Are men really out of balance?
Many men today carry an enormous unspoken emotional burden in their lives that creates tremendous stress in career, personal relationships and life in general. Numerous studies confirm that men of all ages frequently feel this stress and sometimes their health may be compromised as a result.
Further, many (if not most) men lack really close friends or confidantes with whom they can truly “level” and discuss their feelings of isolation, frustration and sometimes, desperation which seem to increase as their career progresses.
Because of their role in society, men have been expected to be strong and uncomplaining, providing well for their families and committing extraordinary energy toward their career and advancement. However, many men become disillusioned after giving years of their lives to a career that may be less than satisfying in order to purchase possessions they no longer value. And they often have left a trail of broken relationships in their wake — spouses, children and friends. In summary, through a combination of increasing isolation brought on by insatiable career demands and loss of close relationships, many men have no one with whom they feel comfortable sharing their disillusionment and sense of disappointment or even failure.
Many men have never considered any option other than sacrificing personal, spiritual and family goals as they climb the ladder of success. They frequently feel they are on a treadmill that is going nowhere, but they don’t know how to get off. They have lost all balance in their lives and recovering it seems virtually impossible:
Their spiritual balance is gone because of years of neglect
Their financial situation is out of kilter because they have pursued an increasingly higher standard of living sometimes at the expense of planning for retirement or college tuition
Their priorities are out of balance because they have compromised personal needs and rewarding experiences for career demands
Their time management is out of balance because they chose priorities other than maintaining close relationships.
Their relationships are out of balance because the people they love most are neglected while they focus on the people who can help them get ahead.
