How Are You Really Doing? Beyond What You Do?
This June, as we recognise Men's Health Month, the focus is on the health and wellbeing of men.
Men are often feel defined by the roles they perform and the responsibilities they carry, at work, at home and within their communities. They are our employees, leaders, partners, fathers, sons, mates, mentors and more.
These roles can bring great purpose and pride, but they can also become so consuming that many men rarely stop to ask themselves a simple question: How am I really doing, beyond what I DO?
Modern life unfortunately, often rewards busyness, toughness and the ability to keep going.
There is always another deadline, another bill, another problem to solve or another person depending on them. It can be easy to focus on what needs to be done next, rather than whether life is supporting their own wellbeing. Over time, some men become highly effective at meeting expectations while quietly neglecting the things that sustain them. Think connection, friendship, health, rest, purpose and joy.
The signs may not always be obvious; they can show up as tiredness, irritability, withdrawal, loss of motivation or simply feeling disconnected from the life they have worked hard to build.
Men's Health Month is also a reminder to those who are around men. That includes partners, daughters, sisters, mothers, friends and colleagues. We ALL have a role to play in encouraging honest conversations about health and wellbeing.
This does not mean taking responsibility for someone else's wellbeing, but it does mean noticing, listening and creating space for men, in this month especially, to allow them to speak without judgement.
For the men in our lives, and for the men in our industry, the question is not only whether they are coping, but whether they are truly living well. Wellbeing is not about simply getting through each day; it is about being well enough to enjoy the life, relationships and future they have worked so hard to build.
We are in it together; so this month, let’s celebrate the men in our lives with our support and care.
