Six pillars.
One for everyone.
Connection, Nature, Movement, Discomfort, Meaning and Joy are our values. They are the pillars every Wednesday is built on. And they are the protective behaviours that support better mental health.
of Australians aged 16 to 24 had a mental disorder in the past year.7 That is why this matters.
Connection
Meaningful relationships and community.
Facilitated connection and repeated community participation. Creates opportunities for belonging, friendship and stronger social networks.
of Harvard research: how happy people were in their relationships at 50 predicted their health at 80 better than cholesterol did.3
Nature
Time outside, in the ocean, at sunrise.
Ocean, beach, sunrise and time in nature. Normalises spending time outdoors as part of everyday health.
a week in nature is linked to better health and wellbeing.2
Movement
Moving our bodies, every week.
Large-scale yoga, Pilates, running, mobility and movement. Supports physical activity, mobility, confidence and healthy routine.
lower risk of depression for adults who meet activity guidelines. Only 1 in 5 Australian adults do.1
Discomfort
Practising challenge and self-belief.
The 5am alarm. Saying hi to someone new. Moving a body that would rather stay in bed. Then the cold water. Small, chosen discomforts that build confidence and self-belief.
Across 96 studies, challenge programs built confidence, leadership and independence, and the gains kept growing after they ended.4
Meaning
Being part of something bigger.
Hundreds of people choosing to get up early, move together, enter the ocean, meet new people and be part of something bigger than themselves.
People with the least sense of purpose were more than twice as likely to die during a long-term study.5
Joy
The buzz, without the heavy drinking.
Music, laughter, a sunrise dip and coffee with friends afterwards. Fun and buzz in a wholesome, alcohol-free way.
lower risk of dying over five years for the people who felt the most joy day to day, after allowing for health and lifestyle.6
The beach is where it starts.
The pillars go home with you.
A free resource, built around the six pillars
We are building a free mental health and wellbeing resource around the six pillars, given to everyone who signs up to a Cold Nips Wednesday. Simple, practical ways to bring each pillar into everyday life, so the morning keeps working long after people leave the beach.
It sits alongside professional help, never instead of it.
Sources
- Pearce et al., JAMA Psychiatry 2022, 191,130 people; ABS National Health Survey 2022, adults 18 to 64.
- White et al., Scientific Reports 2019, 19,806 people.
- Harvard Study of Adult Development, running since 1938.
- Hattie et al., Review of Educational Research 1997, adventure education, 96 studies.
- Alimujiang et al., JAMA Network Open 2019, ~7,000 adults over 50.
- Steptoe and Wardle, PNAS 2011, 3,800 adults aged 52 to 79.
- ABS National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2020 to 2022.