I’ve grown out my beard over the last few years, and I tried several products for beard care before settling on Live Bearded. The scents (especially 1880) are appealing, and the products make my beard look and feel better.
Another thing I like about Live Bearded is the encouragement the company provides to men. It’s not cheesy motivational stuff; it’s genuinely uplifting content that applies to hardworking men. It’s why I follow the company on social media and stay on their email list.
About three weeks ago, Live Bearded shared a post on Instagram with evocative images and a powerful message. Earlier this week, the company shared the same message to its email subscribers:
You didn’t fall behind, brother… you fell apart. And that’s a very different thing. Life hit you hard. Maybe it broke something in you. Maybe it stripped away your confidence, your peace, or the version of you that once felt unshakable.
But here’s the part nobody saw: you still got up. You picked up the pieces in silence, with no applause, no crowd cheering you on…just grit, heart, and sheer willpower. That’s not weakness. That’s not failure. That’s power. Real strength isn’t loud. It’s the quiet decision to keep going when everything inside you is screaming to stop. And if that’s you, still standing, still fighting, still showing up, just know: we see you. And we’re with you. No brother left behind 🤝
That message resonated with me in a way I didn’t expect. It’s not because I’m going through any struggles in my life right now but because I’ve had my struggles, and I know men who are currently struggling with issues.
I’ve dealt with anxiety for as long as I can remember, and I get occasional brief blue days. Sometimes I struggle with understanding God’s purpose for my life and why He would use me. I’ve had times in my life where I’ve had to rebuild myself. At the same time, I know that my trials pale in comparison to what a lot of men go through.
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Too many people abuse the phrase “mental health,” and it’s almost become a cliché to describe minor inconveniences as detrimental to our “mental health.” But men need to take care of themselves so that they can take care of their families. That includes admitting struggles and difficulties.
It’s easy for men to think that if we talk about our problems, others will see us as weak. But neglecting our struggles can eat away at us and do more harm than good. Keeping our problems to ourselves is a recipe for long-term trouble — if there’s such a thing as “toxic masculinity,” it’s when we men become toxic to ourselves.
What’s the remedy? As a Christian, I firmly believe that staying grounded in God’s Word, praying without ceasing, and serving and worshiping with my church family are essential. But there’s more to it: Men need open and honest friendships with each other.
I have certain friends whom I know I can turn to anytime I need something, and they can do the same with me. I do a weekly short Bible study with one friend who is about 20 years younger than I am, and I’ve discipled him since he was young. I have excellent relationships with my pastors at church, as well as with the men I serve in ministry with.
I meet with a group of men from church for breakfast one Saturday a month; we’re all in our 50s, and we can relate to the season of life that we’re all in. (We tend to talk a lot about aches and pains.) We commit to praying for each other and openly talking about what’s going on in our lives.
If you’re a man who is struggling with any issue — depression, anxiety, stress, self-doubt — don’t bottle it up and keep it to yourself. Share your struggles, and admit that you don’t have it all together. Sometimes you have to rebuild yourself, and there’s no shame in that.
I’m proud of any man who can admit his weaknesses and work through them. After all, I know how difficult it can be from personal experience.
Now more than ever, truth matters — and so does the courage to speak it.
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