Authenticity Episodes

"It's amazing to love people every day as a job." A random feature of Real Men Feel is Regular Guy Chats. That is when I converse with an average dude who has nothing to promote but a willingness to share. It's been a year and a half since my last Regular Guy Chat. Today, I'm talking to Jake Marko, a young man I met last month in a Self-Leadership class we both attended. We discuss Jake's experiences with purpose, spiritual growth, and overcoming challenges. Jake discusses his life before and ...

Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is ask for help. Men face a stigma about that, too. My guest today is Laverne Friesen. He is a former first responder who is passionate about raising awareness around the stigma of mental health after experiencing his own mental health crisis. Now, as a transformation coach, Laverne shares the wisdom he gained from his traumatic experiences to help others live fulfilling lives. Laverne shares his experience as a sexual abuse survivor in a fundamentalist f...

I recommend watching this episode instead of only listening to it, as I share some of my downsizing journey and give a tour of my home. We are preparing to move to a house 2,000 square feet smaller than the one we've lived in for the past 21 years. Listen in to discover how my father's sharing of Buddism made me think life sucks then you die. Also, learn how the experience of donating, selling, and trashing our possessions has been so far. Do you own your stuff, or does your stuff own you?...

I've often called myself a failure. But why? Why does something not turning out the way I wanted it to become my identity? It all comes down to the ego. Today, I explore definitions and perceptions of failure and ways to reframe it. Failure can be a valuable lesson. We can fail forward into something better with the right mindset. In my experience, when I'm depressed, my self-judgment is much harsher than usual, and I see a history of nothing but failures. That is not true. It is a very di...

Today, I share many of the subjects I've been journaling about in the last few days. Subjects including past patterns, current patterns that I haven't figured out yet, and challenges of all-or-nothing thinking. I open up about my self-judgment, spiritual experiences, psych meds, and reactions to being called a positive male role model. I also contemplate what I'm addicted to that keeps my hellish patterns going. Over my adult life, I've tried meditation, counseling, personal growth, energy...

WARNING: This episode discusses suicidal thoughts and attempts. If you are in a crisis, do not listen to this. Please call or text 988 to be connected to trained counselors who are part of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network. If you are outside of the US, please search for suicide prevention in your country. You matter! Please choose life. After a year-long gap, much of it spent in a deep depression and with lots of suicidal ideation, I'm back. The best way to prevent suicide is ...

If you notice today's episode looking and sounding different, I'm on the road and don't have my usual setup. Are you comfortable being alone? Can you enjoy your own company? Often men will feel uncomfortable emotions if they are alone and in silence. I am an only child, so I'm used to being alone, but I'd always have music or a TV playing in the background. I wasn't a fan of absolute silence because I wasn't a fan of some of my thoughts. Over the years and with lots of work and growth, I'm...