The mounting pressures and stresses from the fast-paced world we live in today can often get on top of us. There never seems to be enough time to do the things that truly make us feel happy and relaxed. To mark the start of #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek we want to start thinking about what makes us happy and what causes us stress and anxiety. It’s about doing less of the bad stuff and more of the good stuff!

We spoke to our Gill ambassadors and athletes on how they are embracing "Less" and "More" in their professions and day-to-day life.

Photo credit: US Sailing

Ian MacDiarmid

US Sailing Team Athlete (49er)

Less phone screens. More sunscreen.

Being outdoors and especially in or on the water brings me joy because of the flow of the wind and the ocean. Being able to tap into that flow while sailing, surfing, swimming or foiling brings me such overwhelming happiness. These places are my playground, where not only do things come very naturally for me, but I am also pushed to my limits.

As a high-performance athlete, the most difficult challenges we face usually come from the travel and getting stuck on skills. Travel is difficult because of the obvious things, like getting used to different foods, beds, weather and not seeing your friends or family, but also jumping time zones is not kind on your body

Feeling comfortable with progress is something that frequently surfaces for me as an athlete. To be a successful sportsman you need to be able to always improve your game and that requires an acceptance of failure, which is hard to do! Being able to trust that you and your team will figure things out is that best way I have found to tackle this issue.

To support positive mental health, I make sure to write things down that I find interesting, annoying, sad or fun in a note on my phone. It is a great start to try and work through things that are bothering me and build a familiar dialogue with myself. I find that journaling is a great way to build healthy independence.

India Pearson

SUPYoga Teacher and founder of Fin and Flow Yoga

Less fear. More flow.

This statement is about overcoming fears that our mind creates in order to flow through life and do more things that fuel our soul! It can be scary doing something for the first time, and I often get people saying to me 'I’d love to try SUPYoga but I've never done it before and I'm scared of falling in!' Everyone is a beginner once and if your heart desires to do something then go with that flow - you never know where it might take you!

India shared more of her experience of how she changed her mindset and began to use SUPYoga as a way to alleviate her feelings of anxiety. Read it here.

Paddy Hutchings

British Solo Sailor (#Sail4Sustainability)

Less pressure. More enjoyment.

Many times, people have asked me how much of a physical toll sailing must take on my body, but I am always quick to explain the mental resilience I must have when sailing and this is why for me it is crucial to take time to look after my mental health.

I always find myself putting pressure on goals that I have not quite reached or been at my absolute best in a particular race. I forget to live in the moment and appreciate the success I have already had, as well as the unique experience that I find myself in. Being kind to yourself, proud of what you have done and most importantly enjoying the moment is something I remind myself every day - to be the best person and sailor I can be. To win is to be happy.

Jamie Cook

19 year old British Sailor (470)

Less onshore. More offshore.

The statement works for me because I think that sailing is such a good way to clear your head, you can leave any problems on the beach and just enjoy being on the water. Sailing with other people is also a great social activity which is always important for positive mental health.

Photo credit: US Sailing

Lara Dallman-Weiss

US Sailing Team Athlete (Nacra 17)

Less Fear. More Love.

Connection to nature is what keeps me going, I’m performing my best when I can tune into nature on my walk to the boat, it’s unbelievable what the sound of waves crashing, birds singing, or watching a sunset does for the soul!

I think many sailors would agree that the intentional time we at practice, spend on the racecourse, or cruising around is what makes us feel alive. I always say life is better the moment we leave the dock, and a by-product of the sport is being off devices and completely present.

To help with my mental health, I have built a great community of friends, family, and experts and I communicate when things aren’t going well, it’s really important to have others who can feed me perspective when I get too internal. I also only share problems with people who can help, whether I'm hurt, sick, or annoyed at a situation, it’s important to not keep repeating the drama to people who can’t help with the solution.

It’s okay to feel not okay sometimes! I just listened to a podcast on dopamine and what happens when we set and achieve a goal, we can experience a low and to recognize that it’s okay to feel down and to share that with your support group! For these moments I always remember that in order to jump to the next level the mind and body do need deep rest at times and to not fight it, I like to get into a good TV series to force myself to unplug.

Photo credit: US Sailing

Nikki Barnes

US Sailing Team Athlete (470 Skipper)

Less Fear. More Love.

There could be so many problems going on but the moment you get into the ocean, all the problems go away and the important things in life come into focus. It’s a magical thing to be a part of! The water also is always changing…she’s a puzzle to figure out and can be calm or unforgiving. It’s really fun to try and figure out!

The most difficult parts of my job is making sure that the hard times of training don’t affect how you are enjoying your life. That separation of work and life is a hard balance but necessary for multiple years of sailing at a high level.

When things are going tough, the dialogue is usually tougher inside your own mind… sharing your thoughts on paper get it out of your mind and can give a bit more perspective that things might not be as bad as they really are. Be kind to yourself because that’s the voice you hear the most. Bad moments don’t need to create bad days. And don’t forget to smile!

Thank you to the Gill ambassadors and athletes who shared their experiences with us. If you’re needing some more encouragement to get outdoors and on the water, read our “reasons why getting out in BlueSpaces is good for you”!

#ClearerMind