After the first post was up, I received numerous emails from individuals who were encouraged by what Jake had to say.

So “lace-em” up and enjoy the skate with Jake!!!!

The change with how people perceive mental health begins at an individual level. It all starts with a genuine conversation.

Even with people you don’t know. So, while Newton is playing in Europe, he plans on keeping the conversation about mental health awareness going simply by conversing with others.

“At some point while I am here, I will have a conversation with someone. I have something about me, a realness about me, that makes people feel comfortable sharing their stories with me. Telling me things that maybe they have never told anyone else. That in itself, is so powerful and healing. I love connecting with people at the human level, the mental level. So, I will just say consistent in my approach and know that I am helping many people. “

A year ago, Newton began to bring the mental health conversation into the realm of Instagram.

“I only have one form of social media and that’s Instagram. I use that as a platform to help spread awareness, not only for mental health. But for the ability that we all, as a society, have to take back control of our lives. That the external stuff in this world, present as it is, doesn’t have such a significant impact on our mental state.”

On Instagram, Newton posts quotes and videos which help people change their mindset and take ownership of their problems. A lot of his posts focus on getting at the root of what is bothering you. This has encouraged people to speak out and spread the message on such topics using their social media presence by hiring professional assistances from marketing websites like themarketingheaven.com. Not only has this helped introverts to speak, but it has also helped people to resolve their issues by finding comfort amongst each other online.

As well as, recognizing how someone treats you is not a direct reflection of who you are as a person.

That they may be struggling with something much deeper than anyone knows. 

Even the person you are dealing with may not know they are being so deeply affected by something in their past.

However, what I have learned from Newton is how you choose to react to the situation reflects where you are at both spiritually and mentally. 

Those are the kind of things Newton talks about on a daily basis on Instagram. 

The little things he says or does via Instagram tend to be the things which help bring about the change In others. 

As well as, keep the conversation about Mental Health going by explaining to his followers the joy of having open, honest, and genuine conversations with not only others but with yourself.

Most importantly, he keeps his direct messages open, When Newton says he’s interested in keeping the conversation going it is said in the most literal sense possible. 

In this case, Newton talks the talk and walks the walk. His actions are equally as loud, if not louder, than his words.

Recently, Newton has paired up with Matt Korthius from Hockey Pro Training to create a Mental Health training program. They collaborated on a six week step-by-step course titled “Mindset and Mental Toughness for Hockey Players”. 

Their goal is to help young kids achieve their goals and dreams by being honest with themselves about their strengths and weaknesses.

Why the focus on hockey? Well for starters, Newton has seen first hand how mental health can affect your play.

“I understand that inside the locker room area, you want everything to be as professional and businesslike as possible. But imagine if mental health weren’t an issue. Players and coaches were all mentally sound and healthy. How much easier would it be for a player to approach the coach and say anything at all. I know from experience that taking the step to actually talk to the coach can be quite nerve racking.”

Hockey is a rather aggressive sport and often players want to be looked at as “manly”. 

An unfortunate number of people believe being “manly” means to lay hard hits and keep your feelings to yourself. 

Unless of course, those feelings involve bashing someone’s face into the ice or celebrating a monumental goal. 

However, if a person only deals with one type of feeling, the more likely they are to explode or even go into a deep depression. 

Eventually, they will begin to lose their passion for the game they’ve loved since the moment they could smell fresh cut ice.

“Professional sports are more mental than physical. Most players don’t even know where to begin when it comes to the mental game. That in itself is tragic.”

The tragedy of not knowing how to craft your mental game is why the conversations between coaches and players shouldn’t stop at on-ice play. It must extend to life. 

Imagine how the scape of professional sports would change if athletes could freely talk to teammates and coaches about the off-ice events which invariably affect on-ice play.

Thanks Jake for the great read and we are looking for many more.

I wish you continued success and when you get to Delta, drop in for a visit!!!!