This month is men’s health month but for some men, there’s still a pressure to be “the man” that everybody can count on. Being the family breadwinner continues to be the narrative and it only increases the need for awareness around mental health.
Time again, I see male clients sacrificing their personal needs and self-care to serve others around them. Whilst this can be ingrained in us as standard responsibility, after a while we can start to lose who we are, and our drive begins to wane.
Being able to reconnect with ourselves then becomes not just something we should do, it’s something we must do.
Below are 4 key ways I’ve helped men get reconnected with themselves to improve their relationships, self esteem, and mental health.
1. Take time for yourself every day
For the first 30 minutes of each day, make sure you take time to do whatever makes you feel calm, collected, and organised. This might mean going for a walk in nature, journaling or playing sports. It’s ideal to do this in the morning before the world’s problems fall on your shoulders and you become exhausted from the day.
2. Re-examine what makes you happy
Ask yourself; “When am I the happiest? What am I doing when I feel most myself?”
These questions are super important to stop and consider, especially whenever we feel lost, depressed or stressed. Daily pressures can cause us to have a tendency to neglect people, activities and things that make us happy. Self-isolation only makes things worse. Think about the top three activities, people, or things you love to do, that you maybe don’t have as much time for now, and start reintroducing them back into your life as a priority. You don’t have to implement all of them right away, just start slow and be consistent!
3. Begin addressing your needs
Most of the time, when we get so used to doing things for others, we tend to forget our own needs and lose ourselves in the process. Start putting your needs first and asking for help with responsibilities and tasks. Reaching out for help is not a sign of weakness, or an indication that you cannot do things on your own. Rather, it’s self-love and delegation.
By doing this, you lift the weight from your shoulders whilst also empowering and entrusting others with tasks. If you don’t know what your needs are, now is the perfect time to research core values and love languages, and take the time to discover where the gaps in your life actually are.
4. Discover your passions
Have you ever planned to wake up at 6:00am one morning, but then your alarm went off and you just hit snooze?
Sometimes we set goals without being sure exactly why we’ve set them. Without a clear ‘why’, our need to achieve them becomes less important. Similarly, this happens when we set goals that lack excitement and desire, as we don’t allow ourselves enough motivation to achieve them. We all need to be fuelled by purpose and passion and ensure the mountain we set is worthy enough for us to climb.
Reconnecting with yourself isn't something you'll do just once and find quick results. The process takes time, patience and powerful self-awareness to get back on the right track. By doing these four things as part of your daily ritual, you'll find yourself reconnected and ready for the next step in life.