Don't lose sight of why you do it - Movember 2022 with the Silly Sellecks

As the dust settles on Movember 2022, it has given me time to reflect on the month that was, the incredible support we saw once again, as well as the deeper meaning behind growing some (often filthy) moustaches.

Through 2020 and 2021, myself and a handful of friends, led by Bryce McMahon and appropriately named "The Silly Sellecks", had raised just over $33,000 for Movember ; a commendable effort for a few friends who wanted to make a difference.

This year, with the support of some of Movember 's finest, namely Oliver Bannister , Nathan Appo , and the rest of the Mo' crew, our team grew, our community grew, and so did our fundraising goal. Setting out with an initial target of $20,000, which we raised in 10 days, we kept increasing our target again, and again, and again, until the 31st of November ticked over, and we had raised a whopping $33,558. Incredible.

Anyone that has participated in Movember knows that fundraising aside, it is just as much about starting a conversation, checking in with your mates, and being there for those who need support. $33,558 is more than any of us could have ever imagined raising, but it's the countless conversations about #mensmentalhealth that make the real difference.

Movember has quickly become the beacon for #mensmentalhealth fundraising worldwide. There is something incredible about November each year where communities band together to support the men in our lives, but increasingly, it's 'the work off the field', what happens in the other 11 months of the year that are just as important, and are often where the biggest differences can be made. I am guilty of often answering the question of 'how are you' with a 'yeah good thanks, how about you?' - more often than not, not truly feeling 'good'. Life is complex, and I think it's too easy to brush off how we're really feeling, good or bad, with a 'yeah good'.

Don't lose sight of why you do it.

Movember has been a timely reminder, at least personally, on the importance of checking in with yourself just as much as your mates. It's a big thing to recognise when things might not be going completely swimmingly, and it's another thing to be able to acknowledge and vocalise these issues, even if just with just yourself. Me and a number of mates now regularly check in with each other with a 'head check', to hopefully move past the 'yeah good thanks' response. I think it can be easy to get swept up in the fundraising side of campaigns such as Movember , and taking nothing away from how important money is, sometimes forgetting the deeper meaning behind Movember - starting a conversation about #mensmentalhealth in a hope to break the stigma around speaking out.

Growing a moustache aside, this year the Silly Sellecks not only had their biggest team (35), but also the biggest movement goal of any year. Across the 35 Mo' Bros and Mo' Sisters, The Sellecks moved just shy of 3,000km, through a combination of running, walking and cycling. The beauty of initiatives like Movember 's 'Mo your own way' is that it is another outlet for conversation, connection and community. Over a number of 'Movember walks' with mates, where you could do nothing more than walk and chat, it was fantastic to get to know the team more, get talking about what's making everyone tick, all whilst being active.

It would be remiss of me not to mention a very special Movember ambassador and machine of a human, Rory McHugh, who this year ran 180km in under 24 hours by doing laps of New Farm Park in Brisbane. Finding a way to eclipse last year's 30 marathons in 30 days, Rory's 2022 efforts saw hundreds of friends, family and strangers' band together, joining him running laps of New Farm Park.

"Tell your mates you love them" - Rory McHugh

One of my favourite quotes, something so simple and yet so overlooked; tell your mates you love them. It was mid-October, at the Brisbane Movember launch event, and as part of a panel discussion with a number of the Movember team and ambassadors, Rory plain and simply said 'tell your mates you love them', something I think resonated with everyone in the room. Rory's message is simple, tell your mates you love them, because you never know what the difference for them could be. As blokes, we're inherently bad at letting our walls down, but for me personally, and this year especially, I have found myself telling my mates I love them more than I ever have before, and it feels great.

In reflection, Movember 2022 was my favourite yet. Our largest team, our largest fundraising total, the most conversations and meaningful change made, it was fantastic. I think I speak on behalf of the whole Silly Sellecks team when I say "we really f**king did that!?" - a bunch of misfits, banding together and raising just shy of $35,000... we really did it.

Be kind, call your mates, tell them that you love them ??

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