You know when you push off the start line and you take what you thought was that perfect lift just south of sunken rock? But then you take it too long, it knocks and you fall out of phase and from that point you are taking knock after knock. Then you round the top mark, thinking you're share speed down wind will sort it out. But you flop in the water only to turtle and loose your centerboard, and then your kite is wrapped around everything and the sheets have knitted themselves up to a state even grandma would be proud of the scarf you're created. Then as you right the boat up and you smack your head on the boom as you're trying to empty the boat out and pack the chute back in the bin.... @%&!! it.
Well, hasn't 2020 felt a bit like that?
And the the past few months have been a particularly bumpy ride.
One of those scary sends that you hear the rudder land first and you cringe and how the rest of the boat might land.
In my professional life part of my role requires me to observe and identify collective behaviours that might be tripping up business internal cultures or ways of operating, so they can change or progress. One of the most important aspects to understanding what drives these kinds of behaviours is to recognise the underlying factors, for example mental health.
I have been observing our members – yes, you! Sounds creepy, I guess.
There has been an enormous effort put in over the first part of our season and we are risking burn out. Many people have a limited bandwidth and are not firing like they would, and some are at the tipping point. We need to care for our own mental and physical health. Things like injuries, sickness, tiredness, and lackluster approach to doing the things that we would normally love to do or get energy from doing.
As a club, we come together with one common interest and passion: Sailing. Many of us use sailing or time on the water as that ‘active Zen’ to recover or get to a place where we can get on with life. I have also seen a lot of people pull away from socialising – for the same reason. I know, personally, it can be overwhelming when you have no bandwidth to cope or life is ‘just so busy’.
We’ve had a very windy spring and that’s meant not much sailing, and that's also not helping.
It’s time to take a breath. Time to stop taking the knocks and find that lift.
Time to remember that Worser Bay Boating Clubs main purpose is to join people up for the common interest that is sailing. We need sailing, we need our club spirit and camaraderie.
To me, sailing has a collective amity that brings us all together on the same level for the same reason.
To that end I ask all of you to look out for each other, check in on your mates. Go for a sail, get back on the water, the club is a place we can come together. Keep an eye out in upcoming Maurice’s weekly news, as we are looking to bring back the fun factor, so we have a team of people lined up to create some events and activities in the next few months.
If you are interested in bring back the fun factor - come talk to any of the General Committee and get involved.
M