“I think anybody who’s experiencing anxiety or depression — whether it’s mild or extremely serious — they probably think they’re the only person in the world going through it. But the reality is that there are millions and millions of people going through it.”
John Calvert knows that feeling all too well. The voiceover artist and radio commercial producer of more than 40 years has dealt with anxiety throughout his life, but after losing his father in 2012, Calvert’s depression took over.
“He was not engaged with the world as much as he could be, I would say,” Calvert’s wife, Sonia, explains. “He was generally sluggish. He wanted to sleep a lot. And he wasn’t actually enjoying life.”
With an awareness that physical exercise is directly related to mental health, Calvert did something he’d been avoiding for years — he walked into a gym. He didn’t realize he was walking into a CrossFit gym.
CrossFit Calne Fitness Box is located in Calne, Wiltshire, United Kingdom. Its owner Glen Babbage has created an environment where anyone is welcome and supported.
“For me, the aim of the Fitness Box is anyone can come across — all abilities,” Babbage says.
Scared at the idea of group classes, John worked with Babbage one-on-one at first. “I wanted somebody to encourage me, to cajole me, to push me a little bit,” John says.
After five or six sessions with Babbage, John was ready for class. The community welcomed him with open arms. After a month, he started to notice he had more energy and felt better.
John and Sonia credit Babbage for John’s consistency and success in the gym. “He’s shown him that no matter what age you are, no matter how fit or unfit you are, physically and mentally, you can do it,” Sonia says.
And four years in, John is a new person — more focused on family and work, and generally happier.
“CrossFit is an essential part of my life,” John says. “I cannot imagine life without it.”
How Voiceover Artist John Calvert Battles Anxiety and Depression