Find your tribe
Building connections with other people is perhaps the most powerful thing we can do to improve our health, both physical and mental. As human beings we were designed to belong to a group or tribe. We do best when we live alongside and in cooperation with others. To survive and feel good about ourselves, we need to belong. Building positive relationships allows us to support others as well as being supported by them. Living in a small and sometimes remote village like Rhossili can mean that many of us spend periods feeling cut off. Whilst this might suit many of us for some of the time, it can lead to feelings of worthlessness and isolation. Joining a community group, getting involved in a community project, offering support to others are all steps to increasing a sense of belonging and purpose. A great number of these community groups are here on the Rhossili Hwb.
Get physical!
Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness. Evidence shows it can also strengthen your mental wellbeing by improving how you feel about yourself. It’s not about spending hours in a gym or doing an Iron Man competition… there are a number of groups which meet in the village which can help get you moving… whether it be yoga, dog walking… or simply going for a coffee in the village hall or try one of the eateries we have in the village.
Trying something new
Maybe you’ve never been one for joining in with village activities… but now might be the time to give something new a try. For example, if you enjoy reading you can turn a solitary activity into something more social, by sharing your experiences of a book with others in the book club.
Mental health charity MIND promotes reading and bookclubs. Research has found that bookclubs can be really good for our mental wellbeing because:
- It forces you to actually read. …
- You can make new friends — not just fictional ones.
- It gives you a different perspective.
- It broadens your horizons. …
- It Improves your own writing skills.
- It often involves cake.
- It gives you a break amidst the madness of life.
Rhossili has a thriving book club which is so successful its almost full! To check on availability of places, or if you would be interesting in starting Rhossili Book club #2 please contact Helen Sinclair helen@sculptureculture.co.uk for more information and advice on how book clubs work best.
Learn a new skill
Related to ‘Trying something new’ above is learning a new skill or acquiring new knowledge. The Mental Health Matters website states that:
Continued learning throughout our life enhances self-esteem and encourages social interaction and a more active life. Evidence suggests that engaging in work or educational activities can help lift people’s mood. The practice of setting goals, which is related to adult learning in particular, has been strongly associated with higher levels of wellbeing. You could try researching something online that you’re curious about; do a crossword or Sudoku puzzle; or read a new book.
Mental Health Matters
You could also think about learning a language – Welsh for example, through the learnwelsh scheme. This offers a wide range of courses at different skill levels available during the daytime or evening, face-to-face or in virtual classrooms. Fees are very reasonable with discounts for people in receipt of state pension. There are some courses available in neighbouring villages.
Another option for people who have retired or semi-retired is to join the University of the Third Age (U3A). There is a U3A group based in Swansea. There are no exams and no homework, just regular lessons or study groups. It’s learning for fun, not with the aim of gaining qualifications.
Sing with others
Did you know that singing in a group or choir is good for you? Interkultur, a major organiser of international choir festivals, talks about 6 different benefits of singing together:
- Singing boosts happiness and can have a positive impact on your long-term mental health.
- Singing makes fast friends – with singing and learning new pieces together acts as an ice-breaker.
- Singing together improves a sense of community, with shared interests in the music, creating harmony and the camaraderie of singing at concerts.
- Singing releases endorphins – the feel good chemicals!
- Singing boosts the immune system – they jury’s out on how this happens but it seems it does.
- Singing helps relaxation – with singing you have to learn to control your breathing, stand comfortably and clear your mind of other distractions to focus on the music and listen to others.
You can read more about this here.
Lleisiau Gŵyr is a small, relaxed, informal women’s choir that meets usually once a week at St Cattwg’s in Port Einon, for coffee, a warm-up and then singing. New people are always welcome – no audition necessary.
Give to others
We know that acts of giving and kindness can help improve mental wellbeing by creating positive feelings and a sense of reward, giving a feeling of purpose and self-worth and helping connect with other people.
It could be small acts of kindness towards other people, or larger ones like volunteering. Staying local to Rhossili you might try getting involved in some of the village activities, such as the food bank, beach cleaning, charity events at the village hall, helping with the Hwb, supporting a neighbour or friend (just by asking how they are), spending time with someone who may appreciate some company, or offering help to someone with something you might have some skills or knowledge about.
Food bank collections are made weekly and your contributions can be left at the old bus shelter on the corner of School lane throughout the week.
Beach cleans are usually monthly and dates and times will be posted on the Hwb.
Gill Boulding
