Welcome to Riding Life Waves. This site is dedicated to helping ALL people ride the waves of life!

This post is going to explore men’s mental health and some simple methods that I’ve found have helped me as a 53 yo single divorced man.

I also want to mention that I’ve created “Riding Life Waves” not just to share what I’ve learned but as a reminder to myself that “shit happens” not just good shit, but bad and really bad shit too, and most importantly, that it ALL passes.

I also want to make it absolutely clear that I offer NO advice in any form of professional capacity I’m just an average bloke who’s found some stuff that’s helped me and helped many others and want’s to share it in my own way. if you feel that you need some form of professional help for either your own mental health issues or those of someone you know, then please do seek out help from a professional. I’d recommend starting by searching for “professional mental health help” in your local area.

Life happens in Waves.

“The Great Wave off Kanagawa” is probably the most famous and reprinted “wave” picture ever. The print depicts three boats moving through a storm at sea, with a large wave forming in the centre and Mt. Fuji dwarfed in the background.

What do I see in this picture?

The picture has various interpretations and has inspired many other artists over the years. So here’s what I see and why it inspired me to develop the ideas and direction of this site.
The huge, powerful wave, much larger than the surrounding waves is about to crash down on one of the boats.
The wave is depicted as being larger than Mt. Fuji in the distance. Mt. Fuji is the tallest peak in Japan at 3,776 meters and is an active volcano, however, despite its sheer size and that it’s an active volcano, it appears tiny in comparison to the giant wave in this picture.

“This too shall pass“

Original author origin unknown

The people in the boats are depicted as very calm and they appear not to be panicking or distressed by the giant wave potentially about to capsise the boat, they accept the situation for what it is as no amount of distress, panicking or worrying about what the outcome will be can change the situation, it is what it is. and they remain calm.

This is a way of representing what we all go through in life, For most of us the waters are reasonably calm most of the time, but then when the waves come, as they always do, we often feel like there is no way out of that situation. Whatever the situation is, it can be overwhelming and dwarf everything else that we have going on at that moment, even the distant volcano that can erupt and kill us at any time!

From the perspective of passengers on the boat, the distant volcano isn’t an issue, it’s the wave that’s potentially threatening them at the moment. but by remaining calm in the situation they aren’t causing them selves any unnesacerry distress. Let’s be honest here for a moment, getting all stressed out and worried about the wave won’t stop it, wont get us through it and wont help us survive it. Ok so it would be our natural response in this situation to panic, but no amount of panic could save us.

The bigger picture

If we assess the bigger picture of being caught in a storm at sea, then we may have known before setting sail that a storm was forecast that could be hazardous. Armed with this knowledge we could decide to:

• cancel the trip
• pospone the trip
• take our chances.

If we decide to cancel the trip, the storm will be completly avoided and we’ll remain safe.

If we postpone it untill the storm has passed, we can then have our planned trip and know we’ll be safe.

If we decide to forego the warning and be prepared for trouble, then there may be consequences ahead, but we can be prepared for them to the best of our ability.

Using this analogy in day to day life

In the journey of life, we all encounter waves that crash upon our shores. Yet, as I reflect upon my own experiences, I am reminded that nothing remains the same forever – these waves too shall pass. Embracing this wisdom, I find solace in the knowledge that no matter the challenge or circumstance that may arise, it is temporary. Hope gleams brightly on the horizon, guiding us through the ebbs and flows of existence, and difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations.

Enjoy your journey.