In the quiet corners of their minds, many men grapple with silent struggles, unseen by the outside world. Crippling self-doubt, confusing societal pressures, unsatisfying relationships, and the weight of financial stress create a tangled web of challenges that can feel insurmountable. From the relentless pursuit of validation to the constant comparison with others, the journey through manhood often feels like navigating a labyrinth of uncertainty and insecurity.

In the quest to manifest our dreams, the secret lies not in grand gestures but in consistent, intentional actions. My mantra? Doing the SMALL THINGS, with LOVE, INTENTION, and CONSISTENCY, leads to BIG RESULTS.

Moving away from the confining and often oppressive male-dominated societies is important. We must ensure equal opportunities for girls and women—an ongoing priority. While we continue to make strides, an often overlooked area needing attention is the well-being of boys and men in today's society.

I often compare the journey of personal growth to the nurturing of a vibrant garden. It's a process where, much like tending to plants, the daily growth often unfolds quietly, escaping immediate notice.

In today's contemporary work environment, a fundamental truth stands out: If you don't manage your schedule, it ends up managing you.

Balancing essential yet potentially overwhelming elements like meetings, emails, team chats, and routine tasks with dedicated time for your genuine priorities can be challenging. While disconnecting entirely isn't feasible for many, finding effective strategies becomes crucial to navigate a world geared to pull our attention in multiple directions.

Enter time blocking.

Living with integrity, by aligning our actions with our values, is the cornerstone of trustworthiness. When our intentions, words, and behaviors consistently reflect our core beliefs, we demonstrate authenticity and reliability. This alignment between what we profess to value and how we actually live instills confidence in others, strengthening the foundation of trust in our relationships.

In the two previous blog posts, “Follow Your Fuck Yes: Part 1” and “Follow Your Fuck Yes: Part 2”, I emphasized the importance of cultivating clarity and aligned action in a world full of distractions. Essentialism has been a game-changer in supporting me to focus on what truly matters. Incorporating the strategies and practices below into your life will help you create a more intentional and practical approach.

I’ve been making a massive shift in my life. It has been initiated in part by the knowing that a more beautiful world is possible, and in part by exhaustion. The truth is, I’m tired. Tired of the endless treadmill. Tired of living for tomorrow. Tired of the illusion of separation and scarcity. I’m tired of being tired.

The industrial age brought with it the promise of comfort and convenience. With the growing prevalence and accessibility of intelligent machines to automate human tasks, we should have more time and less stress than ever before. However, the majority of people are busier and more unhealthy than any other time in human history. Why is this so?

For millennia, human civilization has blindly trudged forward with the ambitious pursuit of ‘progress’ and ‘growth’. In doing so, our ancient story of interbeing and abundance (which arose independently from indigenous cultures across the world) was replaced with a story of scarcity and separation. We have doubled down on a mechanized, reductionist understanding of the world which has encouraged us to maximize ‘progress’ and profits at all costs. And though this model has provided a boon for some, the costs have been far greater.

Should I conform? Should I rebel? This has and always will be, a constant battle struggled individually, or as a society. A certain amount of conformity needs to exist in life in order to avoid disorder. This is the reason we have laws. Take those laws, rules, control, or even expectations, to an extreme, and some form of rebellion is probable. Struggle with these opposites, and you have a catalyst for war, or perhaps, being fired from a job.

I was always fascinated and shocked when learning about the Great War as a child. The stupidity of all wars was here made doubly stupid by the ineptitude of “leaders” who were prepared to see men die in millions in the mud, facing each other across a few hundred yards of barbed-wire and shell holes…

Note: I was an educator in New Brunswick, Canada and, at the time this was written, I was facing imminent layoff without any access to financial support. I sent this follow-up letter on November 10th, 2021. To this day, not a single question has been addressed.

Note: I was an educator in New Brunswick, Canada and, at the time this was written, was facing imminent layoff without any access to financial support. I sent the following letter on October 18th, 2021. To this day, not a single question has been addressed.

The biggest economic, political, and social event of 2020 was a health phenomenon: COVID-19. As the pandemic spread from the Far East to Italy, fear grew that we were facing something really serious. Media outlets across the world conveyed images of eerily empty streets and crowded hospitals in Italy, with the consistent theme of fear and uncertainty. The resulting (and ongoing) series of lockdowns and the yo-yo of restrictions of varying severity have crushed economic activity worldwide, further exacerbating the income gap to unprecedented levels. Overnight, people lost access to their places of worship, community centers, health centers, social spots, and physical connection with friends and family…

Work. What does the word mean to you? Is it something to be avoided? Is it a means to an end? Is it the only appropriate focus of your attention and energy? Is it a way to avoid the rest of your life? Is it a joy? Is it a part of your spiritual practice?

As early as I can recall, I have had a natural aversion to writing and reading. The reading part faded when I began enjoying books of my choosing after I finished high school. However, the writing block has stuck with me to this day. I still do not love writing. I still have a hard time picking up my pen or sitting down to type. I am still very conscious of the voice that screams, “You’re not good enough! Who would ever want to read what you have to say?”

“Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.” - Paolo Friere