I've been working on a framework around what causes us to seek validation and Erika and I decided to sit down together and record the longest podcast episode ever (it was totally worth it!) to talk through it. Erika has also shared this episode on her podcast, The Confidence Chronicles this week.There have been so many lightbulb moments as I've been delving into work around validation and the interplay between the feminine and masculine energies.I challenge you to observe your behaviour and s...

I love to read, and during this time I've been able to get back into reading a bit more. It's been really fulfilling and I have found myself coming back to some books that I've read almost 10 years ago. It's common for me to want to re-read books because I find that when I do that, I'm able to find new meaning within the pages, based on where I'm at currently in life.So there are a few books in my repertoire that I've read a few times that I really find to be like works of art. One of which i...

What an incredible conversation this is and I’m thrilled to be introducing you to my guest today, Michael McPherson. I have been wanting to dive into the topic of sex on the Manfulness podcast for quite some time, but I wasn’t really sure on the best way to go about it. Then I came across Michael McPherson and I knew he was going to be the perfect person to help explore this topic with you all.Michael grew up in a typical midwestern American household; church on Sundays, meat and potatoes for...

There's no doubt that during this time life is tricky. Especially for those of us in lockdown, being around our partners all the time if we're not used to it can be a hard thing to navigate. Through the work that my wife and I do, we've been we've witnessed a lot of people in relationships that are struggling and it all comes down to communication.When we first get into a relationship with someone, how many of us sit down with them and really talk out all our values? Talk about the things tha...

I went for a walk the other night, and it got me thinking about how much I love the dark. I love the feeling of almost blending into my surroundings and being alone there in the dark. The more I thought about this, the more I started to see that we're always pushed towards the light and to avoid the dark. From a young age, some of us are scared of the dark. We're scared of what we might find in there and so we avoid it. We only want to be play in the light.But the dark is so important. Feelin...

I was watching a documentary recently and they were talking about plant medicines and how they are going through a bit of a resurgence as further research and development has been published around the positive benefits to help heal and support people in a number of ways. There was one point that was made around the importance of dose, setting and mindset when working with plant medicines to ensure a positive experience.That got me thinking about how this idea of dose, setting and mindset coul...

When I was growing up, the words "I love you" weren't really in my vocabulary. I didn't say them to my parents, to my brother, to my friends, or even really to my girlfriends. That phrase just really made me feel uncomfortable. My wife on the other hand, tells everyone that she loves them and she really, truly means it. It has been such an interesting thing to witness over the years.This got me thinking about those three words and why we hold onto them so tightly, as if we can't say them to a...

Since the start of lockdown 4 months ago, there has been a 30% increase in deaths by suicide. This is a staggering number and there's no doubt that all this isolation is causing a lot of issues for humans as we're such social beings. It got me thinking about men in particular and the conversations that I have with those that I work with. The most common struggle we have as men is that we don't feel heard. So many men tell me that they struggle to communicate how they feel. Perhaps it's becaus...

I feel as if guys really struggle to look at ourselves fully and recognise when it's time for us to make a change. Not just the superficial type changes like getting new clothes, getting a haircut and things like that, but the deep change from within. We're not great at recognising when we need to do that deeper excavation, look at where we're at and decide whether its serving us.There have been a few moments throughout my life where I've gone down a path that really wasn't good for me. I was...

We all have these transitions and transformations throughout our lives and if we don’t stop to reflect on how we’re feeling at any given time, how are we supposed to work through it? The fact is that a lot of us don’t really ever delve into why we’ve become stuck in a certain way of thinking, a pattern or a behaviour. We don’t stop to think about whether we really like that job, love our partner or are happy with how our lives are turning out. We go through the motions and as a result, we don...