Now before you start nodding your head and thinking that finally the big man has decided to publicly confess his undoubted insanity?.. I’d like you to hang in there and stick with me. Because I am actually really about to ‘fess up’.

Its true!  I’ve often been often described in the great Aussie vernacular as “The belt doesn’t go through all the loops” – “He’s a sandwich short of a picnic”  - Clearly  ”he’s not the full bucket of chicken” . I’ve heard them all and used them all in describing my best friends. Because life experience tells me that we’re all just a little bit loopy I. Can I have your agreement on that?

Thanks!

So Yes!.. Here’s the confession. Its true! Those of you who know me and think I may have a razor sharp wit are about to get some bad news.  You’re only half right.  :)

In this week, 5 years ago, I trotted myself off to the neighbourhood Dr with a case of classic burn out. It’d become a pretty regular visit to the local quack. Probably every 3 months I was there with a constant complaint of being tired, stressed, headaches, anxiety when there was nothing to really be anxious about. Not sleeping, over sleeping, cranky, no concentration.  (Some that know me might be saying that nothing’s actually changed about me 5 years later – But you’re wrong)

My local Dr Lahanas kept telling me to ‘slow down and do less’, ‘Take time to smell the roses’, ‘Relax a little’, ‘Take some time off’. In fact he also said to me (and I scoffed at this each time he told me) “If you don’t slow down, the only way we’ll fix you in the future will be with tablets”

He’s a good local Dr of 20 years and after more than a few arguments he finally convinced me to see a Psych, a Shrink, The man in the white coat. The man I’ll affectionately call Sigmund!

I kept postponing the appointment to see Sigmund. Its not an easy thing to confess to yourself that you’re a six-pack short of a carton. 

But finally. It was time. You can only look at the ceiling from 2.00 am to 4.00 am for so long! Ultimately you gotta accept that your antennae isn’t picking up all the channels. 

I’m not going to bore you with the gory details and the diagnosis stuff. (Unless you’re feeling some of the above symptoms and are questioning your own sanity?  Please message me privately and confidentially, I’m happy to give you my story and journey and to be an ear. #truth)

But finally after a few sessions on the couch with Sigmund I walked out diagnosed with Professional Burnout. (Major Depression)  And you guessed it!  Some tablets! Old Dr Lahanas was on the money. His words were ringing in my ears. “If you don’t slow down, the only way we’ll fix you in the future will be with tablets”

So. There I stood. Age 48. A clinical diagnosis that in my view read “Warning: Objects in mirror are dumber than they appear”. Well, it didn’t really say that. But that’s what I felt like.  ‘A few fries short of a Happy Meal” might be closer.

The fix?..  Pretty simple. Slow down, smell the roses, take some tablets, get some exercise, look for beauty in even the most negative of experiences. I could counsel you for our hours on what I did to fight my way back. But after 12 months of looking after myself and partaking of some of the resources from the wonderful people at Beyond Blue  I was able to kick the tablets and get a further diagnosis, which read….

“He’s A few clowns short of a circus” – “Doesn’t have all his corn flakes in one box” – “His elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top floor”.  Thank Heavens! Clearly I was back to normal!  Hooray!!

And so this takes me to the point I came here to make. I don’t think I’m the only nut case here. In fact I was chatting to my friend Cathy McLeod this afternoon. Cathy is a mega awesome real estate agent in Bulimba in Brisbane and Cathy is about to take on an amazing challenge to walk the Kokoda Track. And Friends let me promise you. For Cathy  to even consider walking 10 days in dense thick jungle in Papua New Guinea in horrid conditions shows to me that she too is absolutely Nucking Futs!  And Good on Cathy for doing what She has set out to achieve! This is seriously gruelling stuff!

Why is Cathy doing this?  Its pretty simple. Cathy has heart and huge ambition and understands that she has an opportunity to grow personally by taking this amazing physical and mind sapping challenge on. But Cathy also has set herself a goal to raise some serious cash for Beyond Blue.  She’s looking for donations and support here.   Like me, She’s seen the effects of mental illness, Like me, she knows she can make a difference, and like me, she wants to support a great cause.

So. Now I’ve confessed that “I don’t have all of my dogs on the one leash” and that there is clearly some question about whether Cathy McLeod’s “sewing machine may have run out of thread’” I can ask only 1 thing of You. (Well 2 things please)

I’d love you to take 30 seconds to leave Cathy a message of encouragement here in the comments box below.  I know the months of agony and training that she has endured and the torture she is putting her body through to achieve this seriously amazing quest deserves every ounce of encouragement and recognition that can be mustered.

The second thing I ask is this. I am very conscious that these are tough economic times for lots of us. But. if you have a spare 5 or 10 dollars to gift to Cathy’s fund raising efforts to raise money for the amazing people at Beyond Blue that were wonderful in assisting me to regain my sanity at a very tough time?, I’d personally deem your generosity a warm personal favour to me.  In anticipation – Thank You!

Please click here to show your support in anyway that you can.

Go get ‘em Cathy!  I think ‘You have a leak in your skylight” But go get ‘em!     

I found this piece of beached driftwood on a morning walk. The barnacles reminded me of the need for us all to scrape off the crap from time to time if we want to get ourselves back floating above the wash.