Work, friendships and my day-to-day routines continued, but it wasn’t resonating for me. I knew I needed to create a shift.

One day I saw a Japanese guy on Instagram who was sharing his journey walking from Western Australia to Sydney and something about it landed for me. I began to imagine doing something similar, not for publicity or to chase an achievement, but to step out of the bubble I was living in and to get some distance from the patterns that were not working. I wanted some time to separate from my daily life that was overwhelming me and have a real break.

I decided to walk from Sorrento to Sydney. And once I’d made the decision, I couldn’t find any negatives. It was a way to explore the country, work on my mental health and raise awareness for something I’m passionate about.

The walk took 70 days, 25 kilometres a day. Each day was different and challenging, but I never thought I couldn’t do it. The walk was a simple focus, which made it feel possible. The quiet rhythm of walking felt like a reset and whilst I had a few visits along the way from family and friends, I was mostly alone.

I shared some of my journey on Instagram and TikTok because I wanted to show that I wasn’t cured, that I was still struggling but that I could do this anyway. I wanted to show others that if I could do it, anyone could.

I’d meet people who had seen some of my updates and they shared their stories and encouragement and support. I connected with organisations doing work in the mental health space, including the Black Dog Institute and The Men’s Table.

From the walk I raised over $18,000 for the Black Dog Institute and I was really surprised to see the Chairman of the Black Dog Institute, and The Men’s Table CEO there with a bunch of TV cameras to show the end of my journey. It was pretty overwhelming.

Since returning, the challenges are still with me. Depression, some bad habits, a bit of imposter syndrome and old doubts have surfaced, but there has also been a shift in my perspective. Being away from my usual environment showed me what I do and do not need.

What’s next is a bit of travel in the new year and then maybe get involved in the mental health and suicide prevention space. I want to put my energy into mental health awareness and use my experience to help others feel less alone.