Book 1:

"31st Jan 2023, I finished my job of almost 25 years; it was my life - my purpose. However, for too long I travelled 2 hours a day, spent 12/14 hours away from home and was an call 24/7.

I was offered a new job that was 10 minutes from home, working 8 hours a day and overall a better work life balance - it was perfect...

Three days. Three days into a new routine, in a new place, I was struggling to sleep and broke into a cold sweat at the thought of work. I couldn't move, my head racing; I was a mess.

I was lucky. My boss understood my struggle and offered me the space I needed away from work.

Weeks later, a friend reached out about a men's mental health walking group; that weekend I drove to the meeting place, only to turn around quickly after. The following week, my friend and I went together. It was there I met others who had or were experiencing their own anxieties, loss or stress... I realised I wasn't alone.

The more we talked, the better I felt.

The more I moved, the better I felt.

It was not a quick fix; this journey took months to feel comfortable with my life. But now, I have a great group of friends who go on amazing walks, for ourselves and charities, a job that I love and the work-life balance I desperately needed."

Robert O'Dwyer --

About this book:

This is the first book I've ever written and illustrated, dedicated to my dad. He had gone through a major life shift following a change in job and routine; he connected a lot of himself to that job, but it took too much of him in the end.

Leaving that place left him lost and shaken, his feet unsteady. Through support of friends, family, and his own perseverance, he put one foot in front of the other; he joined a men's mental health walking group, and is still a dedicated member to this day. Connecting with like-minded people, out in nature and achieving something everyday helped build the blocks of his life back up.

This story - his story - inspires me always, and I hope that it will do the same for others.