Hi all, Craig here, Julie’s hubby. I never post on her blog (maybe just once before), but following on from yesterday’s offering, I wanted to chime in, I hope you all don’t mind.

Men’s Mental Health Month makes me think about how a lot of men, like me, grew up thinking we had to “be strong” and “keep going” no matter what.

And today, even though society’s view on mental health has evolved, old habits die hard.

The idea of opening up, especially about feelings, can feel so alien to us. Often like it’s something men just aren’t supposed to do.

In truth, it’s challenging. We can be our own worst critics, we convince ourselves that struggling with emotions is a sign of weakness.

Admitting that life feels heavy sometimes doesn’t come naturally to me, and often, I think it’s easier to bottle things up.

There’s a fear of being judged, thought of differently, of seeming vulnerable in a world where we’re encouraged to put on a brave face.

Watching Julie battle through her mental health for years and being so proud and in awe of her strength, openness and honesty has been inspiring.

Through her, I’ve learned so much about how we think as humans and how we deal with this often very serious issue.

She encourages everyone, men included to share their feelings, to recognise that talking isn’t a sign of weakness but like it was for her, a start in the healing process.

Her experience’s have helped me see that breaking the silence shouldn’t make me “less of a man”; it just makes me human.

Men’s mental health isn’t something I hear spoken about often, it’s usually swept under the rug or ignored but each time this happens we add to the weight.

I’ve learned from Julie that sharing my experiences and struggles doesn’t take anything away from me, it actually helps to talk, no matter how trivial it may seem.

It’s helped me to understand myself, to take a step back and look at the bigger picture, and it gives others, especially the people closest to me, a chance to help.

So for any other men reading this who might relate to these feelings, know that you’re not alone. None of us are.

If you’re anything like me, it’s not always easy to express what’s on your mind, but there are people you know, like Julie, who are ready to listen without judgment.

And maybe, if we open up just a little, we can start to truly understand what “strength” really means.

I’m here to listen, too.

It’s back to me now….. Julie that is… didn’t he do well, especially when he says he has learned from me. 😆 That’s always really nice to hear and it means a lot.

I’ll be at a loss this evening with nothing to write now 😆

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️