Modern life puts too much stress on our mental health | Rick Jackson

How was 2019 for you? The environment, Brexit and the royal family dominated our newspapers this year but does that matter to you?Personally I have found 2019 to be a very tough year I don’t mind telling you. I found the work/home balance particularly difficult.
PAUSE FOR THOUGHT: Think before you press sendPAUSE FOR THOUGHT: Think before you press send
PAUSE FOR THOUGHT: Think before you press send

With two young children just 18 months apart, you may understand that they can be challenging, especially when they are together, with just me!

Sometimes we find out the hard way that parenting isn’t all the sweetness and light you imagine it to be ‘BC’ (before children).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

I sometime struggle to control them, wonder how best to handle situations as they flare up and how to resolve meltdown.

Work is also rather hard. I have the best job in the world, playing records and chatting on the radio for three- and-a-half hours a day.

I find that part very easy now having done it for so long, it’s the other stuff I struggle with. I’m so glad I’m not on the telly.

The majority of time you meet lovely people.

However, there are those who think they have the right to be rude to you just because of what you do for a living, without even knowing you.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Earlier this year I decided to come off social media to give myself a break from all the exposure that brings and give my brain a moment to detox from 21st century living.

Don’t get me wrong, life was so much harder for our parents, grand and great-grandparents, especially those who fought in the war.

But today the mental pressures of life are so much greater. Our expectations are so much higher than they were back in the day and so are those expectations of us.

We are much quicker to judge or be judged. The internet and 24-hour rolling news means we are constantly bombarded with information and opinion.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

I think we need a moment to detox, engage our brains before we hit the keyboard, pause for thought and be a bit kinder to each other.

That’s my hope for 2020.

My fitness regime was so good I’ve signed up full time

My Get Rick Fit six-week challenge has come to an end. I’ve learnt how important your posture or ‘form’ is, learnt about eating a well-balanced diet, how not to drink caffeinated drinks after midday and drink lots of water.

I found myself looking forward to my workouts, being in a small group of four with a personal trainer. I was burning about 800 calories each 50-minute session and by the end of six weeks, my wife had noticed a difference in my body shape.

As well as weight loss through diet, I burnt off 3lb of fat and put on 2lb of muscle. I enjoyed it so much, I’ve joined SC Vital Fitness full time.

Now to get ripped for our July holiday!

Wanted: a building suitable for bus museum. Any ideas?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The buses are in place, the pubs have been informed so it’s all systems go for the Ale and Ride vintage bus day on new year’s day between Gosport and Fareham.

I will be driving, but I must admit, the idea of jumping on and off vintage buses and enjoying a pint or two at some good pubs makes me think I’d prefer to leave the uniform at home!

It’s being organised by The Provincial Society and if you Google you’ll find details on its website. Its aim is to have a bus museum to compliment and link the other fine museums in Gosport and Lee-on-the-Solent. But it’s not as simple as it sounds. We need somewhere to store buses and put up displays. Any ideas?

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.