Focus on mental fitness, says 'change maker' Jimi Hunt

Jimi Hunt will be speaking at Paisley Stage on Monday. Photo / Supplied

"The term 'mental health' is a little bit broken," says Jimi Hunt.

The term tends to be black or white, he says.

If you're talking about mental health, it's generally in the context of someone being mentally ill or mentally well.

Hunt, a 'mental health change maker', challenges this traditional thinking.

Mental health is something he believes is not dissimilar to physical health - "the more you work on it the more benefits you get, and if you don't work on it, you slowly slide backwards to becoming unfit".

The author and New Zealander of the Year finalist is speaking at a free talk in Napier on Monday.

Hunt is known for swimming the length of the Waikato River on a lilo and building the world's biggest water slide, but most of his time is spent travelling the country and speaking on mental fitness.

Rather than narrow mental health down to being well, or ill, Hunt aims to help people with tools and frameworks they can use to change their behaviours and work on their mental fitness. He also shares his own mental fitness journey.

It's something he's been doing for nine years now – an estimated 2000 to 3000 talks to everyone from school groups, local marae, companies and "everything in between".

He began doing the talks after coming through his own "very, very poor mental fitness", struggles of depression and being suicidal and anxious.

"I got to a point when I was in such severe discomfort that I could either leave or move up.

"I finally, eventually, decided to move up and took radical ownership of where I was at and decided to start doing things to improve my mental fitness."

He's developed the mental fitness strategies he speaks on over the past nine years of "basically going to the gym in my mind every day".

"You can't change people's world in an hour but you can definitely give them an outline and a plan so that they can go away and change their world over time."

A part of doing the talks which makes Hunt feel "privileged" is the chance to hear people's stories.

Most recently, he mentioned a woman who told him after a talk that the only reason her sister was alive was because of one of his talks.

"What a beautiful gift that she gave me in the knowledge that something that I did resonated with her sister so much that she decided not to kill herself.

"That's the thing that I realised, the power of sharing your story because most people say 'me too'."

After Pics Peanut Butter sponsored him, Hunt has been able to take his talks to more places including Napier, and venues offering space for free also means the talks can be free.

He recommends this talk in particular for anyone aged 16 plus.

Jimi Hunt will be speaking at Paisley Stage in Napier on Monday, November 23 from 6-8pm.

Those who are wanting to attend the talk need to go on to Jimi Hunt's website to register.

Where to get help:
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• Youth services: (06) 3555 906
• Youthline: 0800 376 633
• Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7)
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
• Helpline: 1737
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.