My Wake-Up Call: Facing the Mirror I’d Been Avoiding
Written by Dan Hunt, Co-founder & CEO of Mental Health Movement
I want to share something real, something personal.
Recently, I bit the bullet and did something I’d been putting off for far too long.
I went to the GP for a full health check-up
I got my bloods checked.
I sat down and faced the truth.
The results hit me hard.
✔️ Really high blood pressure.
✔️ High cholesterol.
✔️ Fatty liver.
✔️ A knee — the same knee that ended my professional rugby league career — now heading toward needing another surgery, maybe even a knee replacement.
I was shocked.
You see, I’ve always trained. I eat reasonably well. I know how to manage my mental health and my mental illness — I run a mental health organisation, for God’s sake. But between work, a young family, the demands of leadership, the long hours, and the constant stress, I’d been taking my physical health for granted.
And when the GP laid it all out, I realised something that shook me:
I’d convinced myself I was “fine” because I was still getting through each day, still turning up, still pushing forward. But behind that, my body was quietly, steadily waving red flags. I realised I wasn’t giving myself the best chance.
I’ll be honest — I was scared.
The idea of another surgery? It terrified me.
I didn’t have the best track record with painkillers after my playing career, and I knew I didn’t want to go down that road again.
It was a confronting moment, and it forced me to ask: What’s going to change? What am I going to do differently?
So, here’s what I did.
✅ I stepped away from alcohol — I’m nearly three months in now.
✅ I’ve incorporated breath work and ice baths into my weekly routines.
✅ I’m making sleep a non-negotiable, switching off from social media and Netflix late at night.
✅ I’m working hard to be more present with my family — really be there — and stay connected with my mates, the people who matter most.
And you know what? I feel so much better.
Not just physically, but emotionally, mentally, even spiritually. I’m looking forward to going back to the GP, getting my next round of bloods, and seeing the progress — not sitting in fear, but stepping into ownership.
Here’s what this has taught me:
👉 Sometimes the truth is confronting.
👉 Sometimes we don’t like the results, the feedback, or the hard facts we hear.
👉 But we can’t change what we don’t face.
👉 And we don’t get results with the things we don’t do.
This isn’t about comparing struggles — I know there are people doing it much tougher.
This is about doing what you need to do, for you, because no one else can make the change for you.
Whether it’s your mental health, your physical health, your relationships, or your work-life balance — take the check-up, face the facts, and start making the shifts.
Because we don’t get stronger by ignoring the pain.
We get stronger by stepping into it, learning from it, and doing the work.
