If you are a man or have any men in your life close to you, you might find that the stereotype that men won’t go to the doctor is often true. In addition to that, a lot of men spent their childhoods being told to “man up” and “stop being such a girl”, and that’s now caused them to struggle with opening up, being vulnerable and asking for help when they really need it. These issues compound into the unique male experience with chronic illness. For that reason, with today’s guest we spend a portion of the episode chatting about how men can find opening themselves up to healing and rejecting toxic masculinity difficult - so definitely send this episode over to any man who you think needs to hear it!
Joining me for today’s discussion is Mike Watts, the co-founder of an online educational company with his wife, Kate Northrup, and their mission is to help women create a better relationship with money, sex and power. Mike shares his personal story about overcoming adversity after being hit by a car, and a rare, chronic skin condition that took years to understand and overcome. We discuss the physical and emotional pain he endured and how he developed a mindset of resilience, plus Mike shares some of the tools that helped him deal with, and ultimately heal from his chronic illness.
In this episode, we’re chatting about:
Mike’s experience with healing chronic illness and how stress started it all
Why it’s important to find a balance between all aspects of your life and know your limits of what you can handle
The healing journey for men and why it differs to that of women
Why being vulnerable and asking for support are strengths and crucial to healing
Skip ahead to what you need…
[01:30] Introducing today’s guest, Mike Watts
[03:48] Mike’s health journey
[07:02] The impact of stress on Mike’s health
[17:57] Finding a balance between work, family and health
[29:20] Healing practices that have helped Mike
[34:39] Mike’s thoughts on why men sometimes won’t go on a healing journey
[45:24] Vulnerability and why men struggle with it
[49:34] Asking for support and offering it to others
[56:28] How emotions can influence success
[01:06:16] Mike’s final advice regarding substances, support and distractions
Mentioned in today’s episode:
Connect with Mike:
Connect with Jenny, Chronic Illness Coach:
DISCLAIMER: Everything mentioned in this podcast is only my/my guests’ opinion and should not be a substitute for seeing a medical professional. Please seek advice from your doctor and confirm with them that they are happy for you to implement something you heard on the podcast.
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