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Acceptance isn’t giving up — it’s learning where to stop wasting energy and start responding wisely.

In this men’s circle, we’ll work with David Richo’s The Five Things We Cannot Change (Link here) to explore five fundamental realities of life. Rather than just talking about them, we’ll look at how they show up in our work, relationships, self-image, and daily decisions as men — and what it actually looks like to meet them with maturity and self-respect.

This session is about identifying resistance, releasing unnecessary struggle, and practicing acceptance in concrete, usable ways.

You don’t need to read the book (although it’s a great one), just reading through the headings and questions to make sure you come into the meeting primed would be enough.

Here are The Five Things We Cannot Change according to the author:

  1. Everything changes and ends - Nothing — relationships, roles, phases of life — stays the same forever.
  2. Things do not always go according to plan - Life is unpredictable, no matter how prepared or disciplined we are.
  3. Life is not always fair - Effort does not always equal outcome.
  4. Pain is part of life - Emotional and physical pain are unavoidable aspects of being human.
  5. People are not always loving or loyal - Others will disappoint us, leave, or fail to meet our expectations.

Here are the Questions to reflect on before the Circle, You don’t need perfect answers — just honesty. You can share as much or as little as you're comfortable with.

1. Where am I currently resisting reality?
What am I hoping will change that clearly isn’t?

2. Which of the five truths do I struggle with the most — and why?
What does that resistance cost me in energy, peace, or relationships?

3. Where am I trying to control something that’s outside my control?
What would it look like to respond instead of force?

4. How do I usually react to disappointment or unfairness?
Do I withdraw, harden, overwork, blame, or avoid?

5. What might acceptance make possible right now?
If I stopped fighting this part of life, what energy or clarity might return?

What to Expect

  • Short readings and prompts from the book
  • Structured reflection and open discussion
  • Practical insights you can apply immediately
  • A grounded, confidential space with other men

No fixing. No posturing. Just honest work and real conversation.

Looking forward to a fruitful discussion
Mayar

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Join us for a friendly gathering of men (all ages welcome) where we’ll have an open discussion on anything and everything related to the experiences and challenges we as men face in the modern age.

The topics of discussion will vary from meeting to meeting, covering a wide range that could include work and money, relationships and intimacy, parenthood and family, loss and grief, travel and relocation, fitness and health, etc. The format is flexible and while we usually suggest topics and vote on them, we may also leverage articles or excerpts from books in the area to guide the discussion.

Please note that this isn’t meant to be therapy or coaching.

We’ll provide a safe and confidential space and require the same from all our attendees. If you’re not the type to enjoy deeper discussion, this group is probably not the right one for you. The group will be kept on the smaller side to foster an intimate setting and allow everyone enough time to share.

This group is for men only. We understand women also face many of these challenges and we encourage you to join one of the many women’s-only meet-ups available in Montreal. This group will be held in English.

There is a small fee for in-person events to cover the space costs, online events will be free.

PLEASE NOTE: This group strives to create a safe and respectful space for open dialogue that aims to heal rather than exacerbate the divisions in society. While we agree that a lot of men are struggling in the modern world, we do not condone much of the unsavoury takes found in "the manosphere". However, we do extend a warm invite to men who may have been drawn to certain ideologies but are eager to transcend them. So if you're seeking to move beyond divisive perspectives and instead choose to focus on personal growth and positive transformation to become a well-rounded active member of society (including as a partner and father, if you choose), this group is for you!

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