but through having discipline, the discipline to see, acknowledge and work on things that need fixing, improving or changing,
I really like this framing. When I think of discipline I think of being stoic and unrelenting and putting your long term goals above short term comforts, but you're absolutely right that it's also about doing the hard work to fix things in order to remove hurdles and barriers. That's a really awesome way to think about it.
Men's mental health has clearly worsened over the decades and I think a large part of that is self-inflicted because we've convinced ourselves that getting help is weakness. We have no problem asking a mate to help us move a couch or an accountant to look at our taxes, but getting an expert to help us through trauma isn't cool?
I don't know enough about this stuff, but I'd guess 'Doing nothing, wallowing, being lazy' are symptoms of mental health issues more than the causes of it.
Thanks mate, and yeah, people often see discipline as being forced into doing something against one's will, as well as stoicism and so on...in reality it's so much more and the "correct" application of it can bring so much more to a person's life than a lack of it. I've been a disciplined person for most of my life (even as a child though I didn't know it as that at the time) and I can't see myself changing.
On the men's mental health comment,you're right. I have nothing to add except that blokes have to fucken toughen up and get over their fear of being perceived as weak. In fact, I see fear of being perceived as weak as a weakness in and of itself. A true man has the strength of character to see and acknowledge what needs to change and should take the fear of looking weak and use it to find their strength.
Thanks for commenting.
Totally agree... I really do think that policing on masculinity has caused so much harm. I can't imagine how many suicides or destructive behaviour could have been avoided if people weren't so scared of the perception of others preventing them from getting the help they need.