Five Steps to Wellbeing with Anson St George
Five steps to wellbeing is an evidence-based idea that carrying out five simple actions every day can significantly boost your mental health and wellbeing. The five steps to mental wellbeing are:
- Connect with other people
- Be physically active
- Learn new skills
- Give to others
- Pay attention to the present moment (mindfulness)
If we can agree that playing cricket can help you achieve some or all these steps, then it’s indisputable that playing cricket for Anson is good for your health. Well, maybe not your knees, hips, and Achilles tendons after a certain age.
A couple of years ago I wrote a blog about how we need to talk more about mental health. That blog was written as a dedication to Anson player John Moody who died by suicide in 2020. The blog also provided some basic advice about supporting mental health. With John’s memorial match coming up I thought I would make good on talking more about mental health and elaborate on how the five steps to mental wellbeing can be fulfilled by pursuing recreational cricket.
What is mental health?
Mental health is basically how we think, feel and behave. Along with our physical health it makes up our overall wellbeing. In many ways it can be useful to think of mental health as we would physical health. It can help us understand that we can be mentally fit or unfit in a similar way we can be physically fit or unfit. The comparison might help us understand that having poor mental health might not necessarily mean we have a mental health condition in the same way that being physically unfit doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a physical health condition. This is perhaps a simplistic explanation of what the mental health continuum demonstrates.
The key thing to take away is that whether you have a diagnosis for a mental health condition or not, looking after your mental health is very important. For people diagnosed with mental health conditions looking after mental health might include taking medications or accessing psychological therapies. For everyone, an element of self-care is essential to keeping our mental health in best shape we can. Self-care means doing things that improve and maintains your mental wellbeing. The five steps to wellbeing are essentially about self-care. Doing self-care activities that meet each of the five steps every day give us a good chance of improving our levels of wellbeing. It doesn’t have to be about undertaking large commitments. Small acts of self-care can make a big difference.
I am going to explain how playing a game of cricket a week for Anson can help. The other days of the week, when there isn’t an Anson social event, you will have to find other activities.
Connect with people
Playing cricket is a very sociable activity and it’s a great way to meet new people and stay in touch with old friends alike. With the slower pace of Sunday cricket there is plenty of time to chat and connect with people. Whether we’re changing ends whilst fielding or looking for the ball, waiting for your turn to bat, or during the tea breaks the conversation is varied. You can join in with the laughs and stories or find a quiet moment to check-in with someone.
Playing for Anson can improve your sense of self-worth because our ethos is about providing an encouraging environment. Everyone is given an opportunity to contribute to the team regardless of whether they’re a club legend or new to the game. Things don’t always go well from the sporting perspective, but the support and encouragement from the team is steadfast. Individuals’ achievements, big and small are enjoyed by everyone at the club.
Be physically active
Ok, cricket probably isn’t the most physically strenuous activity you can do. However, this step isn’t about hitting the gym to become the peak of physical fitness. It’s about finding the activity that’s right for you, whether that’s preparing for a marathon, going for a walk, or taking the stairs instead of the lift at work. Playing cricket certainly allows you to be physically active.
Being physically active is good for your physical health, but evidence shows it’s good for your mental wellbeing too. Physical activity causes chemical changes in your brain that help to positively change your mood. It can help you sleep better and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.
If you really get into playing cricket with Anson, then Lee’s stats and milestones sheets will help you set goals and achievements. You’ll find an encouraging environment to help you meet them.
Learn new skills
Learning new skills is a great way to build confidence and a sense of purpose. It can also help you feel more productive. Whether you’re new to cricket or have been playing for 30 years or more there are still great opportunities to learn something new in cricket. A couple of seasons ago Paul Doyle taught me something about my back-lift that improved my game that helped me hit my second hundred for the club, 18 years after the first. As we get older, we adapt and learn new ways to play. Paul Evans has been working on a round-arm delivery to add to his arsenal of bowling weaponry.
For people new to the game there are lots of skills to learn in batting, bowling and fielding. There are also other skills like scoring and umpiring too. Fortunately, there are a lot of supportive people at the club to help new members learn their way.
Give to others
Evidence suggests that acts of kindness and giving can help improve your mental wellbeing. It can create positive feelings and sense of reward. It can give you a sense of self-worth and help you connect to others.
This can be about giving in a small way as much as making big gestures. Putting out the boundary markers or doing a stint of umpiring are ways you can give to the team. If you want to do something more substantial you can put yourself forward to be on the committee.
It doesn’t even have to be about doing jobs or tasks. Paul helping me with my batting, as described above was a great way to give to others. It could even be something as simple as encouraging or showing support for someone who has played well.
Pay attention to the present moment (mindfulness)
Mindfulness is probably the more difficult one to explain succinctly. The NHS webpage on mindfulness is a good source of information and still short enough to read. In essence, mindfulness is paying attention to what is going on in and around us moment by moment. This means paying attention to the sights, sounds, smells and tastes that we come across. It can help you feel more positive about life and how you face challenges.
As with all the other steps this can easily be done by taking some simple actions. You can practice mindfulness by simply taking a moment every now and then to notice things around you.
Playing cricket is a great way to put yourself in an environment that gives you access to all sorts of sensations. I think the youngsters these days call it touching grass. There are plenty of opportunities to take notice whilst the game meanders along. You can listen out for the birdsong or take notice of the heat of the sun or a cool breeze. If you want to take it further, you could keep a diary or even write an article for this blog.
Anson St George – a social prescription
It’s probably obvious that some of the five steps to wellbeing would be good for your mental health. I think it’s obvious that playing sport can be good for your wellbeing too. But being aware of the five steps and the theory behind them can help you be more proactive in boosting your wellbeing when playing cricket.
Cricket can be a serious sport, even for amateurs. But the values we have in Anson are about having fun and supporting each other. Although we play to win, the matches we play are called friendlies for a reason. We’re a club that anyone with an interest in cricket can be a part of. This means that we’re a perfectly placed to offer opportunities to connect with people, keep physically active, learn new skills, give to others, and be more mindful of our surroundings. Doing all these things in a big or a small way will boost your wellbeing.
You don’t have to have a mental health condition or poor mental health to benefit from carrying out five steps to wellbeing every day. Our mental health is something that we all need to make sure that we look after. Playing cricket is the sort of social prescription that can give your wellbeing a boost. It’s another thing that Anson St George is the antidote to.
Getting more support
The five steps to wellbeing are a great concept for everyone to boost their mental wellbeing. However, self-care may not be sufficient on its own to support people with cases of more severe poor mental health, or mental ill health. If you, or someone you know, needs more support than check in with your GP or find alternative resources on websites like Mind.
I have recently completed the mental health first aider course and if you have concerns and you don’t know where to turn for help then please do get in contact with me.
A very good and timely piece Jimbo