By Adam & Marc, Founders of Memoirs By Him
Over the past year, the biggest surprise we've discovered isn't that men won't talk.
It's that most men desperately want deeper conversations, but nobody knows how to start them.
That insight has shaped almost everything we've learned through building Memoirs By Him and connecting with men across Australia.
A guided journal removes the blank-page problem
Open the page, follow the prompt and write what is true.
Explore the journalWhen we first launched Memoirs By Him, we expected conversations about journaling, reflection and personal growth. What we didn't expect was how often those conversations would return to the same themes.
Stress.
Pressure.
Responsibility.
Loneliness.
Purpose.
Relationships.
Not because men were sitting down and immediately sharing their deepest thoughts, but because once meaningful conversations began, many of them had been waiting for an opportunity to have them.
That observation feels particularly relevant during Men's Health Week 2026.
Each year, Men's Health Week encourages Australians to focus on the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of men and boys. It shines a light on important issues affecting men's health, from preventative healthcare and physical wellbeing through to men's mental health, social connection and help-seeking.
The statistics behind these conversations are important. Australian men continue to experience higher rates of suicide, are less likely to seek support when struggling and often delay addressing both physical and mental health concerns. In fact, men account for around three quarters of suicides in Australia. Organisations such as the Australian Men's Health Forum (AMHF), Beyond Blue and Movember continue to do important work encouraging greater awareness, earlier intervention and stronger support for men.
But while awareness matters, we believe Men's Health Week should also remind us of something much simpler.
Many men don't need another lecture.
Many men need a conversation.
WHAT WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH
One of the misconceptions surrounding men's mental health is that struggling always looks obvious.
In reality, many men continue functioning remarkably well while carrying significant stress beneath the surface.
They continue working.
They continue providing.
They continue supporting partners, children, parents, friends and colleagues.
From the outside, everything appears fine.
That is why checking in on the men around us matters.
The friend who seems successful may be under enormous financial pressure.
The father who appears strong and dependable may be exhausted.
The business owner who looks confident may be carrying worries he rarely discusses.
The reality is that appearances rarely tell the full story.
One of the most valuable lessons we've learned is that wellbeing isn't simply the absence of crisis.
Good mental health isn't about waiting until something goes wrong.
It's about creating opportunities for reflection, awareness and connection before problems become overwhelming.
Research and lived experience continue to point toward the same conclusion. Many men delay seeking support not because they don't care about their wellbeing, but because they become accustomed to carrying things on their own. Organisations such as Beyond Blue and Movember have spent years encouraging Australian men to recognise that asking for support is not weakness. It is self-awareness.
SOMETIMES THE WAKE-UP CALL COMES FROM THE PEOPLE WE LOVE MOST
One conversation that has stayed with us involved a friend who runs several businesses, employs a number of staff and supports a large family network that relies on him.
From the outside, he looked successful.
He was working hard, providing for his family and doing everything society often tells men they should do.
But beneath the surface, the pressure was mounting.
Like many business owners, he carried responsibility not only for his wife and three children, but also for extended family members and employees whose livelihoods depended on the decisions he made each day. The weight of that responsibility became heavier as economic conditions tightened and financial pressures increased.
His solution was to work harder.
Longer hours.
More time at work.
More time thinking about work.
More time trying to hold everything together.
Eventually he realised something wasn't right.
Not because he was experiencing a crisis.
Not because he was depressed.
But because he could feel himself becoming disconnected from the life he was working so hard to provide.
Through a series of deeper conversations and periods of honest reflection, he began asking himself questions he had not considered for years.
What am I actually working towards?
What matters most to me?
What memories am I creating with my children?
For the first time in his life, he decided to speak with a therapist. Not because something was broken, but because he wanted to better understand how his own mind worked.
What he discovered was that many of the pressures he was carrying were not solely external. Some came from expectations he had placed on himself. Some came from habits that no longer served him. Some came from believing he had to carry everything alone.
The moment that changed everything came when his eight-year-old daughter said something he will never forget.
"Dad, you're never here. I only see you before you leave for work in the morning and before I go to bed when you get home. And when you're here on weekends, you're always on your phone. I miss you."
He told us that hearing those words broke him.
Not because they were angry.
Not because they were unfair.
But because they were true.
In that moment he realised that while he had been working tirelessly to provide for his family, he was missing the very moments he was working to protect.
That conversation became a turning point.
He began delegating more.
Setting clearer boundaries between work and family life.
Reducing unnecessary commitments.
Putting his phone away on weekends.
Becoming fully present at his children's sporting events.
He even volunteered to coach one of their teams despite having no experience. He learned because it mattered to them.
What surprised him most was that as his children became happier, so did he.
Today, the business is still operating.
The responsibilities still exist.
Life is still busy.
But his priorities have changed.
And the words that mean the most to him are not from a client, a supplier or a business partner.
They're from his children.
"We love the new Dad."
Sometimes the most important breakthroughs don't happen because somebody gives us the answer.
They happen because we finally stop long enough to ask ourselves the right questions.
Stories like this remind us why these conversations matter. Many of the challenges affecting men's wellbeing are not always visible. They often develop gradually through stress, pressure, isolation and the constant demands of modern life. By the time problems become obvious, they may have been building for years.
WHY REFLECTION MATTERS MORE THAN EVER
Modern life offers very little space for reflection.
Most men move from one responsibility to the next without stopping long enough to consider how they are actually doing.
Work demands attention.
Phones compete for attention.
Family responsibilities require attention.
Before long, months can pass without a meaningful personal check-in.
This is one reason reflection has become such an important part of our mission.
Not because journaling magically solves problems.
Not because writing down your thoughts instantly changes your life.
But because awareness is often the first step towards positive change.
It is difficult to improve what we never stop to examine.
The men we have spoken to who appear most grounded are rarely the men with the easiest lives.
More often, they are the men who create regular opportunities to pause, reflect and evaluate where they are heading.
They pay attention to stress before burnout arrives.
They identify unhealthy habits before they become entrenched.
They remain connected to the values and priorities that matter most to them.
Whether through journaling, walking, prayer, meditation or conversation, they make reflection a habit rather than an afterthought.
For men who are new to reflection, journaling can be a simple and practical starting point. We have previously written a comprehensive Guide to Journaling for Men that explores the benefits of journaling, how to get started and why so many men are turning to reflective practices to improve self-awareness, clarity and personal growth.
THE HIDDEN CHALLENGE OF LONELINESS
Another theme that repeatedly appears in conversations about men's wellbeing is loneliness.
Many people assume loneliness only affects people who are physically alone.
Our experience suggests otherwise.
A man can have a partner, children, colleagues and friends and still feel disconnected.
Loneliness often has less to do with proximity and more to do with depth.
Many men spend their days talking to people without having meaningful conversations.
They discuss work.
Sport.
Schedules.
Responsibilities.
Yet rarely talk about how they are genuinely feeling.
This is why deeper conversations matter.
Not because every discussion needs to become emotional.
But because genuine connection requires more than surface-level interaction.
Strong friendships remain one of the most valuable protective factors for mental wellbeing.
And meaningful friendships are built through honest conversations.
THE BIGGEST LESSON WE'VE LEARNED
If there is one lesson that stands above all others, it is this:
Most men are not looking for someone to solve their problems.
Most men are looking for someone willing to listen.
The biggest surprise we've discovered isn't that men won't talk.
It's that most men desperately want deeper conversations, but nobody knows how to start them.
When someone creates a safe space for honesty, many men are remarkably willing to open up.
Not immediately.
Not all at once.
But gradually.
And often with enormous relief.
That is why asking a simple question can be more powerful than we realise.
How are you really doing?
Not the automatic version.
Not the polite version.
The genuine version.
Sometimes that question changes nothing.
Sometimes it changes everything.
WHAT CAN WE DO DURING MEN'S HEALTH WEEK?
Men's Health Week presents an opportunity for action rather than awareness alone.
If you're a man reading this, consider creating space for reflection.
Book the health check you've been postponing.
Go for a walk without distractions.
Spend time thinking about what is working well in your life and what needs attention.
Reconnect with a friend.
Start a conversation you've been avoiding.
If you're not a man, consider reaching out to the men you care about.
Call your dad.
Message your brother.
Check in on your partner.
Invite a mate for coffee.
Not because you think something is wrong.
Because there is value in reminding people they matter.
There is very little downside to checking in on someone.
There can be enormous value in doing so.
A FINAL REFLECTION
Men's Health Week is ultimately about improving the health and wellbeing of men.
That includes physical health.
It includes mental health.
It includes relationships, purpose, connection and community.
But perhaps the most important reminder is this:
We should not wait for obvious signs of struggle before we check in on the people we care about.
The strongest-looking person in the room may be carrying the heaviest burden.
The happiest-looking person may be navigating challenges nobody else can see.
The friend who always checks on everyone else may need someone to check on him.
This week, we encourage you to do two things.
Take a moment to check in with yourself.
Then take a moment to check in with someone else.
A friend.
A family member.
A colleague.
A neighbour.
A man who may look perfectly fine on the surface.
Because sometimes the most meaningful thing we can offer another person is simply the opportunity to be honest.
Creating space for those conversations is one of the reasons we created The Journal by Memoirs By Him, a guided reflection journal designed to help men think more deeply about the areas of life that matter most.
A simple conversation may not solve every problem.
But it can remind someone they are seen, valued and not carrying life entirely on their own.
And that is a conversation worth having.
FURTHER SUPPORT
If this article resonates with you or someone you care about, consider exploring the resources available through:
These organisations provide valuable information, support and practical resources focused on improving men's health and wellbeing across Australia.
