Making Wellness Cool: DIY Health & Wellness Skills Every Guy Should Have
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Yes, the title was inspired by a quote from a GQ article, and I’ll tell you which one shortly here. But first…
The men I have known and loved have taken care of themselves to varying degrees.
Some of the men I have known have taken very good care of themselves:
- Eating well (avoiding junk food, preparing food at home)
- Exercising – running, lifting weights, practicing yoga, etc.
- Staying mentally/emotionally healthy, practicing mindfulness
Other men I have known have grappled more with “well-being” perhaps in the form of:
- Addictions – alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, etc.
- Not exercising much (if at all)
- Randomly present (with me, anyway)
What does it take for a guy to embrace living a healthy lifestyle? I love men, and my wish for them is to thrive: not just at work, but in terms of health and relationships too.
Here is my two cents, from the perspective of a (former) wife, friend, and girlfriend:
I see men putting (or not putting) health & well-being into a few categories, including:
Comfort
Utility
Priority
Let’s start with comfort. In my (relative) experience with guys, they value comfort…or is that simplicity? If it feels good, there’s a better chance they’ll do it. While I feel many guys are great at blowing off stress in a healthy way (i.e. shooting some hoops vs. ruminating about a shitty situation), sometimes maybe “feeling good” also includes indulging in pleasure, even hedonism, a bit too much.
Too much might include:
Food
Ice Cream
You get the picture
Don’t get me wrong: I’m all for pleasure. I value pleasure as a component of well-being, but just not at the expense of well-being.
Actually, here’s one of my recent favorite quotes:
It’s not about what you can get away with, it’s about becoming the best you can possibly can be.
Joe Manganiello, GQ Magazine
And, on the flip side:
I quit drinking eleven and a half years ago and I think that had I not been able to pull that off, I’d be dead.
Joe Manganiello, GQ Magazine
Chui, D. July 4, 2014. Joe manganiello true blood magic mike la bare interview. GQ. Retrieved from:
http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/joe-manganiello-true-blood-magic-mike-la-bare-interview
And, actually, here’s what I really love about many men. They (I’m referring to the masculine mind or sensibility) can be great at streamlining Life. This is Comfort/Simplicity.
This may be Utility too:
What works. Let’s get it done. But, what’s the best (or easiest sometimes) way of doing something, if necessary. Of course, I see many men striving for greatness and standards.
But, I’ve seen them cut themselves short too when it comes to their own health and wel-being. This is where telemedicine, the anonymity of the web, and generic drugs for male pattern baldness, or erectile dysfunction may work to the advantage of the reluctant Wellness Superhero.
From Tech Crunch:
“’Approximately 25 percent of men with male pattern baldness begin shedding their locks before they reach the age of 21,’ says the American Hair Loss Association. Another stat that might surprise: According to the Cleveland Clinic, as many as 52 percent of men experience erectile dysfunction, with 40 percent of men age 40 affected. As for premature ejaculation, it may impact upwards of one in three men, estimates the Mayo Clinic.
So, why are things looking up for this large yet quietly suffering demographic? Two things: changes to telemedicine laws, and expiring patents, both of which are about to make it a whole lot easier – and cheaper – to obtain pills and other medications that no one seems to want to talk very publicly about.”
Loizos, C. Nov. 1, 2017. Life could grow easier for men for two reasons and startups and investors are on it. Tech Crunch. Retrieved from:
Not Wanting to Talk About or Address Health Issues
What I’ve noticed is that some men (just may) not wish to address health and well-being straight on. It’s not that it doesn’t concern them (well, maybe sometimes), but more that they just don’t want to address it directly.
Maybe it’s the Superhero image, or maybe it’s just cultural (and, maybe that’s the same thing). As much I experience men being direct in many ways (i.e. the tendency to value simplicity), when it comes to well-being, sensitive topics like balding or premature ejaculation aren’t exactly conversation starters.
Perhaps some of the main topics in health and wellness that are important to a lot of guys just aren’t very easy to address.
So what does it take to inspire your favorite guy to make well-being a Priority?
DIY Skills:
Priority
From a coaching P.O.V. priority is about values. It’s what you value that drives you. So, if our favorite guys may (already) be great at drive, then it’s about inspiring them to find the drive to value taking better care of themselves too.
People have different reasons for doing things:
Rewards
Pleasure
To Feel Better
Well-Being As It’s Own Reward
Practical & Tactical (bringing it all together)
In my experience, when a guy – or anyone for that matter – embraces living well, it’s because, ultimately, it feels good. This is practical wellness to me. Whether the drive is from an injury or chronic condition, or to just be a better version of yourself, the drive is to live better simply because it feels better.
Of course, in the ever-expanding health and wellness sectors, startups like hims, telemedicine, and expiring patents can help in this quest to feel better (physically – and about one’s self too, i.e. better self-image, an important component of well-being.)
We’re still “feeling good” too and even emphasizing pleasure (it’s part of staying well – a big part, in fact). But, the drive to feel good is motivated by thriving and not escaping.
So, what are the DIY health and wellness skills to step into a healthier lifestyle? In a nutshell, do what feels good, and do it to be a better man, because that is it’s own reward. This is tactical: it’s an internal motivator to feel good for the sake of feeling good, and because it helps you evolve naturally.
Joe Manganiello sums it up well:
It’s more about motivating and being the best person you can be, and as a result your body will transform. It’s not about vanity it’s about evolving as a person.
Joe Manganiello, GQ Magazine
Amen to that, Joe…
P.S. The title comes from the same GQ article I have quoted in this blog.
P.P.S. Check out hims as a resource for telemedicine, erectile dysfunction, and male pattern baldness. These guys are on a mission to create on open and empowered male culture around health and preventative self-care.
As the guys say on their website:
the point of it all—and the message that’s most important to us—is making sure you realize this one specific thing: having an issue isn’t weird. not dealing with it is weird.
that is hims.
Bravo guys…
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