Comfort can feel like relief. Staying quiet. Keeping things to yourself. Not risking rejection.

For a lot of men, that comfort slowly turns into distance, and then into loneliness.

In this episode of the Don’t Change Much Podcast, hosts Mike Cameron and Trevor Botkin talk openly about how isolation becomes a habit long before it becomes a problem. Drawing from their own lives, leadership roles, relationships, and past struggles, they unpack how choosing comfort can quietly cost men the connection they actually want.

They explore what happens when men wear masks, manage impressions, or keep people at arm’s length to stay in control. The conversation moves through fear of rejection, the urge to self-isolate, and the belief that independence means handling everything alone. The shift comes when both men name a hard truth: connection doesn’t break when you speak up, it breaks when you disappear.

This isn’t about forcing vulnerability or oversharing. It’s about learning to listen, to stay present, and to let yourself be seen without trying to manage the outcome.

You’ll hear:

• How comfort can slowly replace real connection
• Why isolation often feels safer than risking rejection
• What actually helps men open up without losing themselves
• Small, practical ways to rebuild connection without changing everything

Before they close, Mike and Trevor leave listeners with two simple challenges:

1. Reach out to someone who has impacted you in a positive way and let them know.
2. Start a conversation with a stranger who is different than you.

If you’ve been feeling disconnected, even while surrounded by people, this conversation meets you where you are.

Support This Podcast and Canadian Men's Health Foundation

https://menshealthfoundation.ca/donate/

Follow Canadian Men’s Health Foundation

• Website - https://menshealthfoundation.ca/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/menshealthfdn/
• Facebook - https://facebook.com/menshealthfoundation

Follow Trevor Botkin

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-botkin-869ab5143/

Follow Mike Cameron

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mikecameron.ca/
• Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@mikecameronspeaks/
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mikedavidcameron/
• X - Mike Cameron (@axiommike) / X
• LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/mikecameron
  Website - https://mikecameron.ca/
  TedX Talk - https://www.ted.com/talks/mike_cameron_redefining_badass_the_way_we_think_about_strong_is_wrong

Support Men & Their Familes: https://menshealthfoundation.ca/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lot of men were taught that resilience means pushing through.
Staying quiet. Handling it alone. Running on empty and calling it strength.

In this episode, hosts Mike Cameron and Trevor Botkin slow that story down and take it apart, not as experts looking down, but as men who’ve lived the cost of getting it wrong.

Joined by returning guest Dr. David Kuhl, physician, professor, and longtime voice in men’s health, the conversation explores what resilience actually looks like when life brings grief, shame, burnout, or emotional numbness. Drawing from decades of experience in palliative care and trauma-informed work, Dr. Kuhl reframes resilience as a dynamic, relational process shaped by our bodies, our relationships, and the environments we live and work in.

Mike shares how unspoken shame followed him years after exiting a business and quietly showed up in his relationship. Trevor reflects on how confusing endurance for resilience led him to self-neglect, substance use, and running himself into the ground. Together, they talk openly about numbness, emotional literacy, and the moment many men reach when “toughing it out” stops working.

You’ll hear practical, grounded insights on:

• Why numbness is a signal, not the absence of feeling
• How shame fuels isolation and erodes trust
• The difference between “I made a mistake” and “I am a mistake”
• Why knowing just one person has your back increases resilience
• How vulnerability, when practiced honestly, strengthens connection
  
  

This isn’t about fixing yourself.
It’s about paying attention sooner, staying connected, and redefining strength in a way that actually sustains you.

If you’ve been pushing through, feeling disconnected, or quietly carrying more than you let on, this conversation offers language, perspective, and permission to pause and look again.

Support This Podcast and Canadian Men's Health Foundation

https://menshealthfoundation.ca/donate/

Follow Canadian Men’s Health Foundation

• Website - https://menshealthfoundation.ca/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/menshealthfdn/
• Facebook - https://facebook.com/menshealthfoundation

Follow Mike Cameron

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mikecameron.ca/
• Youtube - https://youtube.com/mikecameronspeaks
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mikedavidcameron/
• X - Mike Cameron (@axiommike) / X
• LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/mikecameron
  Website - https://mikecameron.ca/
  TedX Talk - https://www.ted.com/talks/mike_cameron_redefining_badass_the_way_we_think_about_strong_is_wrong

Follow Trevor Botkin

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-botkin-869ab5143/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Resilience

00:27 Guest Introduction: Dr. David Kool

02:01 Defining Resilience

03:42 Building Resilience Before Adversity

04:58 The Importance of Support Systems

06:17 Understanding Shame and Guilt

08:50 Personal Reflections on Resilience

15:25 Recognizing and Addressing Numbness

20:49 Understanding Emotional Numbness

21:22 The Impact of Societal Expectations

22:01 Personal Struggles and Coping Mechanisms

22:42 The Importance of Emotional Literacy

25:32 The Role of Vulnerability in Relationships

29:14 Holding Space for Others

35:02 The Systemic Nature of Resilience

37:19 Final Thoughts on Connection and Vulnerability

Support Men & Their Familes: https://menshealthfoundation.ca/donate/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a lot of men, staying silent feels like strength. But what if it’s the opposite?

In this episode of the Don’t Change Much Podcast, Paralympic gold medalist Greg Stewart challenges that belief head-on. In a raw, honest conversation with Mike Cameron and Trevor Botkin, Greg explores why silence has become the default for so many men and why talking might be the most courageous act there is.

Greg shares his journey from elite sport to emotional burnout, and how learning to talk, ask for help, and sit with discomfort reshaped his sense of identity, resilience, and self-care. The conversation moves through fatherhood fears, intrusive thoughts, masculinity, and the unspoken rules that keep men isolated, even when they’re surrounded by people.

You’ll hear:

• Why silence often masks fear, shame, or loneliness
• How “toughing it out” quietly leads to disconnection
• Why vulnerability builds trust, leadership, and real resilience
• Simple practices to pause, breathe, and stay present in hard moments

If you’re looking for a real-world conversation about men’s health, mental health, and showing up more fully in your life, this episode meets you exactly where you are.

Follow Greg Stewart

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/greg_r_stewart/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-stewart-ply-bba-7ab19161/

Website - https://themindfulete.ca/

Follow Mike Cameron

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mikecameron.ca/

Youtube - https://youtube.com/mikecameronspeaks

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mikedavidcameron/

X - Mike Cameron (@axiommike) / X

LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/mikecameron
Website - https://mikecameron.ca/
TedX Talk - https://www.ted.com/talks/mike_cameron_redefining_badass_the_way_we_think_about_strong_is_wrong

Follow Trevor Botkin

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-botkin-869ab5143/

Follow Canadian Men’s Health Foundation

Website - https://menshealthfoundation.ca/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/menshealthfdn/

Facebook - https://facebook.com/menshealthfoundation

Chapters

00:00 The Toughness Debate

00:36 Meet Greg Stewart: A Champion's Journey

02:35 Greg's Early Life and Challenges

04:47 The Turning Point: Seeking Help

05:44 Mindful Athlete: Embracing Vulnerability

08:49 The Power of Ownership and Responsibility

15:30 The Role of Vulnerability in Personal Growth

18:13 Self-Love and Healthy Relationships

19:51 Navigating Fatherhood: The Emotional Journey

20:10 Struggles and Realities of Expecting Fathers

21:26 The Importance of Acknowledging Emotions

22:30 Helplessness and Support During Childbirth

24:43 Intrusive Thoughts and Mental Health

28:25 Breaking the Patriarchy

31:15 The Role of Toughness and Resilience

34:24 Practical Takeaways for Mental Well-being

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.