018. Abby Whiting and Organizing her 'Physical Health for Mental Health' Run

Abby Whiting is going to be a senior in high school next year, she's the first teenager I've had on the show! After personal experiences with people she loved and cared about, she had a desire to do something to raise awareness and normalize conversations around mental health. So last spring she decided to organize a run she called 'Physical Health for Mental Health.' Hear about her experiences putting the run together, and also what motivated her to do it. I was so impressed with the passion that Abby has and her ability to act on it.

Links mentioned in the episode:
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
NAMI Utah

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Transcript

Melissa: You are listening to the Do Something more podcast. And this is episode 18 with Abby Whiting and organizing her rung called Physical Help for Mental Health. Do Something More podcast, a service or vantage show where we highlight the helpers who inspire us all to do something more. I'm your host, Melissa Draper. Thank you so much for being here. Welcome to another episode of the podcast, and today I'm excited for what we're talking about because as a runner myself, I had a fellow runner I invited to this podcast to talk about a run that she organized at her high school. But first, I'm going to have her introduce herself. So today for the podcast, we have Abby Whiting. So, Abby, welcome to the show.

Abby: Hi. As Melissa said, I'm abby. I'm from Salem, Utah, and I'm going to be a senior at Silly Hills High School this next year. I love to act, sing, play guitar, and write songs, and I also love to run. I'm on the cross country and track teams at the high school.

Melissa: That's awesome. Yeah. Abby is a jack of all trades. I think there's a lot of awesome things that she does, and the way I met her was she did debate with my son Henry. So I'm going to put that plug in there, too, for the awesome things you're able to do. So, Abby, you organized this run called Physical Health for Mental Health a few months ago at your high school, and I just would love to have you share some of the background on that. Why did you want to organize something like that? What prompted you to do that? How did you put it together? Just some of those background things on that run.

Abby: Yeah. So the run I organized, it was called Physical Health for Mental Health, and it's kind of based on the idea that through physical fitness, you can actually strengthen your own mental health. And I kind of came up with the idea for something like this after some students at my school set up a run to commemorate the life of another student who had graduated a couple of years ago who took her own life. And I just thought it was a really impactful thing that they put together. And I knew the girl personally, too, and I was just kind of thinking about it and what made her feel like she had to go to that length. And then I just thought it would be a really cool thing to organize a separate run that just kind of increases awareness for all mental health and that the funds from it could go to an organization to help those who are struggling like she was.

Melissa: Wow. So you participated in that first run that commemorated her and that impacted you, and then you wanted to organize this next one.

Abby: Yeah.

Melissa: That is so exemplary. I just think that's so great that you took that experience you had and wanted to add upon it. And so how did you go about that? Did you have any idea of how to organize something like that?

Abby: When I started off, I really didn't. It was kind of a play by play, kind of figuring things out as we went and it was a lot more work than I thought it was going to be, if I'm being honest. So there's like the general stuff like you have to decide on a route, a place and a time, but everything had multiple steps. I decided to do at the high school, but I had to go through the high school. I had to talk to the administrators at the high school, the different coaches at the high school and make sure nothing else was going on. I also had to have insurance for the run itself in case anything went wrong. I had to coordinate with the city itself, I had to go through the city to get the route approved and coordinate like local police departments as well, so when they cross the road it would be safe to cross. And there was just a lot that went into it. And advertising as well was also really tricky because you have to be really persistent with advertising, I've discovered. I understand my ads are so important because you can tell someone about it, but you really have to keep following up on them to get them to sign up. And it's like a huge bystander effect almost because everybody thinks the other person is going to come. So you really just have to get people to commit to coming. And I reached out a lot to my friends personally and along the different groups and teams I'm on, including like tracking cross country. And I also sent flyers home with all the elementary school students in Salem and that was also another extra step because you have to go through the district to get a pass to make sure you're allowed to pass things out. And so it was overall a lot of work to set it up, but it was really worth it. Once he figured it out, it wasn't that bad.

Melissa: Yeah, that is a lot of steps though. I have done many runs myself, but I have never organized one and I don't think even I would know all of those many things that go on in the background and organizing that.

Abby: There is a lot.

Melissa: How did you find out? Did you just kind of take it one step at a time as you went through the process?

Abby: Yeah, it was kind of a step by step thing and there was a lot of people that were able to help, which really meant a lot. There was my coach, a city official and Anami worker that we reached out to, that was the organization that I ended up donating to. But all of these people, they went above and beyond just helping me. They were like, we'll help you with anything. They were just like reaching out, asking what they could do to help. And all of these people, even though it was just like a small effort on their side, it really meant a lot to me who was trying to organize it, and especially my parents who are with me the whole every step of the way, helping me figure out exactly what was going on. It was definitely challenging, but all the different people along the way really helped.

Melissa: I love how you share that because it's so true that when you're trying to undertake something like that, just having someone's vote of confidence, those small help along the way can mean a lot when you're going through a big project like that. Well, you did talk about some of the challenges you had organizing that as far as advertising, I can relate to that and trying to get a message out there to the world. How did you overcome some of those or did you just kind of learn about them as you go and say, we're just going to do the best we can with what we've got here?

Abby: Yeah, it was kind of just kind of learning as we go, honestly. Because there were some things that the insurance, for instance, we didn't realize we had to have insurance. We thought that the insurance was covered through the city and so it was kind of like a plot twist almost because we thought we had it all figured out and then the week before they're like, oh no, the city doesn't provide insurance, you have to find different insurance. And so it's kind of like, oh my gosh, how do we find different insurance? But again, it was just through those different people we were able to find, like we were able to do some research and the different city officials were very willing and ready to help with anything. And so even though there were some things that were kind of thrown at us that we weren't expecting to happen, we were still able to figure out a way through it. And yeah, it was so worth it.

Melissa: That's great. And yes, I love you Cher, it is always worth it. So I want to hear what were some of the benefits and good things that you saw come from this experience.

Abby: Yeah, so I guess one of the major benefits is that we were able to raise a lot of money for Nami, Utah County. We're actually able to raise over $1,000.

Melissa: And.

Abby: It makes me so happy that I was able to make an impact like that. And they have great resources that will directly benefit our community. And that's why I'm really excited about and also other benefits there was for the people there, because there was lots of people who showed up to the run. And from the people I've talked to, they said it was a great experience and they are glad they showed up, even if they were running. And lots of people who showed up weren't runners, but they said it was a really amazing experience and they are glad they were there. And at the run as well, I passed out mental health resources and that many people took home and I don't know if anything will come of it, but I want to hope that something does. I also emailed out resources to all the donors as well, so everybody was able to get those resources. And I just think that even if something doesn't come of it for one person individually, maybe it'll help somebody else because they'll have that. I think normalizing mental health conversations is a really important thing and I think that this run I organized was one step closer to that. And so by making these mental health conversations more normal and natural, people will be more comfortable to bring it up to other people or reach out to people when they themselves are struggling. And just the last benefit is just personally I just think I personally grew a lot from this experience. It got me out of my comfort zone so many times, because I had to talk to city managers and school officials and principals, and I had to put a lot of work in and really step out where I wasn't really comfortable, because I didn't really go once talked to all these adults. But it really made me grow comfortable. And I've definitely grown that experience. And so if I ever had to do it again, I know it'd be so much easier.

Melissa: Yeah, Abby, I love that. And even adults, I think we sometimes have those feelings of struggling to step out of our comfort zones and you can grow so much from doing that and from being brave and being willing to say yes. And I love what you shared about some of the passionate things you feel about mental health and we talk on the podcast often about even a small thing can really make a difference. So I am right there with you. I believe that even though we don't always get to see the full benefits of what we've done, or you don't get to see the full effect of those pamphlets you handed out or the conversations that you've been willing to start, they are making a difference and it does matter. And so I love that you shared that. And yeah, mental health is something that really affects teenagers now especially, and can bring sometimes those confused feelings or feelings of shame. And so I love the passion that you feel for that. How have you developed that and how has mental health become such an important thing for you to help your fellow teenagers and students with?

Abby: It's honestly been something like mental health has a huge impact, not only on me, but I know it has a huge impact on this community. As you were saying, it's actually reported that one in five utah struggle with mental illness. It's a really huge thing. And in this past year, actually, I've lost a friend, a classmate and a grandfather to suicide. And I've always felt passionate towards mental health. But especially this past year, I've really realized how important it is. And I just know that whenever I'm active, that always makes me feel happier. And that's how I kind of came up with the physical health. For mental health, even on the days where the last thing I want to do is go out and go on a run, every time that I do, I come back feeling happier. And that's why I really believe strongly in physical health. For mental health, it can be anything. It doesn't have to be going running like 5 miles. It can be as simple as going on a walk or doing yoga, just whatever works for you. But I really think that by staying active, you can really help to increase your mental health. And I really want that to be a message that everybody knows, that everybody knows that they can increase their own mental health and that they're not alone. I think another thing about being active as well is just the relationships you build from doing it. You never have to do it alone. Being active and staying physically healthy is a journey together that you take together with people. And so by just staying physically fit, not only do you increase your own mental health, but you also increase the relationships with other people that you can reach out to.

Melissa: Yeah, I love that and I passionately feel those same things as well. As someone who has struggled in the past with anxiety, running and physical fitness is very much a way I have managed that and been able to feel good and to keep going. And so I love that you share that. And yeah, there's even studies I have read that have been done to show the benefits of physical health and physical movement for those that are struggling with any kind of mental illness. And I also want to go back. That is a huge thing to be impacted with at a young age, to lose so many that you love and care about in your circle to suicide. And that can be a really hard thing that many go through. And I just think I'm just so impressed that you've taken some of those hard emotions and experiences and turned them into something that can help those around you who might be struggling as well. Well, on that note of taking those things and using them to help others, do you have any advice or encouragement that you would give to someone else? Maybe even especially a fellow teenager, fellow high schooler who feels passionate about something and wants to organize an event or do something with those feelings like you have?

Abby: Honestly, I would say just go for it. You kind of need to be prepared to put in a lot of work for it to be successful, but it's one of the most rewarding experiences you'll ever have. You'll grow so much as a person and even though you might not know exactly what impact you'll have, kind of like we said before, it could be so much greater than you know. And if it's something you're truly passionate about, just honestly just act on it because you don't really need a reason why you could just do it and you could help so many people. And so, yeah, I would just say go for it.

Melissa: Yeah, definitely. Just follow through. Any other thoughts or stories you want to share from that experience? I know my own son did participate in that run and he enjoyed the experience that it was great, but any other thoughts or advice do you want to share?

Abby: Yeah, I guess one experience I thought was pretty cool on the day of the race was that there was just some people that showed up that I didn't know who they were. And most of the people that showed up were friends and family and teammates that I knew and had really reached out for them coming. But there were some people that I didn't know and I just thought that was so amazing that I was able to make an impact outside of the people I usually associate with, as well as just the people who donated as well. There were some people who donated that I could see on the website that I made for the race that I didn't recognize their names. And I thought that was so cool, especially when I was talking to people and when I told them what I was doing, how much it really meant a lot to them. And they just thought it was a really cool thing that I was doing and it made me happy that I knew that what I was doing made a difference. And I guess just like something to keep with you. Just one call for mental health. I just want to say that if you're ever struggling with mental health to reach out because there are so many resources and so many people that want to help you and that you matter so much more than you realize. And I think that sometimes mental health is something that is maybe overlooked or taboo to talk about, but that's something that we need to change. And there are so many events like mine that aim to make mental health conversations a part of our daily life and increase our mental health as well. And I just think that by opening the door to conversations about mental health and suicide, we can open the door to a world of resources and support. And I just that's something I strongly believe. And so I guess I just want to encourage all of you not only to reach out, if you ever feel that way, but as well as to do something active every day. Because it can be as simple as going on a walk or doing yoga, but just by doing something active, you'll not only increase your physical health, but your mental health as well.

Melissa: You're right, it doesn't take much to increase and to help that. And I will put a link in the show notes to Nami that you donated to and to some other resources for that as well. But yes, I love how you've taken and you took something you loved as well. You took something that already meant something to you running, and then kind of meshed that with your passion for having this conversation around mental health. And to me, that is impressive and a good idea or advice for anyone as well that many times, if we're wanting to make a difference or we're wanting, like you said, to normalize conversation around some of these hard, difficult things, to add in something that we already enjoy or feel comfortable with and then just go along with that.

Abby: Exactly.

Melissa: Yeah, that's great. Well, thank you, Abby, for so much for being willing to come on the podcast. So many good thoughts shared on mental health, on organizing a race as well. I think you shared good advice for anyone that wants to organize a race and go through all the steps with that because that can be a lot of work, but well worth it, and also just the encouragement that you've given all of us to follow through. Thanks so much, Abby, for being on the show today.

Abby: Thank you so much for having me.

Melissa: That's the end of my interview with Abby Whiting, and Abby is my first teenager that I've had here on the show, and hopefully she's not my last. I see so many good things that these teenagers and high schoolers are doing, and I want to share more of it with the world. And I'm just so impressed with Abby. She shared there in the podcast how she was impacted by something as hard and complex as mental health and suicide and many that she knows and cares about. And those experiences can often leave us feeling hopeless or not knowing what to do. But Abby took those experiences and wanted to do something. She wanted to organize this run to benefit and help anyone that's struggling in that way. She was okay with learning along the way, with not knowing exactly how to work it out as she began. And I just loved hearing how she just kind of took it one step at a time and learned so much in the process. And she raised not only money, but awareness for her cause and for normalizing these conversations around mental health. So my final words I just want to add to that is, first of all, if you're wanting to make a difference with something that might be a little more complex or even feel hard or you're not sure how to normalize or start those conversations. You can do what Abby did. Take something that you already love, that you do know and you're familiar with. She took running for others. It can be other things. We've talked about sewing on this show, we've talked about reading. So take something that you love and use it to help you serve and raise awareness in that area that you care about and to facilitate those conversations. That's just one idea. If it's something that's been on your heart or mind, that's some good advice, I think that can help someone want to move forward with making a difference in that way. And also I want to add with Abby's words that if you or someone you know is struggling with mental illness to seek help, you're not alone. There are many resources available and people that care about you and want to see you be able to succeed and to feel better. Nami that she mentioned, she donated her money to, she earned from the race. The National Alliance on Mental Illness is just one organization that provides a lot of those resources and community support. And I will leave the link to that in the show notes, but there's others as well. And I also love how she kind of focused in on that idea of physical health for mental health as well. As I shared in the show, I personally have struggled with mental health and physical health is one of the pillars that I've used to manage that in my own life and I know it can benefit and help others as well. So I love that Abby wanted to share that message too. So lot of kind of complex more issues here on the show today. But thank you for listening. I hope you found some good advice, some inspiration from what Abby's accomplished or maybe needed to hear the message that she's trying to get out as well on mental health. I hope either of those were a benefit to you as you listen today. And if you think they would be of benefit to someone else as well, I invite you share this episode with someone who you think might benefit from the message that Abby shared or from some encouragement and inspiration from this run that she organized and did. Go ahead and share the show. So thank you so much for being here. I'll see you next time.