Let’s start with a question.
What happens when the woman you love begins to change and no one ever told you why?
Menopause is often framed as a “women’s issue” but for many Black and South Asian men, it is a silent storm that sweeps through the home, the bedroom and the heart without warning, without language and without support.
Men are taught to be strong. Stoic. Providers.
At first glance, the statement “Men carry depression well because they know no one cares unless the money stops” seems like a truth wrapped in hard wisdom.
But when applied to Black men, this narrative does more harm than good. It reinforces an old stereotype. That a Black man’s worth is only measured by his productivity, his ability to provide, his financial utility.
Behind this idea sits centuries of racial, cultural and economic weight that too often leaves Black men trapped in silence.
Created by Aswad Aarif, this workbook is designed for brothers who are ready to start the work of healing, growing and learning to show themselves the same love they give others.
The Black Men’s Self-Love Workbook is a guide to help brothers heal, reflect and build a healthier relationship with themselves. Inside are tools for managing stress, navigating trauma and cultivating inner peace.
Self-love is not an indulgence, it is the foundation for your wellness.
This book is an invitation to slow down, care for yourself, and connect with what matters most to you.
How many of us, just this year, have known someone who has taken their own life or felt the tremor when a friend of a friend suddenly is not here anymore?
Somewhere along the way, many of us learned that our value is measured by our output. That worth only comes once we’ve “made it.” A promotion, a flawless bank account, a home that looks like a magazine spread. But the truth is, this belief is quietly stealing our wellbeing. Perfection is a moving target and chasing it often leaves us exhausted, disconnected and questioning ourselves.
In conversations with brothers from every walk of life; entrepreneurs, professionals, artists, fathers, there is a pattern. It’s not the work itself that breaks us. It’s the relentless, unspoken rules they’ve adopted about what it means to “deserve” peace or pride. These rules aren’t written anywhere, but they’re etched into habits and self-talk.
Here are five perfection-driven traps that quietly sabotage your mental health and create cycles of stress and anxiety:
Measuring worth only by achievement:…
“Men cry. Men struggle” but saying it and living it are two very different things, especially for Black men.
For generations, masculinity has been policed by silence. Men are taught that tears are weakness, breakdowns are failure and vulnerability is something to be feared. Yet the research tells another story.
According to a CDC report, suicide rates among Black men aged 15–24 increased by 47% between 2013 and 2019. And Dr. Wizdom Powell, a leading health disparities researcher and clinical psychologist, warns that “emotional stoicism among Black men is literally killing us.”
Proud Sista!
Proud Sista!
Proud Sista!
Proud Sista!
