What’s a challenge you overcame?

Michael | Tauranga

Michael was on the other side of the world, struggling to find work, while going through a divorce. 

“It was a lot to go through. Like I said, we’re proud people.

I don’t know what it’s like in New Zealand these days, but I feel like there’s a bit of a stigma around divorce in Canada. Obviously now, after the divorce, I’m single, and I go out on dates and I bring it up. For example, if you say, “I’m coming out of a ten-year relationship,” it’s like, “Oh, I’m so sorry for you, that must have been hard.” But when you say “Oh I’m coming out of a ten-year divorce”, everyone is like “Oh, what? You were married and you’re divorced now,” and it’s actually the exact same thing.

There’s a different title on it, and all of a sudden it puts a different stigma on it.

When it first happened, I was doom and gloom. I was down in the dumps. But then I kind of thought about it, and a lot of people have gone through this. If they can make it through, so can I.

As hard as it is, I think you just have to try to get out of your own head sometimes. It’s so easy to lock yourself away and bury yourself deep in your own head.

There’s such a stigma worldwide that men just have to do things alone. But we have people and everyone is there for you, whether it be the smallest thing or the biggest thing. Everyone is actually happy to chat, and friends are happy to be there for you and family.”