Hear from young woman and get inspired!

It’s the new year and it wouldn’t really feel like anything different from a good Monday, with a lot of energy to start the new week on a good foot, if it wasn’t for the 100 of ads for gyms and new diets for you to start. I can’t really promise that my attempt to get you inspired is going to be any different but what I can say is that I don’t want you to be a totally different person but just be a little more aware of what you really CAN do. 

I am guessing that I am not the only one that has had a rough year, and yes I am talking about covid. Being locked up in my room, not seeing my friends and teammates. I never thought I would say this about my teachers and schoolmates. Even the ones I can’t really say I liked to begin with, but they are the ones that I miss the most, the people in my life that make it colourful. I want us to remember how much fun we had outside, and get back out there. 

The World Health Organisation has registered the impact of the measures that came with Covid and especially the quarantine. What they found out is that when our usual activities and routines are messed with, or levels of loneliness, depression, harmful alcohol and drug use, and self-harm or suicidal behaviour is something that is going to be a major struggle for many. 

I got the chance to talk to girls in my community about covid and how it impacted them and their life. One of the girls that stood out to me was Hanne. She has been struggling with her mental health for a long time. Hannes good mood and consistency of trying to get better is something that inspires. She was talking about how Covid impacted her mental health; “Lockdown in 2020 had a really big impact on my mental health.” Even though her mental health issues were nothing new before lockdown, the pandemic hit her as she describes it; “like an unexpected force out of the blue and forced me to face new, hidden parts of me that I didn’t know I needed to confront.” How she felt the seemingly never-ending quarantine made her feel isolated, alone and disconnected. “Not only to others but mostly to myself” she explained. We talked about how we slowly started to forget how life was before. She worded herself beautifully saying “I had forgotten the depths and beauty of the outside world as much as for the world inside.” 

Wondering what she did to not lose it completely, we talked about going outside. Hanne explained that it really helped her find a light and hope in these times. For me she said, “this meant starting to align my mind, body and spirit with the wonders of moving my body freely in the open and starting to embrace the cold with my own warmth”. She started running again, and at first she said, “it was cold, heavy and felt quite useless actually”. But it didn’t make her give up on it. After a while, she explained that the runs became faster, stronger, warmer and longer. And that she was able to finally channel her energy and the power that she had felt being suppressed during the lockdown. Something we all can relate to- constantly suppressing what we feel to adapt to that new way we all had to live. 

Going outside and working out is something that is a big part of the way children are raised in Scandinavia. Something I recognised in Hannne’s way of thinking was the Scandinavian lifestyle Hanne was focused on, but what made it so great? 

I feel empowered and at peace. Don’t get me wrong she said: “running doesn’t automatically vanish any other struggles and challenges I face, but it switches the focus from the severity of whatever is hanging heavy on my shoulders, and rather empowers me to push through it.” Embracing our body, our power and our warmth enable us to become stronger, tougher and more confident in our ability to handle whatever should stand in our way. Explaining “By running, I forced myself to realise that my happiness and freedom is not limited to the challenges I face, but rather by the power we each hold within to push through, regardless of the hopelessness. Regardless of the fear. Regardless of the loneliness. And rather because of me knowing I´ll be more than strong enough to stand steady in storms.” Something I sure could need some of but going outside is not always as easy as it seems. 

I know that sometimes you need a little extra push to get outside, especially in the cold. Hanne had her own little trick up her sleeve. Telling me “running in the cold, norwegian weather can be a struggle. That’s why I love wearing my Kari Traa wool underwear while facing the cold.” Being made from 100% Merino wool, and designed by Norwegians who know the harshness of what the outside has to offer. She said “It keeps me warm and comfortable when facing stormy weather.” Wool enables the body to breathe and regulate the temperature by using my own warmth to keep you ready at all times. “I noticed a huge shift in my endurance and performance, as well as my feeling of mastery, after running with real wool and smart design. I hold the warmth and power, and Kari Traa helps me channel it to reach new lengths.” I can for sure say that that sounded way easier than it sometimes feels like, but maybe we all just need to give it a try.

One of the girls that I also got the chance to talk to is the youth party leader in her county for one of the biggest political parties in Norway called Høyre, Mille-Sofie Kvannli. One of her matters of the heart is youth mental health. She said; “I care so much because it is about time that our youth gets heard and is being listened to. After two years our voice has been neglected. We haven’t been able to tell our stories or share our opinions in front of any big group of people. And our ability to express ourselves is minimal. Even though we have had a few opportunities here and there, we as a generation haven’t been able to show who we are, and this is very important now that we are allowed to go out and be free.” 

We all know it and hard, but there must be a reason people do it. Talking to all these young women and girls I feel like this might be my year. I am at least going to try, and i think I am going to buy Kari Traa wool underwear. Being outside sounded like a big part of the nice feeling of achievement and I don’t want to be really cold.