This R U OK? Day, forget having the perfect words. Sometimes making a difference starts with one simple question and being prepared to hear the answer.
Just a question, a little courage and the willingness to listen.
That is the idea behind R U OK? Day a national reminder that checking in with the people around us should never be limited to one square on the calendar.
Because struggling doesn’t always look like struggling.
Someone can still rock up to work, crack jokes in the lunchroom, ferry the kids to sport, meet friends for coffee and wave cheerfully across the fence while carrying something incredibly heavy.
Sometimes it is the little changes that tell the bigger story.
The normally chatty mate who has gone quiet. The reliable colleague suddenly arriving late. The teammate who keeps missing training. The friend cancelling plans. Or simply that nagging feeling that someone isn’t quite themselves.
But what if they say “No”?
This is where many of us freeze.
What do I say? What if I make it worse? What if I can’t fix it?
Here’s the good news: you don’t have to fix it.
Sometimes the most valuable thing you can offer is your time. Listen without rushing to provide answers. Let them talk. Ask what might help and encourage them to seek support when needed.
And then comes the bit we sometimes forget — follow up.
Send the text. Make the call. Buy another coffee. Remember that appointment they mentioned and ask how it went.
It tells them the first conversation wasn’t a box you ticked.
It says: I meant it when I asked.
