The Importance of Strong Well Adjusted Men.

In honor of International Men's Day on November19th I thought I would write a bit of a guide on the widely agreed important character traits a man could have to be Strong and Well Adjusted.

In today's world of social media one can find all sorts of perspectives regarding what men are like today and how they should be.

I am not going to get into criticism or fanatics over any particular current male role model.

What I would like to do, however, is get into the desirable character traits a man could possess to make this world a better place.

As the title suggests, the world would benefit from all men being strong and well adjusted. Unfortunately this is a pipe dream. Too many traumas and unfortunate events/people happen in a lifetime to expect all men to be strong and well adjusted.

But all is not lost...

Barring severe mental illness, ALL of us, if we haven't already been raised to be strong and well adjusted, are capable to learn how to be strong and well adjusted.

So what makes a Man Strong and Well Adjusted?

Here are some character traits I and other men, in the men's health sector, believe are part of the make up for a Strong Well Adjusted Man:

1. Secure versus Insecure. A Man must be able to see himself and others in a positive regard and engage with others assertively. He must be able to build healthy realtionships and know how to act when one of these is unhealthy. A man must be content on his own even though he might long for companionship. Lastly, a man must respect others and treat everyone well even when he might be on a loss or in a disagreement.

2. Reflective. A Man must be able to sit with his own thoughts and ponder different possible perspectives. He must be able to self analyze and recognize when and how he needs to adjust so he can move any aspect of his life forward.

3. Decent. A Man must be decent. He must lead with kindness, understanding and service. Wanting to help himself and his fellow brother, a man must be an example of goodness and growth.

   Do not confuse this with perfection!

   What I speak of here, is the intent, will and action to lead a life of growth, service and decency.

4. Self Control. A Man must be able to control his urges and adjust his reactions to align with decency. Men are continuously tempted in today's world to veer from walking a path of decency and most of us fail at times. However, the more a man practices self control through self discipline and mental health work the more the man can control himself and right the path when he is headed in the wrong direction.

5. Strength. A Man must be strong mentally and physically. There are many gauges to measure strength. We all know what happens to us when we get physically ill, hurt or we are unable to achieve a physical feat of some kind. The point is we don't feel good about ourselves. Hence the need to be physically strong, which demands continuous physical activity to keep and stay healthy. The same is to be said for mental strength. A Man must face his own mental health and make a checklist of the areas he needs help with and the areas he can continue to strengthen. Making a habit of reaching out to another for assistance and community can help men share their stories, support each other and grow together.

6. Channel Energy. A Man must learn how to channel his energy in a positive direction. Whether it be sports, creative arts, community engagement or mentoship (just to name a few), a man must channel his energy in something he will find productive and rewarding. Too many men sit by the side with pent up emotions and energy ready to blow up at a moment's notice.

If us men start by contemplating these 6 character traits and how we can implement them in our daily lives we can, as a species, grow into what the world needs us to be.

The responsibility falls on us to lift ourselves and each other up beyond the criticism and judgement of naysayers.

Start with one trait, reach out to your fellow brother, get him involved and take a direction in life that will lead you to a better place .

Strong well adjusted men treat people kindly, they become role models for the current and next generation, they help others grow in life and in business, they see the world as a conglomeration of souls looking to find their way through a beautiful life.

Without strong well adjusted men, the world descends into chaos.

This all starts in our homes, spreads out into our streets, towns and communities. You get to choose what type of world we live in and what type of world you leave behind.

Thanks for reading,

Franck