There are a lot of special days, weeks and months each year aimed at drawing attention to an important cause or issue of significance.
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These occasions highlighted on the calendar may prompt awareness of an illness, highlight an important time in history or raise money for a cause, and all tend to resonate with a broad portion of society.
Important awareness occasions such as Red Nose Day (recently held on August 28), Australia's Biggest Morning Tea (this year held on May 22) and Movember (which is just around the corner) and Dry July quickly spring to mind.
One such day, which always draws my attention, is R U OK? Day, which this year falls on Thursday, September 11.
In fact, in 2025 the theme...and title ... have changed slightly to be R U OK? Any Day.
September 11 is marked as the day for raising awareness, but the message is clear that R U OK? is a question that we should all be mindful of asking any day of the year.
My decision to share my thoughts on this subject in advance of the official R U OK? Day is strategic in my desire to drive home the message about this important question with a year-round value.
The push to highlight the need to ask people "R U OK?" any day makes perfect sense to me and is a concept I have long supported.
The reality is that we all go through life with challenges that cross our path, some for a day, some for a week, some for a lifetime.
We work hard at trying to cope with those challenges, but without a doubt, kindness from others helps significantly.
That kindness can be as simple as someone asking "R U OK?" But I hope none of us have to wait for that one special day of the year to be asked this question.
My hope is that we all familiarise ourselves with this simple question, "R U OK?" and use these four important letters with a big message any day of the year.
We should all be mindful that our struggles are not confined to one day and nor should our sense of caring be confined to one day.
Ultimately, we need to reach out and connect with care to people every day.
We also need to be mindful that a person's struggles could run deep, so always be kind.
Furthermore, don't just ask the question R U OK?, hang around to listen to the answer.
Remember regular, meaningful conversations can - and does - change lives.
My question to all, on this and any day, is R U OK?
Stay safe, look after yourself and look out for those around you.
