Progressive Sport - An Introduction.

In a modern, technologically advanced world, there is so much to cherish and marvel at. Communication and the immediacy and accessibility of knowledge are nowoccurrences that are taken as commonplace in our everyday lives. Those same lives are made easier in various different ways because of this accessibility. The world has grown smaller, despite not reducing in size. At the touch of a button, you can talk to someone on the far side of the world via video calling - something that would have been considered impossible merely two decades ago.

Yet due to these advances and strides in technology, are we - as humans and a society - now guilty of a more narrowed world view? Are we not desensitized to the plight of those most vulnerable around us? Mental health problems take many different forms within a wide spectrum of people. From depression to suicidal tendencies and anxiety. A stigma surrounds these illnesses - for illnesses they are - brought on by a callous media and a selfish 'me first, you second' attitude of a Government obsessed with the wealthy and powerful.

In all honesty, we do not talk about mental health enough. It is a blind spot in society - not for everyone, but for the majority. I can say this with absolute certainty and through personal experience, having experienced many of these issues in 2013. For this post, and maybe more in the future, I'd like to take a look at the positive and progressive way in which sport can improve the mood and help to break down the barriers surrounding those with mental health issues, along with the stresses within their lives. 

The first question to be asked is simple; What can sport do for a modern lifestyle? There are so many answers to this question, yet I think the foremost and easiest is simple. Sport is inclusion. Acceptance. At least in later life, if not so much in youth sports, where children are judged for not participating. This can also be seen in adults, yet that has nothing to do with the sport or activity itself, but the players and participants. Sport itself has no barriers, it is us as humans and a society that place restrictions upon participation. Yet nevertheless it is inclusive and can help people to forget the stresses of life for a little while. You get lost in the moment, the companionship, the competitive spirit. It allows people to feel good about themselves, when often there seems to be nothing worth feeling good about.

Sport can act as a stimulate, also. It can become something to look forward to, when everything else around seems bleak and lonely. Whether it's the lunchtime ritual of running that gets you through your day, or the meeting with friends for a friendly match of netball, the power of sport and being physically active can help to banish demons of the mind. 

I hope to go into more depth and detail over the coming weeks and months about the power of sport and mental health. Yet for this first post, I will sign off with the simple philosophy that I have found to be true over the last twelve months. Many people choose sport or fitness to improve their image, in a world where vanity is King. Going into a new year, with new opportunities and challenges, choose sport for the right reasons. Choose it for yourself, if you find that you're fighting a rearguard action in your battles of the mind. I did, and now, when I decide to look back, it's only to reaffirm my commitment to going forward.