How to make the most of the month of November without shaving



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It's more than just a beard. It's about the health of men.

Justin Birckbichler is a fourth-grade teacher, a survivor of testicular cancer and the founder of aBallsySenseofTumor.com. From a diagnosis diagnosed in November 2016 at the age of 25 until the end of his chemotherapy in January 2017, he was pbadionate about sharing his story in order to educate the public and to promote an open dialogue on men's health. Contact him on Instagram @aballsysenseoftumor, on Twitter @absotTC on Facebook or by email at [email protected].

October is bad cancer awareness month, but focuses primarily on men's health awareness, including: testicular, prostate and colon cancers. Two organizations share the merit of launching this company: the No Shave November Foundation, which promotes shaving of the face, and the Movember Foundation, which advocates shaving all. Both organizations have been around for more than a decade and have raised millions of dollars to support research and awareness projects on these cancers.

However, if you ask an ordinary man what No Shave November means, it will probably say something to the effect of, "I do not have to shave for a month, brah!" They may be referring to a playoff beard, a concept that is totally foreign to me because I do not understand the sport. In any case, nothing has anything to do with raising awareness of men's health.

I do not deny my powerful throne – I was this guy just four years ago. At the time, I worked with three men at my elementary school. We all decided to grow our beard for the month. In a way, this has been turned into a monetary competition involving students and staff. The one who collected the most money had to dye his beard blue and white.

Here is what I remember: it was sort of a three-way tie. We all had to dye our beards, which made teaching very difficult. Every day, we sent out every staff member an email containing daily information about the beard and its importance throughout history.

What does not remember ? Any mention of testicular, colon or prostate cancer. I do not even know which organization the money went to, but I think it was the American Cancer Society.

We spent all this time telling stories to kids and looking for factual information about the beard, but we never talked about testicles or anything about men's health . Imagine if we had used these emails from all staff instead of random acquaintances.

That brings me to my point. Whether you call it "No Shave November", "Movember", "Novembeard" or anything else, my challenge is to do better than Justin 2014.
How can you do that?

In Person …

Discuss the mission – no beard. Do not hesitate to steal this example of conversation.

"Mon, Justin, your beard has become very long and neglected, why do not you shave?"

"Well, Jake, I pledged not to shave right now." All the month of November. "

" But why! you look like a mess! "

" It's true, but I do not shave for a reason. The month of November is a month of awareness of the health of men, specifically testicles. , prostate and colon cancer. The growth of my facial hair serves as a starting point for a visual conversation. When did you last treat your health seriously? Have you done a testicular self-check lately? "

" My God, you've changed my vision of life completely. I'll join you for this neglected growth and spread the word – just after I'm showering to do a testicle self test! "

It's maybe a little sugar-coated, but a simple conversation is enough." I like the ALEC approach a lot (ask, listen, encourage action, check-in). in) of the Movember Foundation to discuss health with other people.These four simple steps can make all the difference, especially the last.The follow up of these conversations is essential.Do not make one Once finished

While it takes several months to grow a Duck Dynasty level beard, you'll get tired of an unruly mess before Thanksgiving dinner (or for you international readers, the fourth Thursday of November.) Your facial hair can trigger the conversation.Nothing brings a family together around a bar or friends around a table, like discussions about the feeling of the ball and the Examination of the prostate

On the social networks …

If you do not do something like Gram / Tweet / Snap, did it even happen? I understand. You are dedicated to growing this beard and you need proof to prove it. In 2014, I did the same thing. I have posted weekly photos, with spiritual legends, to show my progress. What was missing in my legends? Practical steps on how to do a self-exam, age suggested for planning a colonoscopy or risk factors for cancer in humans.

Go Further – include links to resources on previous information. To save you the trouble, here are some excellent sites:

The sharing of links is not without reserve. Make sure to post links that really help the cause. In preparing for this post, I researched the origins of No Shave November. I found this post titled "7 Things No One Says About No Shave November". Although the article began in a promising way, it quickly turned into seven random "facts" about the beard, then took a difficult position in an advertisement for razors. In a way, this link is the sixth success on Google, which is a huge disappointment. The links I have provided above are real useful resources.

Whether you're sharing a tutorial, risk factors, or a link to get more information, make sure your subtitles are meaningful. The average person spends nearly two hours every day on social media, and most of this content is made up of cat videos and even stupid ones. Your useful message might be the part that saves a life.

The Bottom Line …

If you grow facial hair in November and you choose not to back it up with real information and spread awareness, it is well. You have the right to grow a beard and / or a mustache and you can do it all year!
But if you're just pushing your beard, do not act, it's for a bigger cause. You need balls to avoid shaving for a month (especially if you are in uneven plots), but you need even more to talk about the real reason for the season. need to open lines of communication and understand the why of what we do. Growing a beard is a privilege as a healthy man, but it is essential to discuss health (especially health-specific issues, such as these cancers).

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