As someone who writes from lived experience, I often find that the most powerful conversations on mental health don’t make headlines, they begin in quiet reflections.
My blog, The CP Diary which is centred around thoughtful reflections on mental health continues to advocate for mental wellness. As someone with mental health struggles I know first hand just how important it is to get on top of mental health.
When I saw how Clarkson’s Farm addressed the mental strain farmers felt, I felt compelled to add my own voice. Because while celebrities may open the door, it’s the stories we live every day that keep the conversation going. It's what The CP Diary does. I still continue to talk about mental health. In 16 years of writing I have never taken a day off from mental health.
We spend much of our lives ticking boxes. We move from one task to the next, without stopping to ask... how do I really feel? Do I really want or need this? We ignore and overlook mental health. But mental health is multifaceted – we carry more than we realise. Anxiety, fatigue, fears we don't talk about them. That inner silence then becomes a weight, again we don't know we're carrying.
While it may have started as a light-hearted take on a celebrity turned farmer, recent seasons have revealed something far deeper: the emotional toll that farming, and life more broadly can have on mental health.
We see it in Jeremy Clarkson who’s launched initiatives to support farmers' mental health, acknowledging that the silence around these struggles needs to be broken. Even in the quieter moments, there’s a vulnerability that shows just how human we all are – regardless of the role we play or the field we stand in.
Awareness is the first step. And kindness towards ourselves – is the next. We don't have to fix everything overnight. But checking in with ourselves, honestly and without judgment, gives us the space to begin healing. And when public figures or television shows reflect that truth, it helps others see that it’s okay to not be okay.
Mental health to wellness is not a destination – it’s a continual practice of noticing and nurturing. But it's not just farmers and mental health.
So, take a breath. Give yourself a moment to think about your mental health – to think about what you need to do to take back control. I shall continue to highlight mental health. Since Covid-19 more of us should be doing the same.
The bottom line... no one is free of mental health problems.
