A year ago, I started writing this newsletter for a simple reason.

Too many men were trying to make sense of important life changes using bad information, half-answers, or silence.

And it wasn’t serving them well.

Sometimes it’s the man sitting on a tractor, hours from any kind of specialist, wondering if what he’s feeling is normal or even worth bringing up.

Sometimes it’s the man in an airport lounge, finally slowed down enough to admit to himself that something feels off.

And sometimes it’s a text from a friend—let’s call him Joe—about a “quick fix” he saw online.

Now you’re left deciding whether to click, ignore it, or step back and ask a better question.

Most men aren’t lazy. They’re not lacking effort.

What they’re missing is context.

What the Past Year Has Shown Me

Over the past year, we’ve covered a wide range of topics, because real life doesn’t arrive neatly labeled.

Sexual function.

Recovery after prostate cancer.

Testosterone and hormones.

Injections, implants, and newer technologies.

Desire mismatch. Rejection. Avoidance.

Sleep, alcohol, stress, and identity.

Some of these conversations were medical.

Others were relational.

Many were simply about finding language for things that had been bottled up for far too long.

Every piece came from real conversations I’ve had with real people.

No trends. No abstractions. Just what shows up in real lives.

What Became Clear

One thing stood out quickly.

Men don’t want hype. They don’t want scare tactics.

And they don’t want to be told they’re failing or broken.

They want to understand what’s actually happening.

They want to know what’s real, what’s overstated, and what can be ignored.

They want language that helps them talk to a partner or sit across from a clinician without feeling unprepared.

Most of all, they want to feel like they’re making deliberate decisions—not reacting out of frustration or fear.

Taking Stock

Writing this each week has forced me to do what I often encourage men to do in their own lives: take stock.

What’s working.

What’s changed.

What deserves attention now—and what doesn’t.

Along the way, many of you have shared how this information landed.

The outcomes have been different for different men.

For some, taking stock led to starting treatment.

For others, it led to a long-overdue conversation.

For some, it meant realizing that what they were doing was working—and choosing to protect it.

There isn’t one right result.

The common thread is movement—not rushed or pressured, but grounded in clarity.

Looking Ahead — and Thank You

As this moves into its second year, the purpose stays the same.

To cut through the noise.

To explain complex topics clearly.

To offer context instead of directives.

This isn’t about telling you what to do.

It’s about helping you get oriented, get comfortable with the language, and take the next step—whatever that step turns out to be.

If you’ve been reading quietly, I’m glad you’re here.

If you’ve forwarded an article, shared it with a partner, or sent it to a friend who needed the words, thank you.

That’s how this reaches the men—and couples—it’s meant for.

A year in, this feels less like a milestone and more like a necessary habit.

One worth keeping. There’s more ahead.