Our NHS and other well-known organisation promote 5 Ways to Wellbeing:
- Connect
- Be Active
- Take Notice
- Learn
- Give
Here’s our take on 5 Ways to Wellbeing for Cadets.
Connect
Staying connected is not just good for your wellbeing, but everyone around you.
At sea, ships communicate with each other across the world via the Bridge on marine radio with lots of dials and buttons. Luckily, our friends are just one tap away on our phones. If you’ve not heard from a friend from school or sea cadets for a while why not reach out?
Equally, check in on your wider circle of friends and family, especially older relatives. Why not give them a call, and let know what you have been up to too keep yourself busy and active. Let them tell you about their day too really listen, lend an ear, not just your time.
Tip: It’s fantastic we can reach our loved ones at the touch of a button. But ensure you limit your screen time as you normally would around your routine. If Sailors chatted all day the ship would drift from its course.
Write a letter! Not only will this provide you with an activity, it’s a great way to stay in touch and letters are great keep sake. Remember the COVID Codes when arranging to post your letter.
Be active
There are so many ways to keep active; exercise routines online you can do in your bedroom or with family in the living room, and walking or jogging on your daily exercise allowance.
But cleaning your room, helping around the house with chores, and stretching throughout the day, are all great ways to maintain your exercise levels while indoors too.
Sailors at sea come together on deck for Physical Training, designed to be done in close quarters! Check out Sea Cadets Physical Training and learn the new routine. Once you’ve mastered it, get your family involved and teach it to them!
Take notice
Use a diary to make a to-do list of the things you hope achieve each day. Lists are a good way to help keep you focused. As well as writing in your diary also use emojis, symbols, drawings and colours to make it more interesting and personal.
Also use your diary to make a note of how you have been feeling each day, what has your mood been like? For example, how was your mood in the morning compared to the evening? How have the diffident things you have been doing affected how you feel? Or you could just add an overall mood or feeling for the day. Using your diary in this way will help you to see more clearly which things make you happy and which things make you feel less happy. Taking a moment to notice how you feel can help you understand yourself better.
If you’re struggling with your mood, it’s good to talk. Have a chat with someone you trust, and check out resources at Young Minds or The Mix for mental health support.
Other things to try are apps such as Headspace – offering free guided meditation and mindfulness.
When outside for your daily exercise hour, really take notice of your surroundings, and see how many different types of wildlife you spot. Leave technology at home!
You can also try creating a new recipe or making a dish you’ve never had before from your own personal Galley. When tucking in, really take note of the flavours, could it be a new favourite recipe?
Tip: Remember to add all of these things to your diary too!
Learn
Your parents will have been sent ways for you to get involved with Virtual Sea Cadets at home. Join the www.facebook.com/SeaCadetsVirtualTraining page for extra resources to #FallinatHome. (Don’t worry if you can’t join in – Virtual Sea Cadets is not compulsory!)
Is there a country you really want to visit? Take some steps to begin to learn a new language or learn about the culture. There are 6,500 different languages, including one you may not first think of - British Sign Language.
If you have seeds or if you are able to order online for safe and non-contact delivery, you could create your own herb garden. Sailors are great at making efficient use of food resources to last months underwater. You can grow your own herbs indoors or outside. As long as it’s somewhere that gets plenty of light. Don’t forget to note in your diary your plants’ progress.
Give
Here’s how you can take social action, and help your community through peer support during the lockdown:
Giving back to your community, in any small way, is proven to boost your wellbeing.
We can all get involved in Clap for Heroes, every Thursday at 8:00PM. If you are in uniform, tag @SeaCadetsUK so we can reshare.
Older cadets may want to get involved in peer support by running a virtual zoom session, get in touch with your unit for more info.
Above all, remember our Sea Cadets value of Respect. Help in spreading kindness to your community and family during lockdown.
At Sea Cadets, launching you for life to succeed in your future is our top priority.
If you feel you need extra wellbeing support please go to:
