Louise challenging conventions on behalf of farmers

Louise O’Neill is helping farmers around Australia spend time with family, friends and community, away from the farm, guilt-free and creating an identity outside of agriculture.

Louise, the Agrifutures 2022 WA Rural Women of the Year, founded Farm Life Fitness (FLF) after her and her husband’s own journey with mental health and farming.  

They hit rock bottom and became so disconnected with their own farm life.  

Eventually after a lot of work on their mental and physical wellbeing, things started to change, and Louise knew that she had to put these hard and confronting experiences to use.

Farm Life Fitness is helping farming families and rural communities create a healthier, more sustainable future in agriculture. 

This is achieved through speaking, education, community building, one-on-one coaching, and group fitness classes available live and online.

“Too many people in agriculture suffer due to the false belief that farming must be an all-consuming, 24/7 job,” Louise said.

She is challenging the conventions preventing people in agriculture from having a happier, healthier, and more productive farming lifestyle.

“So, they can spend more time with their family, friends and community, away from the farm, guilt-free and also create an identity outside of farming,” Louise said. 

“A big component of FLF is the FLF Community, a place for rural people to connect, talk and move for their physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. 

“As well as live, online workouts delivered each weekday morning, there is also an on-demand library for those that can’t make it to a live session. 

“The community is about so much more than movement; it is a space for people to learn the importance of putting themselves first and start to give back to themselves in a realistic and achievable way.  

“It is a place to celebrate the wins and work through the lows, a place to learn tools and habits that can improve our wellbeing, but most importantly, it is a place where people realise they are not alone irrespective of what a map may show.”

Louise will be talking about the importance of moving for mental health and how to figure out what type of movement is suited to different emotions.

She will appear at Country Lifestyle on Tuesday at 12.25pm and Wednesday at 12.15pm.