Guest article by Ross Beese (Founder at Man Alive, Wellbeing Director at Unreasonable)
There’s something ancient and healing about water.
I’ve never come out of the sea feeling worse than when I went in. For me – and for a lot of men I know – surfing has become more than a sport. It’s therapy. It’s ritual. It’s where the constant distractions and noise quieten down, and something deeper gets to speak.
Through my work with Man Alive, I’ve met men who are yearning for more than the old, worn-out ways we were taught to be men.
They’re searching for something truer:
A deeper connection to themselves and to others.
More courage to speak their truth.
Permission to embrace tenderness.
A clearer sense of purpose.
And I keep coming back to places like Pembrokeshire.
The coastline. The silence. The saltwater.
It holds something for us – not just beauty, but a kind of invitation.
To soften. To feel. To belong.
As we mark Men’s Mental Health Week, I wonder what the future could look like if we gave men more spaces like this.
Less pressure to perform.
More permission to be.
Less lone wolf.
More brotherhood.
What if the next chapter of masculinity wasn’t about returning to something old, but growing into something new – something more whole?
This week, I’m hopeful.
I see men waking up. Reconnecting to themselves. Leaning on each other.
It’s a beautiful unfolding.
There’s a quiet movement rising – and the world needs it now more than ever.
When men lead with heart, courage, compassion, and love, everyone wins.
Follow along: @manalivewales
We’re just getting started.
About Ross Beese
Ross Beese is the founder of Man Alive, a movement of men hell-bent on leading from the heart and building lifelong, trusted communities along the way. He spent the last decade guiding hundreds of growth-stage Founders and CEOs through high-impact programmes at Unreasonable Group. Prior to that, he specialised in creating world-class experiences – from The DO Lectures USA to luxury surf coaching in Costa Rica.