I started forging because of you. As a vet I have alot of demons that i deal with on a daily. As I have gotten a little older they are tougher to keep at bay. I can not thank you enough for showing me this outlet and sharing your story with me.
Thank you for being a part of this, Neil. Perspective is everything, when there is no enemy to fight, sometimes you become the enemy yourself. Mahalo and salamat po.
Thank you Neil and to everyone who was a part of this! As boys and/or men, alot of us were tought not to discuss or show our feelings or possible weakness. Thank you for helping change that! Stay safe, be well and God Bless. Sincerely, Mike Scouts Out! 19-D
A lot of smith's are like this. The entire community is like this. I'm a welder by trade and I promise you trades people typically are alpha male jerks or like constantly selfish and grumpy. Smiths are not like that at all
I have been battling the silent, hidden wound off and on since i was 10. It lurks beneath the surface of my happy go lucky attitude most people see and expect. It seems that people dont believe that its dark inside, so when i share that side of me, it gets shrugged off. "Youre fine, you got a good job, and you are smart and creative"...blah blah blah. Yeah, thats true, nevertheless, the darkness is real, its there, and it takes a lot of strength to get out, and stay our of that pit. I imagine a lot of men struggle with it, but our society leaves little room for us to admit it. Anyhow, gotta get back to work. Thanks for posting this, ill be revisiting it from time to time im sure :)
Thank you Neil and everyone else involved. I join with many others expressing thanks for this message and the vulnerability it contains. We must be honest and open about our struggles. I had a few moments get too close to the point of no return. Thankfully I eventually opened up to my wife about what was going on and I have since gotten the help I needed. Neil, I am so thankful for you. I am grateful this world has you in it and for the possibility to one day meet you. Thank you for being you!
Thank you for talking about this. Suicide took my brother and some of my friends. You really never know what someone's thinking and feelings unless they let you in.
Hi @Neil !This video is so amazing!A lot of true words!Thank you very much for sharing neil !Greeting Bulats Schmiede (Bulat the Blacksmith) from germany 😊👍
At the time of my viewing this video there where 2 👎. While my thoughts are filled with honesty and genuine focus of this foundations mission, I have a special place for those two who found the need to vote down an idea and action of these folks. MY LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS!
I am fortunate enough that I do not have this struggle with an invisible wound, but this video had me sitting in my forge in tears. I truly do hope that this video and foundation makes an impact and touches the men and ladies out there that need it. Strength and light to you all. Neil you are an inspiration
Shattering the stigma that surrounds our brains health is so crucial in these times. This construct of masculinity in my warrior community has been so harmful for resilience. There is great power in standing in front of our mental conditioning and challenging our own stagnating thought processes. “Why am I feeling this way, have I been eating well, am I abusing substances, why am I abusing substances, who gives a fuck about me and how am I showing myself love for their and my peace of mind, how am I addressing my bodies needs…” we just carry on…march on. Forgetting we are people. Disassociating into escapism vs approaching the often times daunting task of recognizing our own shortcomings. More often than not these “shortcomings” are chemical imbalances caused by our lifestyle or lack of stress management skills. Team guys get resiliency training and loads of other tools to help them maintain prime mental conditioning while Operating. They still face struggles when they ETS, or even later in their careers. The majority of the military doesn’t get this same training. We are provided a bit of re-acclimatization to the civilian world and sent on our merry way. As a Soldier I sat and watched my brothers push themselves beyond anything a person is capable, then they’d go home and do the same within their home life. Ive been out for a decade now…I’ve lost three friends from deployment to suicide, two to overdoses, and one was murdered by his fiancé during a domestic dispute. I see our communities struggle with battling the stigmas surrounding mental health, I see society being programmed to hate themselves so they consume more, I see our children falling down the rabbit hole of our complacency. These small communities people like Neil, and many other makers and veterans are forming to create strength and self awareness through community, and empowerment through a craft are a brilliant way to get started tackling the suicide pandemic. As individuals we do our part by asking ourselves those sometimes difficult questions. “Is my mental health and attitude a reflection of how I’m treating myself. Am I being a toxic fuck to myself, or am I giving myself my best chance at allowing my brain to produce natural dopamine and serotonin.” …”am I channeling these feelings in a way that brings me further towards myself or pushing me further away.”…”is it time to find a therapist or support group to help me navigate this season of life.” Ask the questions. That’s a very long winded rant, well done if you read the whole thing. 🖖🤙
Thanks for always being an advocate of mental health, and putting to words what a lot of us feel like. I've been struggling with my own mind for years. I've usually been good at pushing through, but lately, i've been finding it harder and harder to find the motivation to keep pushing. Then, I see a video of yours like this, and, they help.
Thank-you Neil for being a role model to so many people worldwide, not only with your craft but showing us your real side also. It takes guts to discuss the topic which needs to be removed, why has there always been this stigma especially in men that we have to be tough and not share how we feel? Projects like this are what we need more of to remove this stigma and learn to share our thoughts with each other. I have personally lost close friends and know how tough it is to be left with questions. Thank you and everyone involved in any project that are hard working towards a better future for mental health 👊
What an amazing and inspiring video Neil. I once struggled with is invisible wound as well. I can’t count how many times i set alone and nearly pulled the trigger l. I thank God that i never did. Now as a father i hope and pray that my boys never have to deal with the mental issues that i dealt with for so long. I thank God for people like y’all that are doing something to help with these issues and i pray that this reaches many many people.
This was absolutely amazing and such an eye opener!!! How close i actually was. Was to close at a point in my life. And these words shared by you and your family warmed my heart. You all are an inspiration and a driving force to show how important that person or that family is to other people. What an epic story. Thank you so much for sharing!!!!
Im at an extreme low point in my life and i dont do blade work i do more ornamental work but i can honestly say that smithing is absolutely helping me cope with it. My mentor is amazing to work with and the community is amazing to work with. My full time welding job is full of guys who have a terrible ego and are alpha male. Smithing really helps
...so I'm comment number 33, and I REALLY don't like that number and this is an old topic for me I found this channel from a different genres channel and there have been multiple points that have caught my attention with this post. And there were other choices for posts and I honestly don't want to talk about this comment, however. I needed to at least say something, because this is not a new topic for me. And truly, thank you all more than words can say for saying the non-diminishing part. That's the reason I wrote this, because your loved one was not the only one who could carry that. And even one was too many. And so thank you and love forever. ~b,
We could look like a normal person in others eyes and perspectives... But deep down inside we are already melting.... My only coping mechanisms is self harm. It's been for years, no one understands, no one showed care. Not all types of mental issues is visible... I hope, that it could be understood and have patience with them...
Mahalo everyone for watching this special project! #YouAreNotAlone
Thank you. ❤️🙏🇨🇦
I started forging because of you. As a vet I have alot of demons that i deal with on a daily. As I have gotten a little older they are tougher to keep at bay. I can not thank you enough for showing me this outlet and sharing your story with me.
Thank you brother for bringing to light what men need to talk about more! God bless you! 😎🤙
Neil your an inspiration to a lot of people not only for your incredible talent but for your ability to talk openly about mens mental health. 💪🏼👍🏼
Thank you for being a part of this, Neil. Perspective is everything, when there is no enemy to fight, sometimes you become the enemy yourself. Mahalo and salamat po.
Thank you Neil and to everyone who was a part of this! As boys and/or men, alot of us were tought not to discuss or show our feelings or possible weakness. Thank you for helping change that! Stay safe, be well and God Bless.
Sincerely,
Mike
Scouts Out!
19-D
Your my favorite smith, such a humble authentic dude. We need more of that.
A lot of smith's are like this. The entire community is like this. I'm a welder by trade and I promise you trades people typically are alpha male jerks or like constantly selfish and grumpy. Smiths are not like that at all
I have been battling the silent, hidden wound off and on since i was 10. It lurks beneath the surface of my happy go lucky attitude most people see and expect. It seems that people dont believe that its dark inside, so when i share that side of me, it gets shrugged off. "Youre fine, you got a good job, and you are smart and creative"...blah blah blah. Yeah, thats true, nevertheless, the darkness is real, its there, and it takes a lot of strength to get out, and stay our of that pit. I imagine a lot of men struggle with it, but our society leaves little room for us to admit it. Anyhow, gotta get back to work.
Thanks for posting this, ill be revisiting it from time to time im sure :)
What a beautiful thing to do. Thank you.
Thank you Neil and everyone else involved. I join with many others expressing thanks for this message and the vulnerability it contains. We must be honest and open about our struggles. I had a few moments get too close to the point of no return. Thankfully I eventually opened up to my wife about what was going on and I have since gotten the help I needed. Neil, I am so thankful for you. I am grateful this world has you in it and for the possibility to one day meet you. Thank you for being you!
I hope u release more videos brother I love you
Thank you for talking about this. Suicide took my brother and some of my friends. You really never know what someone's thinking and feelings unless they let you in.
Nice!,your art is admirable
thank you
Absolute fucking legends one of the best video`s yet Neil, we all need more awareness of mental health and suicide.
Thank you Neil for this
Thank you for sharing
Hi @Neil !This video is so amazing!A lot of true words!Thank you very much for sharing neil !Greeting Bulats Schmiede (Bulat the Blacksmith) from germany 😊👍
Well done all. This makes me appreciate even more that I never needed to go to war. I doubt I could have had this strength to survive.
Just found your channel and I can tell it’s gonna be good to watch your videos
Very powerful video, well done....
At the time of my viewing this video there where 2 👎. While my thoughts are filled with honesty and genuine focus of this foundations mission, I have a special place for those two who found the need to vote down an idea and action of these folks. MY LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS!
Thank you guys for doing what you do
Amazing experience watching this
Man.... this hit home for me this morning. Thank yall so much for this inspiring message.
I am fortunate enough that I do not have this struggle with an invisible wound, but this video had me sitting in my forge in tears.
I truly do hope that this video and foundation makes an impact and touches the men and ladies out there that need it.
Strength and light to you all.
Neil you are an inspiration
Amazing! Blessed to see how close a Brotherhood can become and assist each other through the good and bad times. Truly inspirational
Shattering the stigma that surrounds our brains health is so crucial in these times. This construct of masculinity in my warrior community has been so harmful for resilience.
There is great power in standing in front of our mental conditioning and challenging our own stagnating thought processes.
“Why am I feeling this way, have I been eating well, am I abusing substances, why am I abusing substances, who gives a fuck about me and how am I showing myself love for their and my peace of mind, how am I addressing my bodies needs…” we just carry on…march on. Forgetting we are people. Disassociating into escapism vs approaching the often times daunting task of recognizing our own shortcomings.
More often than not these “shortcomings” are chemical imbalances caused by our lifestyle or lack of stress management skills.
Team guys get resiliency training and loads of other tools to help them maintain prime mental conditioning while Operating. They still face struggles when they ETS, or even later in their careers. The majority of the military doesn’t get this same training. We are provided a bit of re-acclimatization to the civilian world and sent on our merry way.
As a Soldier I sat and watched my brothers push themselves beyond anything a person is capable, then they’d go home and do the same within their home life. Ive been out for a decade now…I’ve lost three friends from deployment to suicide, two to overdoses, and one was murdered by his fiancé during a domestic dispute.
I see our communities struggle with battling the stigmas surrounding mental health, I see society being programmed to hate themselves so they consume more, I see our children falling down the rabbit hole of our complacency.
These small communities people like Neil, and many other makers and veterans are forming to create strength and self awareness through community, and empowerment through a craft are a brilliant way to get started tackling the suicide pandemic.
As individuals we do our part by asking ourselves those sometimes difficult questions. “Is my mental health and attitude a reflection of how I’m treating myself. Am I being a toxic fuck to myself, or am I giving myself my best chance at allowing my brain to produce natural dopamine and serotonin.” …”am I channeling these feelings in a way that brings me further towards myself or pushing me further away.”…”is it time to find a therapist or support group to help me navigate this season of life.”
Ask the questions.
That’s a very long winded rant, well done if you read the whole thing.
🖖🤙
16:00 in the Islands spirits bless this project 🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
Thanks for always being an advocate of mental health, and putting to words what a lot of us feel like. I've been struggling with my own mind for years. I've usually been good at pushing through, but lately, i've been finding it harder and harder to find the motivation to keep pushing. Then, I see a video of yours like this, and, they help.
Thank-you Neil for being a role model to so many people worldwide, not only with your craft but showing us your real side also. It takes guts to discuss the topic which needs to be removed, why has there always been this stigma especially in men that we have to be tough and not share how we feel? Projects like this are what we need more of to remove this stigma and learn to share our thoughts with each other. I have personally lost close friends and know how tough it is to be left with questions. Thank you and everyone involved in any project that are hard working towards a better future for mental health 👊
My bro suffers from mental health..bi polar. Not easy to deal with. I appreciate you talking about this.
What an amazing and inspiring video Neil. I once struggled with is invisible wound as well. I can’t count how many times i set alone and nearly pulled the trigger l. I thank God that i never did. Now as a father i hope and pray that my boys never have to deal with the mental issues that i dealt with for so long. I thank God for people like y’all that are doing something to help with these issues and i pray that this reaches many many people.
This was absolutely amazing and such an eye opener!!! How close i actually was. Was to close at a point in my life. And these words shared by you and your family warmed my heart. You all are an inspiration and a driving force to show how important that person or that family is to other people. What an epic story. Thank you so much for sharing!!!!
It's sneaky! I just got thru a nasty phase!
thanks
Im at an extreme low point in my life and i dont do blade work i do more ornamental work but i can honestly say that smithing is absolutely helping me cope with it. My mentor is amazing to work with and the community is amazing to work with. My full time welding job is full of guys who have a terrible ego and are alpha male. Smithing really helps
🙏🏽
...so I'm comment number 33, and I REALLY don't like that number and this is an old topic for me I found this channel from a different genres channel and there have been multiple points that have caught my attention with this post. And there were other choices for posts and I honestly don't want to talk about this comment, however. I needed to at least say something, because this is not a new topic for me.
And truly, thank you all more than words can say for saying the non-diminishing part.
That's the reason I wrote this, because your loved one was not the only one who could carry that. And even one was too many.
And so thank you and love forever.
~b,
We could look like a normal person in others eyes and perspectives... But deep down inside we are already melting....
My only coping mechanisms is self harm. It's been for years, no one understands, no one showed care.
Not all types of mental issues is visible... I hope, that it could be understood and have patience with them...
Нэйл, привет из России. С огромным интересом слежу за твоим творчеством. Успехов тебе в делах👍👍👍
dude can I move and train in your art with u?
May you all realize and recognize all of the blessings God gives you.
Sure but skin cancer awareness is important too. Do not weld with just a T-Shirt on