We are so excited to introduce to you our latest series we like to call our Brain Heroes. 

A Brain Hero is someone that we at Ārepa have identified as someone looking to make a difference in the world, is having a big impact in their industry/category, is an inspirational and epic human being, trying to make the world a better place or simply wanting to better their brain.

And our first Brain Hero is none other than Cooper Chapman. Cooper is a surfer, a mental health advocate and someone that we just knew we wanted to work with the minute we heard about him and all the epic things he's doing. We chat to Cooper to find out a bit more about his life, what got him to where he is now and where he's headed.

How did you first get into surfing and what about it made you fall in love with it? 
From when I was a young kid I used to go and watch my dad surf all the time. I naturally was drawn to the ocean and hooked to surfing from the age of 9. The feeling you get being in the ocean became so addictive, the feeling of freedom and creativity.

What happened in your life that made you start focussing on your mental health? 
Being a professional athelete I was always very curious on ways to improve my performance. I began to research different techniques to improve your mental game and realised so many of these things are massively beneficial to my overall wellbeing.

I also have family history of mental illness so have always been very conscious of taking good care of my own mental health.

How important has getting your mental health right been for you and how important has it been for you to communicate that with others? 
The relationship we have with ourselves is the only one that will last forever, it is crucial that it is a healthy relationship. I have begun to understand new ways of thinking and viewing the world from the incredible people I connect with and the passion I have for growth and open mindedness.

Along this journey i have found a better way to live and I feel it is my duty to come up with creative ways to communicate a message around mental health that is both relatable and fun.

What’s your favourite part of the day/something you always look forward to doing?
I love waking up for sunrise, making a coffee and walking along the beach. And then coming home and spending 20 minus meditation, 20 minutes reading and 20 minutes doing breath work. My morning routine is super special to me.

Who would be your Brain Hero (role model?)
I love the way Hugh Van Cuylenberg and Jay Shetty both communicate their messages. They have a way of making their message very relatable and inspire me to keep learning and thinking differently.

How did you first hear about Ārepa and what did you like most about our products?
I first found Ārepa on social media, I immediately knew it was something I would enjoy. I really believe having a beverage that has both short term and long term benefits to our overall health and specifically our brain is something special. I am also a huge fan of blackcurrant flavour!

How do you use Ārepa in your daily life? 
I have a Ārepa Performance drink mid morning as a replacement for a second coffee and use it as a way to stay focused at work without getting an afternoon crash.

What’s your next big goal to achieve? 
I really want to grow Good Humans Podcast and build it into a respected platform and podcast to learn about mental health skill in a unique way, with story telling.

To stay in the loop with all the amazing things Cooper is up to:

Instagram - @cooperchapman
Founder - @thegoodhumanfactory
Host - @goodhumanspod