ACV Lemon Tonic

AROUND THE TABLE – WITH –HENRY FRASER

FROM PHYSICAL TO MENTAL STRENGTH

When it comes to mental health, I’ve been at extreme ends of the spectrum. When I was 17 and on holiday with my friends, I dived into the sea and hit my head on the undulating seabed, dislocating the fourth vertebrae in my neck and leaving me unable to move anything below that. Prior to my accident, I was a very anxious person but mental health was something I’d never considered until suddenly my physical capabilities were completely gone. I’ve had to move that strength up into my head and retrain my mind to think in a completely different way. Even with the huge physical limitations I have now, my world is far more open because I refocused my attitude towards life. Of course, those things haven’t happened overnight – it takes a lot of time and patience, just like physical training. Eventually, the negative thoughts really do fade away and once you come out the other side, things are brighter than you ever thought possible.

MAKING ART

I’d always loved art as a child but it wasn’t until years after my accident that I found an app on the iPad that I could use by holding a stylus in my mouth and drawing on the touch screen. Drawing took my mind off being stuck in bed and, looking back, it was definitely a form of mindfulness. I had to concentrate so heavily and intently on what I was doing that in that moment there were no other thoughts in my head. My painting has really progressed and the challenge still keeps me focused, wanting to do more and be better. It’s also brought me back to the same love and joy I had as a kid for making art and just being in that creative space.

POSITIVE THINKING

When I started working for Pembrokeshire Rugby Club, the CEO at the time asked if I’d ever thought about sharing my story in a room full of people. I had entertained the thought, but as a teenager I was too anxious to get up in front of a class of 12 or 14 people. I decided to give it a go and experienced this huge rush of adrenaline and relief the moment I finished the talk. I now go into situations thinking about the best outcomes rather than being terrified of the worst thanks to the confidence public speaking has given me.

ADVERSITY CAN BE A GIFT

Adversity has allowed me to think and live very differently and do things I never even dreamed of. I truly believe that everyone has it in them to get through tough times, I guess because I’ve been on both sides of that wall. If we’re unflinching, determined and patient with ourselves, we can get through it. It takes time, it takes effort, and it can be disheartening when you’re not seeing results every day but that ability to dig deep is in all of us.