In light of Men’s Health Week, I want to highlight a common struggle that you may be facing as a man:
Men are assuming numerous roles and responsibilities in their lives today that are the result of cultural or social pressures and not of true expression and alignment with their own wants and needs. This misalignment is leading to constant feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, and burnout.
Reassessing
In this article, I am going to invite you to reassess your role and responsibilities as a man in order to invite balance back into your life and enhance your wellbeing.
As a man in the US, I grew up watching many movies and television shows that portrayed men as these larger-than-life, strong, stoic, go-getters who are responsible for much of the “heavy lifting” (both figuratively and physically) in their lives and in the lives of their families. While this portrayal is neither good nor bad in its own right, the roles of men and other gender identities (male, female, transgender, nonbinary) are changing, and the acceptance that any individual has the right to define these roles for themselves is creating a more compassionate and spacious world.
As defined by the Human Rights Campaign, gender expression is the “external appearance of one's gender identity, usually expressed through behavior, clothing, haircut, or voice, and which may or may not conform to socially defined behaviors and characteristics typically associated with being either masculine or feminine.” And as a Health Advisor, I can confirm that the way we perceive and express ourselves is a vital indicator of our health and wellbeing.
So, that leads us to you. Do you find that you are overwhelmed or burdened by the roles you’ve assigned yourself (consciously or unconsciously). Do you ever find yourself needing help but you’re convinced that you can’t ask for it out of fear of appearing weak? I want you to know that a new expression of your role in life is available, we just need to be curious about you.
Here is a two-step challenge that I’d like you to try to help you reassess where you may be out of alignment with the roles you’ve taken on in your life.
Step 1
Set aside 20 minutes in your day, grab a pen and a piece of paper, and write at the top of the page a role or responsibility that you assume is yours to take charge of.
Next, write down these questions further down the page:
- When did I start taking on this role?
- What is the story I tell myself today for why I should be the one to do it?
- Who else might be capable of helping me?
- What prevents me from asking for help?
- What role/responsibility would I like to take on instead?
- What is one small step I could take to explore handing off this role/responsibility?
Take time to answer these questions thoughtfully and honestly and see what comes up for you.
Step 2
Talk with your loved ones about how you answered these questions. Ask them how they view your role in the family and what they expect of you. My hope is that you will be pleasantly surprised by what they say, and that you really don’t need to take on everything you thought you needed to.
Sorting through all the roles you play can be a taxing process. We would love to support you along the way. Schedule time with one of our experts today by visiting my.wellviewhealth.com
Click HERE to learn more about the Wellview services available to you. We can’t wait to work with you!
– Andrew Jacobs, CHC, CPT
Health Advisor, Personal Trainer | Email Andrew
