Role Models

My name is Josh Reid Jones, I run a company called the Just Be Nice Project, and we help people to help other people. I believe that the best impact that people can have is on the other side of what they are really good at, so we encourage people to be their very best in everything they do, in order to be able to help the most people! I have always been very active, playing aussie rules football, rugby, athletics, boxing, crossfit, strongman training, even running an Ultra Marathon (60km) for charity!

Why do you like to be fit and healthy?

When I am fit and healthy, I enjoy my days more, do better work, sleep better and have more confidence to continue to pursue my dreams.

What is the best advice you have been given?

That the people who matter don’t mind, and the people who mind don’t matter. When you commit to a goal, there will be sacrifices, but the people who love you will understand that you need to do what you need to do and will be there for you regardless.

What has been your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?

I broke my neck when I was 14 playing Aussie Rules football. I couldn’t feel my fingers or toes, had a blot clot pressing on my spinal cord near the base of my skull. I got told I nearly died on the football field, and the neuro surgeon told me I should never play football again. The next year I came back to football and captained the interleague team.

I overcame it by doing the rehab, training hard and keeping my eye on the goal of getting back to football and believing that I could get back on the field.

What is your best tip for motivation, health and fitness?

Consistency is more important than intensity. Doing small things regularly is more important than having spurts of doing one-off big things!

Who do you look up to as a role model & why (either present or past)

Muhammad Ali – A true Champion both in and out of the ring. Outworking the competition and standing up for what he believed in, despite the personal cost.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I grew up in Western Australia where I loved to get involved in any sport I could try. I’ve played soccer, basketball, tennis, softball, football, swimming, volleyball and rugby union but my real passion has always been in performing arts and entertaining others. In 2014 I was a housemate on Big Brother, after the show I moved to Melbourne where I have been following my dreams. I am currently a professional Magician who entertains people for a living. The feeling I get when I step off the stage after a show is a feeling like no other and it continue to remind me that this is exactly what I’m meant to be doing. I am also an ambassador for Blue September an organisation that is raising awareness about cancer in men.

Why do you like to be fit and healthy?

Being fit and healthy benefits every part of my life, as a performer it helps with my breathing and projection of my voice as well as allowing me to be a very active performer. It also gets very hot under the lights on stage and you do not want to be sweating up a storm in front of an audience. Most importantly being fit and healthy benefits my mental health. You would be surprised how big of a role your physical health helps your mental health. Both are just as important and where we are very quick to speak up about a physical injury (for example a sprained ankle) we are not so likely to speak up if we are feeling depressed and that really needs to change.

What is the best advice you have been given?

The best advice I’ve been given came from my brother. Being in the entertainment industry and standing on a stage in front hundreds of people and being on a TV show watched by hundreds of thousands of people iy can get pretty daunting, you can very easily get caught up in what people think and say about you. His advice was “lions don’t let the opinions of gazelles bother them.”

What has been your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?

When I was 19 my mum died in a motorbike accident which turned my life upside down. It very quickly taught me that life is short and to make the most of every single day. My mum used to say that every day is precious. She wouldn’t of wanted me to give up after she passed so I have done everything in my power to make her proud. To live my life to the fullest and never have that thought of “what if.” I will give everything a go at least once, I go out of my way to try to help those that need it and most importantly she taught me to count my blessings. Things aren’t as bad as they seem. A saying that has stuck with me is “I cried because I had no shoes, until I saw a man with no feet.”

What is your best tip for motivation, health and fitness?

Practice, Practice, practice. Never give up. You may not be at your goal but you are closer than you were yesterday.

Who do you look up to as a role model & why (either present or past)?

I’ve always looked up to my Dad, he will put anyone before himself even if he doesn’t know them and is always helping others. If I can be half the man he is than In know I’m doing well.

My name is Melanie Chatfield. I look ‘normal’ to most people, but I have a problem with my eyes which means I can’t see very well. It is called Retinitis Pigmentosa. The cells in my retina - at the back of my eye - are damaged and don’t work. When it is dark I don’t see anything. I can’t see stars or even my hand in front of my face. During the day or when it is light, I can still see a little bit. I can read large writing and walk by myself most of the time.  I also have Macular Oedema, which causes swelling in my eyes. This makes my vision worse like opening your eyes underwater. I can’t catch a ball and sometimes find it hard to recognise my friends.

I grew up on a farm in Melbourne with plenty of horses, cows and dogs to run around with.  I now live in Perth and love going to the beach, listening to music, hanging out with my family and finding lots of ways to have fun.

My dream would be to fly helicopters for a job but you need good eyes for that. Instead, I work in public health, helping people get access to support when they need it.  I love volunteering and am a Director on the board of Retina Australia and Chief Editor for the United Nations Association of Western Australia.

Why do you like to be fit and healthy?

I love to travel and go on adventures. I have been to over 60 countries around the world. I have been camping in Africa, skydiving in Canada, scuba diving in the Galapagos, dancing in Brazil, zip lining in Guatemala, hiking in Nepal, camel riding in Morocco and horse riding in Argentina. I travelled across India in a rickshaw, explored Vietnam on the back of a motorbike, rode a bicycle in Estonia, listened to jazz in New Orleans, and skied in Japan. 

I enjoy being outside, drinking plenty of water and eating healthy food. This helps me to stay happy and feel great. Being active and exercising means I can stay strong and keep up with all the different activities I want to do.

What is the best advice you have been given?

Don’t be afraid to try. It is normal to feel a little worried or scared to tackle something new. You might feel embarrassed that you are going to get it wrong or be bad at it. But if we don’t try, we will never know and we might miss out on something amazing. Often we don’t realise how much we can actually do. Sometimes we just need a little encouragement to help us feel confident.

One way to make it easier is to ask other people for help. Ask someone who may be more experienced if they can help you to learn or show you a few tricks. And don’t worry if you don’t get it right first go. Some of the best laughs happen when you make mistakes. 

What has been your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?

I was once stuck in snowstorm right up the top of a mountain in Nepal. We had been walking for many days, it was freezing cold and I was very tired. I wanted to give up and just sit down on a rock and cry. I dreamed about a helicopter coming to rescue me and escape to a nice hot shower.  But I only had one option. I had to stand up and keep walking. I had to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. My friends were there to help. They were very kind and patient and helped to hold my hand when I fell over. I had to take many deep breaths and think positive. I had to believe in myself that I could make it. The snow was very deep and it was hard to move. But I knew that I was strong because I had been training. I kept walking. And walking. Eventually we got down the mountain and back into the sunshine. I was so happy and proud of myself for what I had accomplished.

What is your best tip for motivation, health and fitness

Do a little bit every day. No matter what your goal is, if you do a small amount regularly it can be easier to achieve something than trying to do it all at once. For example I wanted to learn how to salsa dance. It wasn’t possible to go from nothing to expert salsa dancer in one session. So I practiced every day for many years. Now I can remember the steps whenever I hear the music and can’t wait to jump up and dance.

Who do you look up to as a role model & why (either present or past)

I look up to Kurt Fearnley. Kurt is a three-time Paralympic Gold Medallist and has won marathons all around the world. I admire Kurt because he is strong, brave and determined. Kurt uses a wheelchair and has faced many challenges in his life. Once he crawled all the way along the Kokoda track using his arms and his body which is very impressive. I also believe Kurt is smart and kind. He helps others by being encouraging and supportive and stands up for what he believes in.