I thought leaving my spikes on the long jump runway meant saying goodbye to being an athlete. What I’ve learned since is that the athlete in me never left — it simply found new arenas. From building an art gallery to speaking on stage and creating safe spaces for men, the same discipline, resilience, and drive I carried on the track continue to guide my life today.

Last night, The Circle sold out for the first time. Hours earlier, I wasn’t sure anyone would come — maybe it was too vulnerable a space for men to step into. But one by one, they showed up. What happened in that room proved that when men drop the armor and speak their truth, walls come down and lives change. On September 18th, we open the circle again.

Behind every smile, handshake, and “I’m fine,” there are battles most men will never speak about. We’ve been taught to fix, to provide, to protect but not to feel. This blog peels back the curtain on the unspoken weight men carry, the boundaries mistaken for selfishness, and the moments where silence screams the loudest. It’s a raw and honest look at the quiet struggles hidden behind strong faces, and a reminder that asking if a man is okay doesn’t always mean he is.