Written by Vicki Syetho, Founder of Victoria Stag
Every September, R U OK? Day reminds us of something powerful: you don’t need to be an expert to make a difference in someone’s life. Sometimes, all it takes is starting a conversation, listening without judgement, and being there for someone who may be struggling.
“A Conversation Can Change a Life” hits home for me. Many of you may have read my blog last July, where I shared about supporting one of my closest friends through her two-year battle with cancer. It was one of the hardest seasons of my life, but it also taught me the importance of connection, honesty, and simply showing up.
What I realised through that experience was that often, we don’t need to have the right words or the perfect solution. We just need to be present. My friend didn’t always want advice, sometimes, she just needed me to listen, laugh with her, or help her feel “normal” when things were anything but. And in many ways, that was enough.
That’s why R U OK? matters so much. It gives us permission to ask, to listen, and to care even if we’re unsure how.
How You Can Start Today?
Here are 3 ways you can take part in R U OK? and make conversations part of your everyday life:
1. Don’t Overthink It, Just Ask
Sometimes we hesitate because we’re scared of saying the wrong thing. But asking “Are you OK?” can open the door. Trust that showing you care is more powerful than silence.
2. Listen Without Fixing
Your role isn’t to solve their problems. It’s to give them space to talk. Listen, acknowledge their feelings, and let them know they’re not alone.
3. Check Back In
One conversation helps, but following up matters too. A simple “thinking of you” message or catching up over coffee can make all the difference.
As someone who has been both the supporter and the one struggling, I can tell you, connection really does help us carry the weight of life. So this R U OK? Day, let’s be that friend who listens, that colleague who checks in, and that community that makes space for real conversations.
Because asking the question might feel small to you, but it could be life-changing for them.
This September, start the conversation. You never know whose life you might touch.
