In the relatively short time I’ve been here, I see now that strength has very little to do with how much pain a man can hide. I would define strength as emotional ownership. I believe it is the ability to sit with every part of yourself and acknowledge them without shame. It is being willing to feel deeply without allowing those feelings to define you. It is having the courage to be honest about your struggles while still moving forward. Because the truth is, the emotions we suppress do not disappear.
Posts Published by Clarkson Duku
MBChB Candidate | TEDx Speaker | Mental Health Blogger
MY MORNING ROUTINE + FULL CHEST DAY WORKOUT (VIDEO INCLUDED)
If having a morning routine is something you’re thinking about, I’d say start simple, just try things out. There’s no perfect formula. It takes a bit of trial and error to figure out what actually fits into your life. Think about your goals, your schedule, your energy, your personality. Build something around that. Not around what looks good online.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH JOURNALING FOR TEN(10) YEARS
There’s something powerful about flipping through old pages and seeing proof that I’ve survived things that once felt impossible. Wins that felt insurmountable at the time, now sitting quietly in ink. That rush of perspective is often all the motivation I need on hard days. And I don’t see a reason why I would ever stop.
10 PRINCIPLES WHICH IMPROVED MY MENTAL HEALTH (MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH MONTH)
Life has way too many moving parts for you to micromanage every outcome. Things fall apart sometimes. Imperfection is part of the human package deal. And no, this isn’t an excuse to slack off or stop trying. If anything, it’s an invitation to give your best without destroying yourself in the process.
I LOST 30 POUNDS IN 3 MONTHS. HERE’S HOW I WENT ABOUT IT.
This blog post wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t talk about consistency. Consistency doesn’t mean giving 100% every day. It means showing up. Even if your best that day is 5%. Little drops really do make a mighty ocean. You’ll need to callous your mind and stay focused on your goal. And I won’t sugarcoat it: I developed some unhealthy habits along the way. My body dysmorphia peaked and counting every calorie started to mess with my head. The obsession wasn’t healthy. It’s better now, but traces still show up in my daily life. I’m sharing all of this because I want you to know you’re not alone.
I WALKED 10,000 STEPS EVERYDAY FOR 30 DAYS. HERE’S WHAT I OBSERVED.
If I’m being completely honest, just because there were days that felt effortless and days where I enjoyed my walks doesn’t mean it wasn’t still a little bit annoying. There are days where I had to wake up from sleep just to get my steps in, days where I had much going on but had to still get my steps in and days when I was busier than normal but couldn’t compromise on the goal.
HOW I AM CURRENTLY DEALING WITH PROCRASTINATION
The truth is, procrastination is the most common manifestation of resistance because it is the easiest to rationalise. We don’t tell ourselves “I’m not going to study for the test”. Instead we say, “today was a long day so I’d study tomorrow.” And in that moment all the pressure, all the anxiety and all the stress is alleviated. We feel as though we are making progress when we’re not.
HOW I DEALT WITH MENTAL EXHAUSTION (3 TIPS)
The last bit of advice that I want to give you is that you should cut yourself some slack. It’s okay that you’ve taken on too much in a world that’s designed to wear down your ability to make good decisions. Rather than punishing yourself or attempting to bury your urges, listen with curiosity to what thoughts and feelings are behind those impulses.
4 TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR SELF ESTEEM
One way to overcome this is to label your thoughts as productive worry and unproductive worry to see things from a clearer perspective. When you know the difference between productive and unproductive worrying you can start to draw the line between the thoughts which you should nurture. Eventually this helps you feel more confident in yourself, your choices and your abilities.
20 THINGS I LEARNT BY 20 (THE FINAL SEQUEL)
Today’s takeaway: Be deliberate about your growth. Do not leave things to chance. Plan and execute – for you miss all the shots you don’t take.