What is ”The Strange Him!!”? The Strange Him!! is a MAN who has conviction, courage, and strength. A “MAN” in today’s society is totally different than a “man”. A MAN is one who protects, provides, and leads. These MEN are truly strange to most people, and this newsletter is an observance and celebration of that MAN. Your support is truly appreciated, and hopefully, you will like what you read and share this newsletter with another “strange” MAN. Stay strange, my friend!!

The Forge - A forge is where steel is subjected to high temperatures to make it malleable so that it can be transformed by the maker. The following words are meant to provide you with information that may impact your life and bring about a change in it.

I recently had a conversation with a friend who was asking me about blood pressure meds and any effects from the medication. I think he was a little surprised when I told him I didn’t take any. Somewhere during our discussion it hit me that his job was causing him a great deal of stress, to the point where it was significantly impacting his health. I sincerely suggested to him that he should consider quitting his job because it was taking a serious toll on his well-being. His response that he was scared. To which I think all of us can relate. I we are honest with ourself, is a job worth the stress and time it removes from the life God truly intended for us? You will never convince me that we were made to live a rat race. Work from 8-5, stress consuming us through our waking hours and probably when we should be resting too. This conversation made me reflect on a broader issue – why do men often let stress rule their lives? Whether it's a job that causes extreme stress or keeps us away from our families; why do we immerse ourselves in a job that keeps us from experiencing life or appreciating the world around us? Stress causes us to miss out on the beauty of a life that God placed at our fingertips. We often let work consume our life and then it ends up becoming on of the main stressors in our lives. I want to clarify that I'm not saying we shouldn't work, as work can bring a sense of accomplishment after a long, hard day. However, our families and our own well being should always be our top priority so why do we let work overshadow everything else. Additionally, the pressure to meet unnecessary materialistic standards or keep up with the “Joneses" is another reason men will lose their lives to a job and become stressed to the max. It's important to prioritize our well-being and happiness over external pressures. And remember NO, is a perfectly acceptable answer. We may have to delve into the topic of “NO” one of these days.

The Maxim - general truth, fundamental principle, or rule of conduct. The Maxim is where we try to identify the facts that support the principle we are discussing this week.

As men, we often feel pressure to meet certain societal expectations in various aspects of our lives. These expectations can add stress as we try to fulfill roles and statuses. The following are a few areas of one’s life that can induce stress and make us feel as though we have the weight of the world upon us.

It is surmised that stress is the leading culprit for why men are not able to live the lives they would like to live (and the suspected reason why men live shorter lives than women). This is not to say stress is the only offender when it comes to not living a life full of happiness and joy, but it cannot be denied that stress is a huge contributor. In the section following “The Breach,” we will see if we can unpack some of these things that fill our lives with stress and refocus our energies to fill our lives with more joy, satisfaction, and happiness.

The Breach - the verb breach means to make a gap in and breakthrough. In this section, we will explore different ideas to help us make personal breakthroughs by potentially identifying issues and areas of our life that we can change for the better.

What is Stress?

To understand stress, we need first need to know what it is. According to the Mayo Clinic “Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the demands of life. A small amount of stress can be good, motivating you to perform well. But many challenges daily, such as sitting in traffic, meeting deadlines and paying bills, can push you beyond your ability to cope.”

Identifying Stress in Our Life

First lets try to identify general symptoms of stress.

Physical symptoms

• Aches and pains.

• Chest Pain

• Exhaustion or trouble sleeping

• Headaches, dizziness, or shaking

• High blood Pressure (Hypertension)

• Muscle tension or jaw clenching

• Stomach or digestive problems

• Trouble having sex

• Weakened immune system

• Hives

Psychological symptoms

• Anxiety

• Irritability

• Depression

• Panic attacks

• Sadness

• Loneliness

Behavioural problems

• Alcohol use disorder

• Gambling disorder

• Overeating or developing an eating disorder

• Participating compulsively in sex

• Irresistable shopping or internet browsing

• Smoking

• Substance use disorder

According to the HeadsUpGuys Stress Test, which has been completed by more than 100,000 men, common sources of stress men face include:

• Lack of meaning (over 60% of men completing the Stress Test report this)

• Loneliness (over 50% report this)

• Difficulties in family, social, or romantic relationships

• Financial difficulties

• Illness or injuries

• Past traumatic events

• Major life events or transitions

Steps to Alleviate Stress

To manage stress at work, we will look to our friends at verywellmind.com to help us understand how to manage stress.

Managing stress at home may be one of the most overlooked areas linking happiness and joy to our life. Take a look at what the good folks at healthnet.com have to say regarding minimizing stress at home.

How to find peace and care for yourself

If you search the web, you can find numerous places that provide ideas on how to take care of yourself. The following are the most common recommendations from wellness websites.

Regarding your body:

1. Sleep

2. Eat better

3. Exercise regularly

Essential Habits for your mind:

1. Meditate

2. keep a journal

3. Practice smiling

4. Less TV time

5. Simple life=happey life

6. Keep a beginner’s mind

Essential Habits for your daily life

1. Write down your goals

2. Nurture close relationships

3. Give, Volunteer, Serve

4. Spend time in nature

5. Cultivate morning rituals

6. Pause, look, proceed

In 2013, a research paper, “The Objective Benefits of Subjective Well-Being,” was submitted to The United Nations as a World Happiness Report. Some takeaways from this paper are listed below:

• It can improve your relationships: People like being around happy people. Happier people give more to others.

• It can enhance your productivity: You produce more when put in a positive mood.

• It can promote better health behaviors: Happier people engage in more exercise

• It can lead to better immune functioning: Happier people are more resistant to colds and even experience faster-wound healing

• And it predicts greater longevity! Yes – happier people live longer.

Odyssey - a long series of wanderings or adventures, especially when filled with notable experiences, hardships, etc.. Hopefully the Odyssey will prompt you to do something in your life that will create a beneficial change.

This week there will be 3 challenges, one for your body, one for your mind, and one for you life.

For your body…This week, commit to sleeping more each night. Try going to bed an hour earlier each night this week. It may mean that you have to miss an hour of your favorite reality TV show, but it will be worth it.

For you mind…We are going back to the very first challenge issued by The Strange Him!! newsletter. Reading. Try reading for about 10-15 minutes every night before you lay down to sleep. Check out the following links for the benefits of reading before going to sleep.

For your body…Wake up early. Many studies show people who wake earlier are far less likely to develop depression, anxiety, or other mood disorders. Researchers believe one reason could be those who wake up earlier have more access to daylight, which is a natural mood booster.

The Quench - a process of rapidly cooling a piece of metal in order to achieve or modify specific properties like hardness, strength, or toughness. This section is meant to make you accountable to YOU.

Last week's challenge was to hold the door for people. How did it go? Did you remember to do it or was it something you focused on? How did it make you feel if you did? Did opening doors make you feel just a tad bit more like a gentleman? Are you prompted to try to do more and strive to be the gentleman you have always wanted to be?

The following links are going to direct you to sites that will support taking care of yourself in the 3 areas described previously…your body, your mind, and your daily life.

If you have been this far in any of The Strange Him!! newsletters you know my cult will be included. F3 will help your body, your mind, and your life. The exercise will benefit your body. If you become involved with F3, the MEN you will meet will become a great part of your life. Your mind will benefit from the early morning clarity you will find along the way.

I will again add GORUCK to these links. GORUCK is an an activity you can do by yourself. A great time to collect your thoughts while exercising your body. It is also an activity that can be shared with friends. This being a great time to cultivate friendships and battle the nemesis of stress.

Give your mind a rest…gain some clarity and confidence.

Do something for your life…wake up early. Need a little help? Here is another link with some more tricks that may be just what you need to get up and get going a little earlier each morning.

The following are some websites I found while writing this newsletter. I believe they are valuable resources regarding stress and happiness, which aligns with our previous discussions.

Thank you again for reading and making it this far. We at The Strange Him!! newsletter thank you for subscribing. If you know a man who would enjoy this newsletter, please consider sharing this newsletter with him. Thank you again and, Stay Strange my friend!