The Emptiness Most Men Don’t Talk About: Love, Vulnerability and Self Worth

What happens when you grow up never really learning what love is supposed to feel like? Jeremy joins me again for The Men’s Mental Health Series, and this conversation starts with something a lot of men experience but may struggle to put into words, emptiness. Jeremy talks openly about growing up in a broken home, not feeling loved as a kid, and spending years trying to fill that void through alcohol, drugs, food, and other escapes. Eventually, he realized that none of those things could actually give him what he was looking for. That led us into a much bigger conversation about self love, discipline, vulnerability, fatherhood, relationships, and the kind of man he wants to be today. We talk about what love actually looks like in everyday life. For Jeremy, it can be waking his boys up for school, making breakfast, encouraging them, spending time together, or hearing that his partner is proud of him. It is not necessarily one huge emotional moment. It is something that gets built through the way we consistently show up for the people we care about. We also get into something I think a lot of men from our generation can relate to, the difference between tough love and actually feeling loved. You can appreciate lessons that came through toughness while still recognizing that you needed softness too. You needed the hug. You needed someone to tell you they were proud of you. You needed opportunities to talk about how something made you feel. And you may still need those things now. Jeremy also shares how discipline has helped him develop a better relationship with himself. His running, training, family responsibilities, and the promises he keeps to himself have become ways of building self respect rather than simply escaping what he feels. But underneath all of that discipline is something softer. Honesty. Vulnerability. Connection. Love. We talk about being honest about the character you are when nobody else is around, allowing different versions of yourself to show up authentically in different parts of your life, and recognizing that every day gives you another opportunity to decide how you want to show up. For the man who feels empty right now, this conversation is a reminder that you do not have to solve your entire life today. Start by doing something you can genuinely be proud of. Then keep building. Connect with Jeremy on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremygrap22 If You Need Immediate Support If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency services. In the United States, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you are outside the United States, contact your local emergency services or a crisis support service in your country.