Am I a Good Man? A question we should all be asking ourselves.

Every morning, I look myself in the mirror.

I don’t do it out of vanity. I do it for truth.

Because that man staring back at me? He knows. He knows whether I’ve lived up to my principles. He knows whether I’ve shown up for my family, whether I’ve stood tall or folded under pressure, whether I’ve walked like a man, or just pretended to.

And if I can look myself dead in the eye and say, “I am a good man,” then I know I’ve done something right.

But let me be clear, being a good man isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being real. It’s about taking full responsibility for who you are and what you stand for.

As a husband and a father, my first duty is to protect my family, at any cost.

That doesn’t mean when it’s convenient. It doesn’t mean when it’s easy. It means always. Even when it wears me out. Even when I take the hit. Because putting them first is what a man does. It’s not sacrifice if you know it’s your purpose.

Being a good man also means showing respect to those who’ve earned it, and tolerating zero bullshit from those who haven’t. I’m not interested in false pleasantries or sugar-coated nonsense. You carry yourself with honor? I’ll meet you there, every time. You come with disrespect or entitlement? You’ll hit the floor.

And I’ll tell you something else: If I see someone in need, someone being hurt, outnumbered, or left behind, I step in. Not because it’s expected. Because it’s right. Even if it puts me in danger. Even if I’m the only one doing it while the so-called “woke” crowd stands there filming it on their phones for likes and views.

When did standing up for a stranger become controversial?

When did bravery become optional?

..And yes, I am proudly masculine.

Let me be abundantly clear. When I say masculine, I’m not talking about some narcissistic, cartoon version of manhood. I’m not talking about bullies who bark louder than they act. I’m not talking about the Andrew Tates of the world. Men who confuse cruelty with strength, and chauvinism with confidence. That guy is the exact opposite of what masculinity means. He’s not a role model, he’s a walking warning label. A bully, a chauvinist, and a pig.

True masculinity is about protecting, not posturing. It’s about leading with strength and humility, not dominance and ego. It's about being powerful because you know when not to use it. Masculinity isn’t toxic,  insecurity is. And the louder someone has to scream about being an “alpha,” the more obvious it is they’ve never really earned that title.

So yes, I am masculine. And I stand by it. Because the world needs more strong, grounded, respectful men, not less.

And isn’t it strange? The loudest voices saying “violence never solves anything” are the same people who’ve never had to fight for anything.

Never stood between danger and their family. Never bled for their beliefs. Never felt the weight of real consequences. But I have. And I’ll do it again, if it means keeping what matters safe.

So yeah, when I look in the mirror, I ask myself the hard questions. Did I do right by my family today? Did I stand for something when it mattered? Did I show up, not just when it was easy, but when it was hard? Did I hold the line?

And if the answer is yes, even if I stumbled along the way, then I can look at that man in the glass and say:
"You are a good man."

Not because the world tells me so.
Not because I'm flawless.
But because I’ve earned it, with grit, with love, and with everything I’ve got.

What would your answer be?