You Matter Too!
Men's Mental Health Awareness Month
Hi brother,
How are you?
Take a moment. Really check in with yourself.
June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. But every year, it seems to get drowned out—tucked quietly behind Father’s Day or buried under the noise of everything else going on.
But I want to ask you again:
How are you doing, really?
Are you fighting silent battles?
Making sure your family is taken care of?
Keeping your partner happy?
Holding it down at work?
Trying to look strong when deep down you're carrying more than anyone knows?
Yeah, brother—I’m with you.
This month, I just want to remind you to go easy on yourself. As much as you give, you also need to receive. As much as you show up for others, you have to show up for yourself too. You can’t keep pouring from an empty cup.
The Silent Statistics That Broke Me
I looked up the stats. We lose one man every minute to suicide. That’s 60 per hour. 1,440 per day. 10,080 per week. And over 500,000 men a year.
When I read that, I stopped writing. I cried. Because I’ve been there—on that edge. Questioning my worth. Questioning everything. And I chose not to destroy myself.
Instead, I realized I had to rebuild a relationship with myself. Not the surface-level version people see. But the real, raw, inner part of me. The one I was ignoring.
I needed to create a space where I could take off the armor, let go of the fear, the rejection, the pressure, and just breathe. Just feel. Just exist.
Why It’s Hard for Us to Speak Up
For many of us as men, it’s hard to feel safe enough to do that. If we don’t show emotion, we’re seen as cold. But when we do open up, we’re judged, mocked, or called weak.
But brother—you’re not weak for feeling. You’re human.
Your presence matters.
Your voice matters.
Your joy matters.
Your peace matters.
You matter.
And those battles you fight don’t have to be fought alone. If you’re reading this, please—whatever you need, please give that to yourself.
We’re raised to be strong. To hunt. To hustle. To fight against temptation, depression, distractions. We’re told to put family first, to bring home the bacon, to suppress our own needs for the sake of others.
But after all of that, how do you feel?
You can’t always hold back the pain. You shouldn’t have to hold back the tears. You deserve better than just surviving.
From One Brother to Another
This isn’t about being perfect.
It’s not about being “the man.”
It’s about being a man—fully human, with a heart that needs care too.
So this is just a reminder.
You matter too.
I'm not a guru, or a therapist, or a scientist. I'm just a man who’s been through it, speaking from the heart.
If this resonates with you—know that I see you. I’m here for you.
With peace, love, reflection, and hope.
One love,
Joseph Baldwin
This is beautiful.