When we refuse to look inward, we are destined to project outward
Avoiding looking in the mirror under the guise of busyness and achievement is easy. Having the courage to look deep into ourselves is hard. There are so many ways we can numb, suppress and avoid connecting with that most profound part of ourselves. For some, it is substance abuse, alcohol or drugs. For many leaders […]
What the Heck Does Emotional Connection Even Mean?
Language is powerful, it is important to get it right. I spend much time discussing the importance of Emotional Connection, particularly for men, and its impact on leadership, peak performance, and mental health. I share practices that I have found helpful in my journey, but I have not spent much time discussing what Emotional Connection […]
The Importance of Emotional Granularity for Men
As men, we have had emotions conditioned out of us for most of our lives. The constant refrain from other men to “Suck it up” and “Be tough. Be Strong.” Any show of emotion other than anger is considered a weakness. Many men adhere to this paradigm with the refrain that they don’t want to […]
Breaking Free from Negative Self-Talk: A Guide for Men
In a society where the stereotypical portrayal of masculinity encompasses stoicism and presenting an undaunted façade, addressing the issue of negative self-talk among men is rarely discussed. The truth is that in our quest to “Measure up” to real or perceived expectations ensnares many men in a spiral of negative inner dialogue. Tackling this issue […]
Men, It’s Time to Stop Hiding
Last week I had a beautiful reminder of one of the most important aspects of healing, in particular for men. I attended a fundraiser luncheon for the Little Warriors Be Brave Ranch. The Little Warriors is an organization that creates spaces (https://littlewarriors.ca/be-brave-ranch/) and programs for children who are victims of childhood sexual abuse. Their mission […]
Cultivating Resilience in Your Team: A Leader’s Guide to Navigating Uncertainty
Four Ways to Build a Culture of Resilience I was 28 years old, at the peak of my career. I was making more money than I had in my life and, quite frankly, more than I would have imagined possible a few short years earlier. I had moved to a new town and was about […]
Are You Having a Midlife Crisis?
Is it really a midlife crisis? Many men spend most of their lives trying to live the life they believe they are supposed to live. They are supposed to be the provider, the protector, the ‘man’. Most do this at a great cost to self. They suppress their own needs, wants and desires in order […]
Men’s Mental Health: Self Awareness Is Key
This one little shift will drastically increase your ability to reflect and grow. This little tip for me was a real key in moving from self-reflection to true self-awareness. When it comes to building resilience and strength so much of it comes down to the language we use as we explore. In order to build […]
Men’s Mental Health: Be Somebody’s Larry
When it comes to men’s mental health we all need somewhere to unpack what is going on in our lives. The challenge often can be that finding those spaces to do that is difficult. As men, we tend to like to “fix” things. This often kills the space required for exploration of feelings and patterns […]
Men’s Mental Health: Why Emotional Fitness Matters
Why do so many of us men resist the mental health label? This is a conversation we need to have much more of. There are some unique societal pressures on men that create some unique challenges which ultimately require us to take some unique approaches when it comes to men’s mental health. Men everywhere are […]
Learning to Embrace the Suck
The difference between a good race and a bad race is all about how you manage the (inevitable) pain. Chris McCormack I first came across the term “Embrace the Suck” in the context of Ironman Triathlon. My daughter gave me a henna tattoo that made that proclamation across my forearm when I competed in my […]
The Truth About Male Sexual Abuse
This video is an excerpt from the Love Letter to Men: A Celebration of Men’s Mental Health conference in February. In this panel discussion we talk about men and sexual abuse with two survivors and a licensed psychologist and author who works with men who have been abused. These are stories of hope and possibility.
Wakefield Brewster: Da Lyrical Pitbull
Since January 1999, Wakefield Brewster has been known as one of Canada’s most popular and prolific Performance Poets. He is a BlackMan born and raised in Toronto, by parents hailing from the island of Beautiful Barbados, and he has resided in Calgary since 2006. Wakefield Brewster has spoken across Canada, several States, and makes countless […]
Men and Grief
Grief is often something we don’t associate with Masculinity and when we do, there seems to be an expectation of stoicism, strength and frankly – fixing it, not suffering with it. Together we are going to discuss how that shows up in our lives and in the lives of those who support men who are grieving.
Fly In Fly Out Life – Real Stories, Struggles and Victories From Remote Work Camp Life
FIFO: faɪ fəʊ or Fly In Fly Out
FIFO work refers to remote camp work where workers are required to fly in and fly out to work and work away from home and their families.
This type of work poses unique challenges to workers and their families. The mental health struggles that can arise from the isolation from family, role transitions from work life to home life, societal stereotypes of masculinity and stigmas creating barriers to seeking help. We unpack all this through storytelling to give you a snapshot of FIFO life and to provide workers and their families with tools to thrive in this lifestyle.
Drew Dudley – A Man Falls Into a Hole Keynote
This inspiring keynote is from our recent Love Letter to Men: A Celebration of Men’s Mental Health forum.
Real Talk International Men’s Day
On International Men’s Day I had the privilege of sitting down with three other men to discuss the importance of Men’s mental health and some of the challenges that we face as men. Even in our patriarchal society it is important to look at the price of the patriarchy on men as well as on […]
What Does “Stuck” Look Like (and how to get unstuck in life)
How to get unstuck in life As I sit here at my computer, with my Pomodoro Technique timer quietly counting down I sit staring at a blank computer screen. A list of a million different “things I could be doing” starts to form in my head. The procrastination monster is strong in this one my […]
The Scars That Shape Us
October 2, 2021. It’s now been six years since I heard those three little words that would change my life. The three words that would shape my future and become a large part of my legacy. “Karissa is dead.” That’s it. That was all he said and my world was forever changed. A wound so […]
How to Navigate Life’s Transitions
“The only constant in life is change”-Heraclitus This statement has never been more applicable than it has in the last 18 months. Every single one of us has gone through massive, unforeseeable, and unavoidable change. The real key is how we adapt to that change and how we navigate the transitions from the old way […]
How to support a partner who is struggling?
Yesterday after a keynote I delivered on Men, Mental Health and Imposter syndrome I was asked by a few people how to support a partner who is struggling with their mental health. My buddy Al Kehler and his wife Tanya do an amazing job of sharing their experience walking the road with Al’s mental health […]
The Price of Privilege for Men
Real Talk With Ryan Jespersen
“Emotionally connected men don’t kill people, they don’t kill themselves, they make better partners, fathers, leaders, and human beings. It’s critical we have this conversation.”
Personal Development Scavenger Hunt
Who says personal development can’t be fun?! This activity is one of the many practices I use with our Lifestyle By Design group. It is an excellent way to propel your growth and gain some insights into who you really are.
How To Support Someone Who Is Struggling
One of the biggest questions I get when discussing mental health. While not comprehensive, these are some recommendations based on my lived experience.
MENtal Health: It’s time to talk
Super proud to feature my friend Allan Kehler’s book on the site. You can order your copy directly in our store. Get Your Copy Here
Balance Is Bull$h%t
This is a repost of an article I wrote in 2017 Balance Is Bullshit OK, so I feel like I need to put in a little disclaimer here. It is important to note that this article is written by a man who’s staff gave him the book “Workoholics: The Respectable Addicts” for Christmas some 5 […]
Life can change in the blink of an eye
Most years for our family summer vacation we make our way out to see my parents in beautiful Hope, British Columbia. They have a gorgeous spot directly on Kawkawa Lake with about 60 feet of beachfront. Their place comes complete with a second floor deck that spans the entire width of the home. Surrounded by a […]