Suicide can't always be prevented. But sometimes it can.

Two days ago, I got a message from a friend and former colleague, Stan Horwitz. He simply wrote, "Just checking in to say hi ... you've been quiet, and I hope all is okay."

The simple truth is that I have just been mega busy working and parenting. But that might not have been the case, and Stan wouldn't have known this.

A few years ago, we lost a dear friend to suicide. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of J, the wonderful man and friend he was, and whether I or anyone else could have done anything to save him. I wrote about J in this article .

We will never know the answer, but what I have learned from being a Samaritan is that sometimes simply checking in with someone can be enough. Just like Stan did.

We live in a busy world. It can be overwhelming at times. But that should never be at the cost of being there for our loved ones or ourselves. And in the context of posting this on LinkedIn, many people commit suicide because their work overwhelms them, including people being mean or overly pressurising them at work.

No financial metric is worth someone's well-being, let alone their life. Be nice to everyone out there because you never know what they're going through. Love one another and be kind.

Thank you to each of our subscribers for being with us. If you're ever feeling low, please get in touch with me on 07825 058 619, reach out to someone, or call the Samaritans on 116 123.

Take care everyone. You are loved and have a special place in the world.

Ben

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