From our Wellness survey -here's your top three worries for 2021

After everything that happened in 2020, it would be strange if we weren’t a little bit apprehensive about the future.

Our Kiwi Welfare Check survey asked the Te Atatu Toasted community what their top three worries were looking ahead at the next 12 months.

The state of the New Zealand economy was the most common concern, with 53 per cent of you listing it in your top three. In fact, you were far more concerned with our nation’s financial health than you were about your personal finances, which came in third on the list, selected by 39 per cent of respondents.

The second most common worry was, not surprisingly, Coronavirus, with 46 per cent of you nervous about how it would impact 2021.

Just over a third of you (34 per cent) indicated you were worried about your mental health, which is a sobering statistic. If you fall in this group, we urge you to reach out to those around you for help. Our survey showed that 26 per cent of people in our community want to keep in touch with neighbours or others who need support. There are also several online apps that can help. Sir John Kirwan founded Mentemia to help coach mental wellbeing and it’s free for all New Zealanders. You can download it on your phone and have the tips and exercises on hand wherever you are.

A third of you listed your family’s health as one of your top three worries and 29 per cent of you are concerned about the future your children are facing.

For 23 per cent of survey respondents, job security was a top concern.

Right at the bottom of the list of worries for Te Atatu Toasted fans was the state of their relationship – only six per cent of you listed that as a top concern. We are glad to hear that – it means you can lean on the ones you love to get through any surprises 2021 throws at us.

A few of you shared your personal worries with us, with some expressing concern that they will still be separated from overseas family and friends this year. Housing affordability and lack of infrastructure for our communities also came through as a theme.

Others shared that they are trying to stay positive and not worry overly about the future, with at least one person crediting a regular yoga practice as a great way to keep negativity at bay.

It’s been a privilege to find out how our community has coped with the past 12 months, and to share your hopes, dreams and worries for the future. If you have missed the earlier blogs in this series, you can read them here: