Welcome to the BetterMen Bulletin

Life is busy and time is precious. This monthly bulletin saves you time and effort by providing you with a range of resources relating to all things men and mindset.

Don’t just read the quotes. Instead, take a moment to consider them and hold them up against your life.

This month’s quote theme is:?The importance of saying NO.?

In a world where we try to fit and squeeze everything in, all of the time, saying NO is both a preventive and proactive measure; it’s also something many men struggle with. Many men find themselves bombarded with requests for support or help, be they at work or home. From colleagues and teams to family and friends, or community projects – they are experiencing a constant demand to support others. Too many yeses lead to overcommitting; it creates an undercurrent of stress and depletes our ability to serve powerfully. In contrast, a considered no protects you, helps you avoid burnout or feeling overwhelmed and increases your impact and sense of purpose. Consider the quotes below:

Sit down, take a minute, read, reflect or journal on the prompts presented.

This month’s prompt theme is: Systemising Success.

We’ve been led to believe that the best way to achieve what we want in life, success of any kind, is to set specific, actionable goals. But what if this thinking is only part of a greater equation? Instead of relying on goal setting, I’m inviting you to consider creating systems to achieve your clearly defined, stated goals. Think about it like this: goals are about the results you want to achieve, whereas systems are about the processes that lead to achieving those results. Systems underpin success; they can range from monthly marriage meetings to daily calorie allowances to saving money each month to fund that experience of a lifetime. Complete the prompts below:

I. If I had better systems, my life would be better in the following ways…

II. If an impartial observer viewed my life, they’d say I need better systems in the following 3 areas of my life…

III. In what areas of my life do I feel like I’m underperforming; what simple system could I create to correct this??

Three separate people, one of whom was my wife, sent me this podcast suggesting I listen to it. It’s an informative interview with Dr Mindy Pelz – she’s a fasting, keto and detox expert.?She’s also a leader in alternative health and has worked with a wide range of high-profile clients from Olympic athletes to Academy Award-winning actors, and Silicon Valley CEOs.

In this conversation, Dr Pelz and Steven discuss topics, such as: The power of fasting, the most common myths about food and eating and how sugar is at the root of most health problems. They also discuss ovulation cycles and how this impacts women hormonally – it’s a very useful conversation, one that could be an investment in your health and potentially, relationship. Take a listen:

This month’s recommendation is a classic, it’s Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, the man behind one of the most famous and recognisable brands in the world, Nike. He tells his story in a candid and humble account that details the many risks and daunting setbacks that stood between him and his dream. It’s a great summer holiday read but above all, it’s a memoir rich with insight, humour and hard-won wisdom that is studded with lessons - about building something from scratch, overcoming adversity, and ultimately leaving your mark on the world.

This month’s TED Talk is: A simple way to break a bad habit.

Psychiatrist Judson Brewer asks if we can break bad habits by being more curious about them. In this engaging talk, he studies the relationship between trigger, behaviour and reward–habit formation. He goes on to link mindfulness and addiction — from smoking to overeating to all those other things we do even though we know they're bad for us. Learn more about the mechanism of habit development and discover a simple but profound tactic that might help you beat your next urge to smoke, snack or check a text while driving etc.

I love leading Men & Mountains, the connection, challenge, and feeling of community and belonging, coupled with that sense of being in it together, is thoroughly rewarding.

I’m truly proud of what we’re building!

So far this year we’ve had hundreds of men join our walks, in both Wales and the Lakes, we’ve raised over ￡700 for Prostate Cymru, our charitable partner for 2023 and right now, we’re in the preliminary stages of organising an oversea expedition to the Atlas Mountains.

If you're reading this but aren’t yet a member, please know you don’t have to physically join our walks to be a part of our community. We use a simple but effective app called Circle, it provides dedicated communication spaces for everything from general chat to walk information, to networking opportunities and areas of other interest: motorbikes, golf, surfing and cycling etc.. Follow the link to register: Join Men and Mountains

Meanwhile, here’s a quick review of our June walk. Although slightly shorter than our usual walks, it was somewhat ‘lumpy’ – but the views and remoteness rewarded our effort. After a steep start, we found our rhythm and managed to combine our lunch stop with a wild swim in a Llyn at the base of Pen Y fan – it was refreshing and beautiful.

Our next walk is on Sunday 23 July. Where headed westward toward Llyn y Fan Fawr – its seriously stunning scenery, join us, lace up your boots and come along.

If you want to view Photos from our June walk, click here

I trust you’ve found this month’s BetterMen Bulletin useful.

If you have,?pass it forward, share it with another man who you feel would benefit from receiving this monthly.

Don’t forget, the next BetterMen Bulletin will be arriving in your inbox on the?first Tuesday in August.

Yours in becoming better,

Dan Stanley

07834456488 - work

[email protected]

A thoroughly deserved shoutout and strong recommendation!

Without a doubt, the single best thing I’ve done (and am doing) this year for myself, my headspace, my sanity, and my ability to take a few minutes for myself each day is to join Shaun Doherty’s, 555 Club.

On the surface, it’s unbelievably simple. 5 minutes of breath work into 5 minutes of meditation (not the woo, woo kind) followed, lastly, by 5 minutes of gratitude or journalling, and all at convenient times throughout the day: 0745, 0845, 1145, 1645 and 1945, delivered live, over Zoom.

In a nutshell, the combination of accessibility, ease and impact of use, and super affordability, ￡12 per month, make being a member of 555 Club a complete no-brainer. I can’t recommend it enough; it feels like a thorough investment in myself, my well-being and my future.

To sign up, click here to contact Shaun directly - you’ve got nothing to lose and so much to gain.

?