Supporting R U OK? Day in 2022
The past few seasons have been a whirlwind of changes, to say the least. Living through a global pandemic, catastrophic weather conditions and all of life’s ups and downs can make situations feel isolating at times. That’s why now more than ever, it’s important to reach out and check in with friends and family and ask ‘R U OK?’.
What is R U OK? Day?
R U OK? has been an important and relevant part of many Australian lives as a harm prevention charity, encouraging people to have conversations and stay connected during difficult moments in their lives. Their work focuses on building the motivation, skills and confidence of the help-giver person who can have a meaningful conversation with someone who is struggling. R U OK? aims to inspire and empower people to invest more time into their personal relationships and to be alert to those around them and the issues they may be facing.
What can you do?
September 8th is a national day of action, where Australians are reminded that every day is the day to ask “are you OK?” and start a meaningful conversation with a loved one. It provides an important opportunity to read, listen and learn more about mental health and the signs of distress amongst people you know. Those who have been exposed to the R U OK? Day campaign are six times more likely to reach out to someone who might be experiencing personal difficulties than those who have not. If you are thinking of reaching out this week, but unsure of the best way to go about it, there are a number of free, helpful resources available on the R U OK website to assist you with taking the first step.
This year at Roses Only, we are donating 10% of our Long-Stemmed Rose Box sales towards R U OK for the first week of September. As part of an industry that is built on sending love, spreading happiness and showing appreciation to those who are important to us, R U OK Day is a cause that we feel very strongly about. We feel very grateful to be able to see all of your beautiful messages of love and care that are sent with flowers each and every day and understand how important it is to tell people how much they mean to you.
You can find the arrangements included as part of our 10% donation here. While sending these blooms may represent a small gesture, they can form the stepping stone to a big conversation that may help a loved one during a difficult time.
If you are looking for more resources on R U OK? Day and how you may be able to get involved, here are a few helpful links.