It’s Good For Everyone

by Ryan Krzykowski

Last week someone I know well and love very much sent me this video, a TED Talk from six years ago called “Why Big Boys Don’t Cry”, delivered by a young man named Gareth Griffith.  With this being Suicide Prevention Week, I thought the timing was interesting and spent the 18 minutes to listen to what Gareth had to say.  His message is powerful and thought provoking.  The man who shared the video with me highlighted the points made at 1:50 and 13:02 in the video.

My own story involves a good bit of internalizing, keeping my head down and putting one foot in front of the other.  I don’t think I’m unique in that regard — it is probably the norm in our culture and society.  I can keep a stiff upper lip and often I’m darn proud of it.  Sometimes I wonder if this strategy has worked for me, why doesn’t it work for everyone?  In that, I was tremendously challenged by the analogy that begins at 14:50.  How close have I been to one of those cliffs?  Do I have grace or compassion for others who step closer than I’ve gotten to the edge or even go off that cliff?  Have I been someone telling others how great blindfolds are?

I plan on sharing this video with the young men I coach, encouraging them to give some thought to how they treat themselves and how we can best love and support each other.  As Gareth says at the end of his talk, discussing mental health is not only good for ourselves, it’s good for everyone.

Let’s Coach With Purpose…