Solemates, walking for one another

Having walked the bay in the inner west of Sydney for over 8 years, I have covered well in excess of 13,000 kms and most of the time start in the dark.

For me there's a calming and reassuring magic to this 7k loop. The draw of the water is something I was born with. It helps me and has been scientifically proven , to aid mental health. So much so that I rarely miss a walk and go to bed looking forward to my next hour and a quarter of serenity.

This all sounds fairly poetic, but I have to say, most of those I meet along the way, smile at or simply acknowledge on the days when it take a little longer for "the sun" to rise, seem to appreciate it as much as I do. Leave it much later and heads are down, AirPods are in and theres a sense of rush, reluctance and inner focus.

The bay walk for me is a time to listen to audible books, check in with my dad, crank up some tunes that prepare me for a big day or just to be as close as I can to nature, the place that always turns up, rain hail or shine.

Halfway around there's a simple coffee shop at the rowing club that now thankfully serve "maccalo's".... also called a why bother by some, however essentially is a macchiato with a bit more. It's just the way I like it.

This loop has been such a source of inspiration for me over the years, not to mention the opener of "Shoe Dog " giving me goosebumps via audible, read by Philip Knight. So much so that I now walk it with others who've joined (I think) through inspiration, realising the benefits themselves. But here's the important part; some walks are total hysterics, cracking one liners, doing impressions and sharing ideas, others barely a word is spoken. That's the point, it's the fact you turn up with good company, the fact you made the effort and the fact you see so many incredible snippets of nature that most miss out on.

So here's what Solemates is; this is me, extending an invite to anyone who's struggled, to join us on a 7 loop each Friday. A call out to #founders , #entrepreneurs , #investors , #vc 's or anyone who's hidden #mentalhealth . My hope with this, is that we can have an impact, make a difference and encourage others to turn up. An important note on this; if you turn up, there's no labelling. Turn up to talk, advise, share, listen or help others. This is a walk, that's it. So if the Black Dog Institute would like to join us, we'd love to have you there.

To finish, this is a not for profit initiative to give back. No small print, no expectations and no shame. Every now and again, we will take a selfie and show our support to encourage others.

So, here's to #soulmates . DM me for deets.

BTW, I am not a mental health professional. Imagine if in 12 months, 50 people are walking, a few feel better as a result and even a life is saved. That's my goal.