THE MESOA COMMUNITY

A non-judgemental, educational, online community where men can learn and talk openly about anything – and feel completely comfortable about doing so.

My Year of Isolation

I will open by saying I am in no way a professional in mental health. This is simply the story of my 2019, and how I held myself together during my year of isolation. I’m on a steady, and happy road to recovery now, taking back control of my life one step at a time. This is what helped me, and I hope it can in some way help you too.

Community Spirit At Its Best!

Earlier this week we put out a call, across social media channels and our newsletter, for any superheroes to come forward.We wanted to hear your inspirational stories to help lift the mood of the nation during these difficult and unusual times.One particular story that captured our imagination was that of Hannah Molloy from Manchester.

Help Yourself!

If you’re in a rut, do something about it. If you don’t, then things will never improve. Take responsibility because you only have one chance.

A Difficult Transition

Throughout my professional career I never really fully understood the issues surrounding mental health until I became affected. Playing rugby for over 17 years was a privilege and something I never took for granted. I felt as if I had been chosen, one of the lucky ones and I knew one day it would have to come to a stop. We all say that we are ready to stop, but who are we kidding? To play a sport 90% of the population do for a hobby professionally is something to be very proud of and becomes part of your DNA.

Drink, Drugs and Football

In the mid-80s, I started going to football in London with my mates. Being the mid-80s and being a bunch of impressionable, fashion conscious 15 year-old lads about town, out for the latest thrill, the London football scene of the time was an incredibly attractive scene to get involved with; fashion, music, alcohol and violence. They were like magnets to lads like us.

It's not always sunshine and rainbows.

I would sit at my desk staring out of the window, super miserable, feeling like a fraud and a failure, thinking to myself that it must've been a fluke to get this far. So many negative thoughts would fill my mind of how bad I was. I felt inadequate, I felt like I didn't deserve to be there, let alone be the CEO.

Don’t be afraid to have that conversation.

“Mental Health” We hear or see these words pretty much every day in 2019, whether it be on social media, newspaper or TV. If I had to describe what a person with a mental health illness looked like as a teenager back in 2003 Id have described a person in a straight jacket being held down by nurses in an asylum...

LESSONS FORGED IN BATTLE

So, who am I, and why do I want to help men around the world find their voice? My life journey so far has been, well, a flurry of life-changing events that have opened my eyes up to the world and who I really am. My childhood was turbulent.

IN THE PURSUIT OF RELEVANCE

Just a little over 2 years ago, I found myself in the trickiest and most uncomfortable situation I had ever experienced. Even more so than the numerous times I had been out on patrol and in contacts in the hot sun, eating dust – whilst trying to keep me and my brothers around me alive.

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We started MESOA for a reason: your peace of mind.

As a proud, male grooming brand, we not only want to change the way men groom for the better but the way they live for the better too. That’s why a percentage of our profits go to male suicide charities.

We want to normalise conversations about men’s mental health, encouraging men to open up and speak to one another.

Talking about our feelings and how we feel on the inside is just as important, if not more so, than how we look on the outside.

We’ve come a long way in recent years but there’s still so much more to be done. Cavemen were happy simply splashing water on their faces, and all your grandad’s grooming was done with one bar of soap.

Likewise, a stiff upper lip and an unwillingness to open up was the order of the day back then.

Times have changed.

From fitness to food; financial wealth to mental health; beard oils to moisturisers, we want to create a community where you, and men just like you, can share your thoughts, feelings and experiences.

This is your chance to share your story with others; whether it’s a story of recovery or simply how you’re feeling right now we’d love for you to contribute to the MESOA Community.

We ask for nothing in return (you don’t even have to buy our great products, though we’d love it if you did!); simply upload your story here and include images or a video of your choice