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Being vulnerable is probably one of the hardest things you will ever do. But if you can create that safe space for vulnerability, you and those around you will be more comfortable revealing their own fears and anxieties. In this episode of One Year No Beer, Andy sits down with Jason MacKenzie. Jason is the author and creator of The Book of Open. His book touches on how to create vulnerable spaces between yourself and your family in order to overcome life’s adversities. What began as a journal transformed into an interactive website and a book, which is how Jason connects with others and their families and helps them process their own hardships. “Every single decision I make alters the trajectory of my life.” Like most of us, Jason was a party boy in his twenties. His relationship with alcohol was one of late nights and binge drinking. But when his late wife was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and later committed suicide, alcohol became his crutch. Rather than process his emotions, Jason created a stereotype of a “man’s man” and drowned his mourning in alcohol. Unfortunately, these actions had negative effects on his other relationships, including the one with his two young children. But Jason woke up one morning at 2am with a revelation. He hated what he was doing and what it was doing to himself and his family. “When you’re pushed to the limit,” he says, “you’re going to do things. And you can judge yourself for it or…you can learn from it.” Moving forward meant forgiving himself and accepting his emotions. You can’t avoid what you’re feeling, and it’s not fair to yourself or the people around you to stay closed off. When you ask for help, people will come out of the woodwork to help you, you just have to be brave enough to ask. Accepting responsibility. Once he accepted his own flaws, Jason realized he owed something to the rest of us. If he was afraid to ask for help, how many people out there are still suffering? “I recognized that I could have a meaningful impact and make a positive contribution to the world,” Jason says of his empowering book The Book of Open. His book creates a safe space for men and women to be vulnerable. He encourages shifts in thinking that focus on the positive and offers advice in order to help people process the less-than-stellar emotions and aspects of life. LINKS a RESOURCES OYNB Website: https://www.oneyearnobeer.com/OYNB Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oneyearnobeer/OYNB Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/199505820380513/OYNB Twitter: https://twitter.com/oynbuk/OYNB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneyearnobeer/ JASON MACKENZIE’S RESOURCES The Book of Open The Book of Open Website