Thoughts and Exercises to Help Men When it Comes to Mental Health

I’ve been open about my own mental health because I believe these conversations, especially among men, can genuinely save lives.

Nimbus Wellness

January 30, 2026

I’ve been open about my own mental health because I believe these conversations, especially among men, can genuinely save lives.

My journey hasn’t been easy itself: childhood bullying, growing up around alcoholism, later-life trauma re-triggered by bullying, and years navigating anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and performance anxiety. I’ve been working on myself for over a decade, building a toolkit that now helps me stay steady, but I’m not “cured,” and that’s the point.

Mental health isn’t about fixing yourself; it’s about understanding who you are, honouring the path you’ve walked, and learning how to work with your mind rather than against it. Through my podcast, These Lads Are Mental, and my advocacy, I’ve learned that vulnerability can become a strength. Practices like gratitude and reframing my thought patterns have helped me build pride in the resilience I’ve earned, and when things wobble, I reach for my tools.

One of the most important is WNOW, a group called When No One is Watching, where men meet at 6am on beaches across the country every week to move, swim, share openly, and honour the 60 men lost every hour worldwide. It ends with 60 push-ups, and then connection over a coffee and a circle of trust. It’s a reminder that checking in on yourself matters, but so does having people around you who check in too. Often it’s our loved ones who notice the subtle shifts before we do, even when our instinct is to say, “yeah, I’m fine.” Mental health affects everyone, while men die by suicide at higher rates, organisations like batyr remind us that women attempt suicide just as often and in a world that’s never switched off, the pressure keeps mounting.

After speaking with more than 50 guests on my podcast, the most powerful advice is rarely complicated or costly: time with your kids, a walk in nature, a swim, the dog, family, and presence. We often search for a grand solution when what we need is usually right in front of us.

I wanted to share two simple exercises today, not only for men, but for anyone who might be struggling with either self-worth or stuck in their own minds, heads spinning, or anxiety is overwhelming.

The Ripple Effect Exercise - For Low Self-WorthThis is a simple pen-and-paper exercise to remind yourself of the impact you’ve had—often without even realising it.

Write your name at the top of a page. Then, starting from birth, list the different groups of people you’ve been part of throughout your life. Next to each group, write an estimated number of people you’ve influenced or interacted with—family, cousins, classmates, teammates, colleagues, clients, social media connections, communities, and beyond. The numbers don’t need to be exact.

When you add them up, you’ll often arrive at a number far larger than expected—sometimes reaching into the hundreds of thousands or even millions. It’s a powerful reminder that your presence matters, your life creates ripples, and your existence has shaped more people than you’ll ever fully know. If you’re ever feeling like you’re “not enough,” this exercise helps put your true impact back into perspective. (edited)

Here's another one...

The Mirror Affirmation PracticeThis is a short daily practice designed to gently rewire how you speak to yourself.

Once a day, stand in front of a mirror, look yourself in the eyes, and say “I love you” out loud ten times. Commit to doing this every day for a month. It might feel uncomfortable or awkward at first—that’s normal—but repetition is the point.

Your subconscious mind doesn’t distinguish between what’s real and what’s repeatedly reinforced. Just as negative self-talk (“I should have said that,” “I’m not enough”) can quietly embed itself into your body and nervous system over time, intentional self-affirmation can do the opposite. By practising self-love in this way, you begin to reshape habitual thought patterns, strengthen healthier neural pathways, and soften the internal dialogue you carry with you throughout the day.

It’s not about convincing yourself overnight—it’s about creating a new baseline through small, consistent cognitive behaviours that, over time, change how you relate to yourself.

Print both of those out and stick them on your fridge and tap into them when needed. Add them into your toolkit as I say, and draw them out when you are feeling any of the above-listed feelings.

Remember, you are never alone. I encourage you to always speak to those around you if things are getting too hard. It doesn't make you weak; it's a superpower. From one man to another, trust me, I know.