Beyond the Grind: Building Health, Identity and Brotherhood for South Coast Men
Beyond the Grind
The South Coast promised something more — a life with space to breathe, more time with our kids, a break from the burnout. But for too many men, the grind followed them here. This piece is a bold reset for blokes stuck in cycles of overwork, identity confusion, and silent stress. From real stats to straight talk, JC calls time on the old story of manhood and lays out five powerful moves to reclaim health, intimacy, and brotherhood — without losing your edge.
Beyond the Grind: Building Health,
Identity and Brotherhood for South Coast Men
Let’s be real. The South Coast is full of good men working hard to build a life they can be proud of. Business owners, tradies, brand builders, dads - we came here chasing that elusive balance. The promise of more time with the family, fresh air, and a life that isn’t just about the grind.
But here’s the hard truth most of us don’t want to admit: too many of us end up rebuilding the same trap we tried to leave behind.
It’s time for a reset. A chance to rethink what success really looks like. Let’s break down some of the biggest blockers standing between South Coast men and the life we moved here to live.
The Identity Trap
For a lot of blokes - work, husband, father becomes who we are. Titles are where we get our sense of worth, our validation, our reason to get up in the morning. But what happens when the business slows down? When the kids don’t need you quite as much? When your body starts to send warning signs?
If all you are is your work - you’ll feel lost when it’s time to step back. Your value doesn’t come from the business. The business is just something you do. Who you are is bigger than that. And your health? That’s what keeps all of it going.
Fact: According to a 2021 study in Frontiers in Psychology, men who overly identify with their work are twice as likely to experience depression when business falters - compared to those whose self-worth is rooted in more than the job.
Calling Out the Martyrdom
We’ve been sold a lie that overworking is noble. That the best thing we can do for our family is to break ourselves in service of providing for them. But here’s the truth: if you fall apart, the people you’re trying to protect will feel it first.
Self-care isn’t selfish. It’s strategy. When you look after your body and mind, you’re investing in your family’s future, your business’s future, and your own ability to keep showing up strong.
Fact: Over 70% of Australian men cite work stress as their biggest mental strain - yet fewer than one in three take proactive steps to care for their health. (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare)
Health as Leadership
Here’s the thing about being a man in business: people are watching. Your staff. Your kids. Your mates. The way you treat your own health sets the tone for how they treat theirs.
If you’re the bloke who never stops, never rests, and never looks after himself, you’re teaching everyone around you to do the same. Flip the script. Be the man who shows that strong leaders know how to work hard and take care of themselves.
Fact: More than 80% of employees say they’d be more likely to adopt healthier habits if they saw senior leaders doing the same. (Harvard Business Review, 2019)
Don’t wait for burnout to make the call for you. Start with these five non-negotiables this week:
Move daily – Even a 10-minute walk before work or during the day can shift your energy and mindset.
Schedule recovery – Lock in one health appointment this month: a massage, sauna, cold swim, round of golf, or a PT session. Make it part of the plan, not the reward.
Connect intentionally – Message a mate and book a coffee. Women are better at checking in - we need to catch up.
Connect romantically – Lock in a date with your partner. Lunch, dinner - whatever works. And don’t cancel. Intimacy needs protecting, not postponing.
Be honest – Ask yourself: What truly makes me happy? Whatever came to mind first - do more of that. Your wellbeing depends on it.
Bonus move: Set a “CEO Hour” every Friday to review your health, not just your numbers.
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These aren’t luxuries. They’re life support. Put your own oxygen mask on first - then lead from there.
I look forward to speaking with you soon.
JC
JC works on mindset, habit formation, and long-term whole-body health.
He’s worked with premier league footballers, Hollywood actors, and high-performing executives, helping them achieve optimal movement and health both locally and globally.
You can find him at rewildwithjc.com
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Finding Courage in the Depths: My Journey to Women of Water
When trauma left Amanda unable to work, the ocean became her sanctuary. What began as gentle healing swims with her dog Abby evolved into something far more profound—a journey 12 metres beneath the surface where whales sing and tears flow freely underwater. From single motherhood to the depths of the Ningaloo, Amanda's story reminds us that sometimes our greatest transformations happen not on land, but in the embrace of salt water. Her photography book Women of Water celebrates the subtle courage we all possess and the divine feminine connection that flows between women and the sea.
“This isn’t just my story - it’s all of our stories of finding courage in the depths. And that sometimes, through the waves of change, we find our truest direction.”
By Amanda Battle
They say there's a fine line between stupidity and being brave - and trust me, I've walked that line more times than I care to admit! But at the heart of my story lies a different kind of bravery: the gentle, subtle courage that whispers rather than roars.
My journey began as a single mum at 21, juggling a BA Science degree, then a Diploma of Education, while trying to provide stability for my beautiful daughter. I carved out a career as a high school science teacher, but my soul longed for something beyond classroom walls - wide open spaces, bare feet, salty hair, and freedom.
Following those whispers of discontent, I left education and dove deep into yoga, opening my own yoga studio in my hometown in Perth, WA. This led me to magical places like California, Bali, and India, teaching everything from SUP yoga to teacher trainings and festivals worldwide. But financial reality hit hard, and after a separation, I found myself back in "survival mode," returning to what I knew best - teaching.
“They say there’s a fine line between stupidity and being brave - and trust me, I’ve walked that line more times than I care to admit!”
Then came the day that changed everything - a traumatic workplace incident that left me unable to work for years. Some days, all I could manage was walking to my little beach with my dog Abby, swimming in the ocean, and sleeping. The sea became my sanctuary, slowly rebuilding the safety I'd lost within my own body.
A friend's suggestion to join a freediving and yoga retreat in Exmouth sparked something alive in me that had remained dormant for so long. I bought a pop-up camper and took off solo on what would become such a pivotal part of my journey.
Diving 12 metres underwater, on one breath, in the loving embrace of the Ningaloo, hearing whales sing so clearly and beautifully, I discovered you can cry underwater. That moment planted a seed that would grow into everything that followed.
An underwater photography retreat the following year called to every cell in my body. Though I'd never considered myself a photographer, I followed curiosity's gentle pull. A serendipitous meeting with local photographer Sarah led to my purchasing my first professional underwater setup - and despite flooding cameras and countless out-of-focus shots, I knew there was something magical happening.
That first photo of Abby in my ocean - the same waters that had held me since childhood - captured pure joy and essence. Now, thousands of photos later, predominantly of women in the sea, I still feel that same wonder.
Women of Water, now a published coffee table photography book and mini documentary, emerged from this journey - a celebration of the subtle bravery we all possess. It's about our deep, spiritual connection to the sea, how the ocean serves as a source of inspiration, healing, and inner peace. The divine feminine in its purest form.
This isn't just my story - it's all of our stories of finding courage in the depths. And that sometimes, through the waves of change, we find our truest direction.
Oceans of Love,
Amanda x
Business Owner, Husband, Dad. If You Burn Out, Everything Burns With You
We came to the South Coast for space to breathe, time with the kids, salt on our skin. For something more than the city grind. But here's the kicker: even in paradise, too many of us are still drowning.
Business owner, husband, dad. The roles that define so many men on the coast. And the very roles that can quietly consume them. JC from Rewild cuts straight to the bone in his first piece for Salty's Cultivate series—because when you burn out, everything burns with you.
By JC - for Salty Magazine
Let's be honest. Most of us didn't move to the South Coast just for the hustle. We came here for something more - space to breathe, time with the kids, salt on our skin, less stress, more meaning and a different outlook on life to that in the busy city.
But here's the kicker: even in paradise, too many of us are still drowning in the grind.
We told ourselves we were chasing work-life balance, but for most guys I meet - business owners, builders of brands and legacies - it's work-meet the needs of others-work-neglect our own needs-repeat.
Somewhere between managing staff, chasing cash flow, showing up for our families, and trying not to lose ourselves completely… our health quietly slips to the bottom of the to-do list.
And that's the silent killer.
Not just physically - though the tight hips, nagging lower back, and 3 p.m. energy crashes are real - but mentally too. Stress piles up, sleep quality tanks, relationships strain, and decision-making gets sloppy. And what do we do? We grind harder. We tell ourselves we'll sort it out when things settle down. But they never do. Not unless we draw the line in the sand ourselves.
Fact: Over 50% of male business owners have not had a medical check-up in over 3 years. (Source: ATO Business Benchmarking Review)
Your Health Is Your Business Plan
If you run a business, lead a team, or have a family depending on you, your body and mind are your two most important assets. When they go down, everything else follows. I've seen too many good men (and women) burn out, blow up, or break down because they ignored that truth.
Fact: Businesses led by healthy, active founders are 3x more likely to grow profitably. (Source: Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneurial Leadership & Health Study)
Think of it like this: Do you keep important files scattered all over your desk? Did you build your business on a whim, without a plan? Then why are you doing that to your health?
Harsh Reality: 80% of business owners report poor sleep and physical fatigue due to work stress, which directly reduces decision-making quality, creativity, and leadership capacity. (Source: Mental Health Australia Small Business Research Report)
You Don't Need More Time - You Need Better Systems
I get it. The biggest lie we tell ourselves is, "I don't have time." But the truth is: we just don't have a proper system that puts us first.
Time for a walk? A weekly massage? A solo surf? A training session? These aren't luxuries. They're maintenance for the machine that makes everything work: you. And here's a little business advice - if you wouldn't ask your staff to run on empty, don't do it to yourself either.
This is where outsourcing and systems come into play. If you can outsource payroll, you can outsource meal prep or get help with your training. If you can schedule meetings, you can schedule a 10-minute walk outside, mobility, or a long overdue check-in with your own nervous system.
Reality Check: Regional men are 24% more likely to experience high psychological distress than men in metro areas, with fewer local resources or networks to support them. (Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare)
The Cost of Ignoring It Is Everything
Too many men wait until the wheels fall off before they get serious. Don't wait for the wake-up call. Your business, your family, your legacy - they need you strong, clear-headed, and grounded.
You don't have to do it alone - this is the point I'm ultimately trying to make. You need real conversations, practical strategies, and systems that keep you - the leader - in peak condition mentally and physically. Because at the end of the day, if you burn out, everything burns with you.
The BIG elephant in the room: Suicide remains the leading cause of death for Aussie men aged 18–44, with rural and regional males twice as likely to die by suicide compared to urban counterparts. (Source: ABS, 2022)
The conversation starts now.
We'll speak again soon, JC.
JC from Re:Wild with JC https://www.rewildwithjc.com