article of clothing, a blanket, or a towel and knead it in your hands or hold it to your cheek. Concentrate on what it feels like. Rub your hand lightly over the carpet or a piece of furniture, noting the texture. Pop some bubble wrap. Massage your temples. If you have a dog or cat, cuddle and pet him or her. Drink a hot or cold beverage.

Smell
Sniff strong peppermint, which also has the benefit of having a soothing effect. Light a scented candle or melt scented wax. Get some essential oils that remind you of good times (freshly cut grass, rain, clean laundry, or sugar cookies, for example) and smell one.

Taste
Bite into a lemon or lime. Suck on a mint or chew peppermint or cinnamon gum. Take a bite of a pepper or some hot salsa. Let a piece of chocolate melt in your mouth, noticing how it tastes and feels as you roll it around with your tongue.

Sight
Take a mental inventory of everything around you, such as all the colours and patterns you see, the sounds you hear, and the scents you smell. Saying this out loud is helpful too. Count all the pieces of furniture around you. Put on your favourite movie or TV show. Play a distracting game on your tablet, computer, or smartphone. Complete a crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search, or other puzzles. Read a book or magazine.

Other
Write in a journal about how you're feeling or keep a list of prompts handy that you can use to decide what to write about. Write a letter or card to someone you care about. Dance. Stretch your arms, neck and legs. Go for a walk or run. Take 10 slow, deep breaths. Go to another room or area for a change of scenery.

Thank you to Nathan Carkeek,
a recent guest on my Podcast and cofounder of Minds On Purpose for some inspiring poetry as featuring below…