Taking control in farming is about nurturing animals and the land, and also nurturing yourself and those around you, according to Finola Colgan, development officer, Mental Health Ireland (MHI).
She will be a guest speaker at the Clare ‘Weaving Stories Together‘ booklet launch and health and wellbeing expo in Glór, Ennis, on Monday, November 13.
So why the emphasis on nurturing? “As the L’Oreal advert goes -‘because you’re worth it.’ Although it may appear to farmers that they have little or no control over the challenges facing them, they can take control of their mental health and wellbeing to stay on top of matters,” she told Agriland.
“That is the cornerstone of and is beautifully shared by the contributors of the ‘Clare Farmers Weaving Stories Together’ booklet.
“It provides unique personal insights and includes invaluable self-care and nurturing tips outlined in their insert, ‘Five ways to wellbeing,’ a set of practical steps that can support mental health and wellbeing. Connect, be active, take notice, keep learning and give,” Finola said.
Farming
As a farmer’s wife for 30 years or more – and still counting – she has become acutely aware of the often unrelenting demands and challenges faced by the farming community on a daily basis, both on and off farm.
“I understand it from a personal perspective and also hold a view from the outside in relation to my off-farm work with Mental Health Ireland, in meeting and delivering workshops to farming groups,” she said.
“I understand the impact of the pressures of farming and how they can contribute to stress and anxiety, both of which are natural, albeit undesirable, aspects of life.
“Mostly the impacts of such pressures can be subtle, and more often than not, it’s about getting through the everyday tasks of farming,” Finola added.
“There are days, whether you are a farmer or a farmer’s wife, that you may feel indifferent, neither in great form nor poor form, but just in an indifferent kind of a mood,” she explained.
The development officer said that this has been identified in the world of psychology as languishing – as it might be expressed in farming parlance ‘stuck in a rut’, lacking in motivation, where every movement feels like a struggle.
“However, at the other end of the spectrum is ‘flourishing’, whereby you are fit to take on the world, have loads of energy and are able to handle any challenge that crosses you path,” she continued.
“These moments and days are to be cherished as such feelings are motivating and it is the end of the spectrum we need to be working towards and maintaining.
“Viewing mental health on a continuum from languishing to flourishing or vice versa, it’s possible to get a fair understanding of the state of your mental wellness, from feeling okay to not being okay. It’s a natural state of movement for us all and is quite common,” Finola said.
She referenced the common phrase that people hear nowadays that ‘it’s okay not to be okay’, but said it is essential to recognise that such feelings are a warning sign to seek support to avoid stagnation and the absence of wellbeing.
As farming is a unique way of living, it’s not always possible to control the many challenges that face farmers, according to the development officer.
“The list is like an unholy litany of, e.g., in no order of priority, debt or financial instability, market fluctuations, high input costs – seeds, fertilisers, farm machinery and equipment, not to mind the extreme weather conditions that we are gradually getting accustomed to,” Finola added.
Despite all the difficulties, Finola ended on a positive note. “When all is said and done, I would not like to change my lifestyle as a farmer’s wife as there are too many rewards. They outweigh the challenges and offer a unique quality of life.”