In this powerful episode of The Authentic Exchange, host Josh sits down with fellow podcaster Jahari Collier for an honest wellness check that explores the unspoken emotional battles men face daily. Jahari opens up about the concept of "broken hearts and dry faces" - the painful reality of men carrying deep emotional wounds while society expects them to remain stoic and unmoved. Key moments and insights: • The isolation and loneliness that comes when your pain is treated as secondary during life's most difficult moments • How separation and divorce can leave men feeling abandoned by their support systems • The dangerous cycle of self-medication through alcohol and cigarettes when you don't know how to process emotional pain • Why men are conditioned from childhood to suppress emotions - "Man up, stop crying" versus the compassion shown to girls • The fear of being seen as "less than" when showing vulnerability and how it keeps men trapped in silence • How society mocks male vulnerability while demanding emotional availability - examining the public ridicule of Tyrese and Will Smith • The journey from bottling everything up to finding therapy, meditation, and healthy coping mechanisms • Why self-care and self-love aren't selfish - they're essential for being present for those you love • The importance of daily wellness checks and creating safe spaces for men to be authentically human Jahari vulnerably shares his experience navigating separation while feeling like nobody cared about his pain, the guilt of not being the "head of household" he wanted to be, and learning that healing is a progressive journey, not a destination. Together, Josh and Jahari challenge the notion that men must carry their burdens alone, emphasizing that speaking up about your "squeak" - your cry for help - is the first step toward healing. This conversation is essential listening for men struggling in silence, women seeking to understand the men in their lives, and anyone committed to breaking the cycle of emotional suppression that's literally killing men. Because at the end of the day, we're made to be a collective, not isolated individuals carrying unbearable weight.
