Welcome to the conversation. We are officially in Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, and I want to issue a daily challenge. This is something I’m doing myself, and I’m inviting you to take it on with me. The challenge is simple, but it has the potential to make a huge difference. Whether you’re a man or not, you have a role to play.
Here’s how it works. Everyone should check in on a guy in their life every day. That’s it. One check-in each day. You can check in on the same person every day if you want. Or rotate between friends, family, coworkers... whoever comes to mind. The point is to build a habit around checking in. A simple message. A call. A quick conversation. That check-in might be more valuable than you realize.
Now, for the men reading this, your version of the challenge has two parts. The first part is checking in on another guy daily. The second part is this... tell one person how you’re feeling. That’s right. I want you to speak up. Open up. Let someone know where you are mentally and emotionally. It might be the same person you check in on. That would be amazing. You could be creating a space where both of you feel seen and supported. Or it might be a different person each day. Either way, just make it a daily action.
I know this might feel uncomfortable at first. We’re taught to tough it out. Keep it in. Push through. But the truth is, most men are carrying a lot and feeling isolated. We’re not supposed to stay stuck in that. We need connection. We need spaces where we can be honest. So the more you practice this, the easier it gets. And the lighter you’re going to feel.
Yes, this is a challenge I’m issuing for June. But it doesn’t end when the month does. This is a daily practice that can carry into the rest of the year and beyond. It’s about consistency. It’s about making emotional check-ins as normal as asking someone how work went. It’s about making room for real conversations.
And here’s something else to think about. When you open up to someone, you’re humanizing the experience of being vulnerable. You’re showing someone what it looks like to speak honestly. And if they do the same with you, you’re both putting a face to what it means to express emotion and hold space for someone else.
This is how we end the stigma. We talk. We connect. We show up for each other. Not just during awareness months, but as part of our daily lives.
Let’s do this together.