Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is a real man of action, both on and off the screen.
The former professional wrestler and current Hollywood leading man leads a high-octane existence – so it might come as a surprise to hear that’s he’s a surprisingly dedicated fisherman. The Hawaiian-born star usually spends a great deal of his time in Los Angeles, but his ‘happy place’ is his sprawling farm in Charlottesville, Virginia – where he’s currently enjoying some downtime by partaking in his favourite hobby, as he shared on Instagram earlier today.
“So good to get away to my farm this past weekend to decompress, take mental inventory and of course – spend time with my babies,” he shares.
“I’ve been raising my fish for over a decade now – largemouth bass, striped bass, trout, carp, sunfish… I work closely with a great team of university biologists ensuring a thriving ecosystem for the fish to live. All my fish are fat, healthy, happy and AGGRESSIVE TO EAT – like their owner.”
“I fell in love with fishing when I was a little boy, so quiet time like this away from the noise means everything to me… a little reminder to all you guys of the importance of self care.”
It’s this insight that’s really valuable – the real catch of the day, so to speak.
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There’s a mountain of evidence that suggests that fishing is great for one’s mental health. Not only do you get an emotional boost from being out in nature, but it’s also a valuable opportunity for quiet reflection, a self-esteem booster, an opportunity to destress as well as a great form of physical exercise (which has its own mental health benefits too), the Australian Fishing Trade Association relates.
It’s an easy, low-cost activity anyone can take part in that’s not only good fun but can be a very easy way to practice mindfulness and boost one’s mental health.
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But The Rock’s advice – about the value of self-care as well as how important it is to take the time to decompress – is pretty valuable in of itself. Fishing’s not the only way one can decompress. Gardening, golf, sailing, driving, running, meditation, even just getting to a meeting 15 minutes early to take stock of things… There’s plenty of ways one can incorporate mindfulness into one’s daily routine.
Self care doesn’t have to be rocket science.