With the pressures of modern life bearing down on us daily and the grind of politics, the economy, dealing with difficult people at work or challenging situations in our lives, it is easy to forget to look after ourselves.

Mental health, depression and suicide are issues that people are fighting every day. As a man, I know how hard it is to express emotions and be vulnerable, but through intentional action and behaviour changes, we can all become significantly better human beings.

In order to maximise our potential, enrich our lives and the lives of others, we need to take care of the four Fs:

Family
How you manage, nurture, restore and maintain your key relationships with loved ones and close friends plays a huge role in your emotional wellbeing.

Fitness
Taking care of your body (diet and exercise) and emotional health significantly benefits your life and well-being.

Faith
Look after your mental health, beliefs, values, spirituality and religion, as these provide you with inner strength.

Finance
Work, business, studies, managing your money and your career all impact your life and the lives of your dependants.

While these four areas have distinct and very specific considerations, they all require you to be intentional in your action, behaviour or thoughts.

They say it takes 21 days to create new habits or make behavioural changes ‘stick’. What ‘they’ forget to tell you, is that it also takes discipline, inner strength, resilience and a desire or willingness to change in the first instance.

I love the saying “be the change you wish to see in the world”. It is both a call to action as much as it is a challenge. In order to change the world or even just our own personal environment, we need to change ourselves first and this can only happen through the development of healthy, positive habits and behaviours.

Think about habits you can change or develop which will empower you to create your best work, be your best self and help others. Here are some wellness habits to empower you:

• Regular journaling, meditating or praying enables you to engage with your inner self at a deeper level to reflect, learn and continuously grow.

• Adopt healthy lifestyle habits: good nutrition, hydration, sleep, regular exercise, healthy work-life balance.

• Prioritise your mental health and emotional well-being.

There are some great books and podcasts in this area, so it’s worth doing your homework and finding someone whose style resonates with you. Many of you will already have a powerful wellness ‘routine’ or daily habits, which will have an enormous impact on your life and help you to positively impact the lives of your significant others.

Whatever your preferred medium – books, podcasts, one-to-one work with a coach or mentor, your temple, mosque, synagogue, church, sport or social club, local pub, etc. – it is vital that you find a network to support, challenge and inspire you to be your best self, and an inspiration and source of strength to others.