soloway has had men come to the site because they were truly suffering and wanted help, and he’s also had men take part simply out of a desire to improve at their workplace or in their family life. whatever the case, soloway is very specific in how he reaches out towards men.
“one definition i like to use is, ‘the ability to see clearly in order to respond effectively.’ we hear a lot from elite athletes who speak to this,” says soloway. “for men, understanding mindfulness is as a tool they can use in their every day life that helps them perform better.”
the breathing and awareness techniques that comprise take5 can help anyone take their crises one day at a time, whether that’s the pandemic or a job loss or just generally worrying about what the future holds.
“i think a lot of men want to feel like they’re in the driver’s seat, like they’re in control,” says soloway.
prior to the pandemic, suicide was the second-leading cause of canadian men aged 15 to 44. out of all suicides in canada, three quarters are men. the social connections we make are a huge component of our mental health, and like most everything else they’re certainly strained under the conditions of the pandemic.
as the world starts reopening, and some men head back to work or opt to meet with one or two friends, soloway says that a ten minute routine will help provide stability and regularity to what has been an unstable year, and that doing it with a friend will be even better. whether that’s a physical or mental activity doesn’t matter, the point is that you can hold each other accountable.
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