November is Men's Health Awareness Month
Men’s Health Awareness Month: Learning the Language of Our Own Emotions
November is Men’s Health Awareness Month, a time to shine a light on men’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
As a male counselor here in Colorado, I see every day how much men carry — the responsibilities, the pressure to perform, the quiet expectation to hold everything together. Many of us were raised to believe that being a man means staying strong, keeping control, and not showing too much emotion.
But here’s the truth: silence doesn’t make us stronger. It just keeps us isolated.
The Hidden Cost of Staying Tough
Too often, men push through stress, loss, and exhaustion without ever naming what’s going on inside. We might call it “just being tired” or “having a rough week,” when really, we’re anxious, lonely, or grieving.
Without realizing it, we’ve lost the language to describe what we feel. And if we can’t name it, we can’t heal it.
That’s why a big part of men’s mental and emotional health is learning to speak the language of emotions — anger, sadness, fear, joy, shame, and everything in between. When we expand our emotional vocabulary, we give ourselves permission to be human. We move from reacting to understanding, from shutting down to connecting.
Self-Talk: The Voice That Shapes Us
How we talk to ourselves matters just as much as how we talk to others. Many men have an inner voice that’s relentlessly critical: “Get over it.” “You should be doing better.” “Don’t be weak.”
That voice might sound like motivation, but it’s really a form of quiet punishment.
Part of healing is learning to shift that self-talk — to respond to ourselves with compassion instead of criticism. Try this: when you catch that harsh inner voice, imagine what you’d say to a friend going through the same thing. You’d probably offer understanding, patience, or encouragement. You deserve the same.
Reclaiming Strength
Real strength isn’t about pushing emotions away — it’s about facing them with honesty and courage. It’s taking that first step toward a conversation, a counseling session, or even just a walk outside to clear your head.
Here in Colorado, we know that climbing a mountain takes preparation, patience, and perseverance. The same is true for mental health. No one summits alone.
A Few Ways to Start:
Learn to name what you feel. Even simple words like tired, tense, or disconnected can open the door to deeper understanding.
Challenge your self-talk. Replace judgment with curiosity: “What’s really going on for me right now?”
Reach out. Whether it’s a counselor, a friend, or a family member, connection is medicine.
Move your body. Physical activity supports mental clarity — and Colorado gives us endless ways to do that.
Rest and reflect. Strength grows in stillness, too.
Closing Thoughts
Men’s Health Awareness Month isn’t just about doctor visits or fitness goals — it’s about wholeness. It’s about caring for your mind, body, and heart with the same respect you give to others.
So this November, I invite you to pause, check in with yourself, and maybe start learning the language of your own emotions. You might be surprised by what you find — and how much lighter life feels when you speak to yourself with compassion.