Mental Health Advocate and Founder of Andy’s Man Club, Luke Ambler, shares the importance of being real, raw and always asking ‘what next’? rather than ‘why me?
Award-winning mental health advocate and motivational speaker Luke Ambler joined Happiful and Counselling Directory’s podcast to share his thoughts on fatherhood, keeping it real and raw, and growing from past experiences.
Reflecting on his children, Luke shared his first I am - “I am a Dad.” Luke discusses the positive impact his children have on his outlook, the importance of trying to find balance, putting them first and being present. “As a man from Yorkshire, I do feel that my job is to put bread on the table, but it’s no good if I’m not there, breaking that bread and eating it with them.”
Luke shares that being real, his second 'I am’ is something that he chose to pursue after growing up masking who he felt he really was. Now, after dedicating his life to mental health advocacy, becoming a motivational speaker and establishing Andy’s Man Club, he says that he's comfortable in his own skin and hopes to continue and build upon the work he has started, in suicide prevention and beyond.
Andy’s Man Club, Luke explains, evolved from the death of his brother-in-law, Andy. He died by suicide, a shock to all his family and friends, as there were no signals that he was unhappy or struggling. Luke explains what happened in the aftermath of Andy’s death, the impact it had upon his family and how it led him to start the club. It was Luke's hope that no man would suffer in silence again and that no family would endure the pain he witnessed. Today, there are twenty clubs across the North of England, with upwards of 580 men sharing their experiences every week.
Raw, Luke explains when talking about his third ‘I am’ is about being unfiltered and saying what is true and not what everyone might want to hear. For him, this is crucial in all his work and he warns against b*llshit and pretense, sharing that we connect when we are just human.
As Happiful's podcast comes to a close, Luke shares that he has a past - one that includes some moments where he lost control - after the end of a job and break-up. This, he says, was a turning point where he realised he had two choices, wallow in the ‘why me?’ or focus on the ‘what next?’
Listen to Luke’s episode of I am. I have now to find out more about his approach to life and being the best person he can be.
Find out more about Luke and Andy’s Man Club.
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