If if you have never heard of David Goggins, after you read this, go google him. He is a retired Navy Seal who has an amazing back story. Goggins has also become one of the top motivational speakers in the country and is brutally honest in his approach to helping people. He said something that I read recently that has stuck with me. “Sometimes we need to hit rock bottom before we start going up.”
That is strong but when you are in the middle of a battle within yourself, it hits home even more so. A few weeks ago, I wrote on here that a lot of people are struggling and that it is okay to reach out for help. It doesn’t matter who you are, if you need to talk to someone, please do so. I am talking everyone but especially men over 40. Ones who feel as if all is lost and are mired in something that they can’t get out of.
I was hoping at least one person would reach out because that means that the story resonated and hopefully got them on the path to recovery and feeling a lot better. Imagine the feeling when I checked and fourteen men have reached out to me that are getting help or have made an appointment to get help. Every story is unique and tough that I read but through it all, the theme was I am going to get better, and I will get better.
Now in those stories, I posted my email and said reach out to me and lets do this together if you needed to get started. I have heard from several that was I crazy to do that and I always repeat my favorite verse from a Jimmy Buffett song to them–“If we weren’t all crazy, we would all go insane.” I wanted those who needed help to reach out so we can get them on the right path. As I told one, “Now we talk together.”
Some of the emails are heartbreaking and you wonder how they are getting through the day. The good news is they are and now they are on the journey to being better fathers, husbands, and men. I love being a conduit between the person struggling and getting them to where they need to be. As I wrote, I am now seeing someone for grief that has dominated my life for the past twelve years. It might be longer than that and not just the moment my mom passed away in June of 2011. I felt lonely and distant inside but outside it was always “Good time Joe,” until I couldn’t take it anymore. I would tell myself, you are a man, be strong and figure it out.
Well, I am a man and I did figure it out by taking that step and checking my foolish pride and stupid ego at the door. It felt so amazing to jettison them from my life and get on this road. I found a wonderful counselor and goodness, I have discovered a lot about myself. That is what will happen to you when take that next step.
I came across those the other day and it stopped me in my tracks in every way possible. It is God speaking to someone and it goes—“I had to take you from where you thought you needed to be to a place you didn’t want to see, so that you’d grow into the person I called you to be.”
Here is my email again. BigJoeOnTheGo@gmail.com. Email me if you need to talk like the other fourteen have. It is between us and believe me, if the guy whom everyone thinks is on the go with great things happening and what could possibly be wrong in his life, reaches out to talk to someone, I know you can as well.
Now We Walk Together.