Gents Weekly: Happiness is a Vibe
Issue #2: The manliest newsletter on the internet • January 19, 2026
Welcome to the second issue of The Gents Weekly, a newsletter for the modern man.
Every Monday, you’ll receive a weekly roundup of inspiring ideas + products to help you become the best version of yourself.
Brought to you by the men of Gents Journey — Dean Bokhari, Stephen Seidel, and Matt McManus.
Let’s dig in…
📝 THE MESSAGE
A timely piece from the gents.
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“I wish that I had let myself be happier.”
It’s one of the most common regrets among dying men; one of the final things they utter before taking their final breath and moving on.
It’s sad to think about, isn’t it?
To look back on your life and realize you didn’t let yourself enjoy it to the max?
In my view, the last thing you want to be thinking about when you get to the end of your life is whether you allowed yourself to be happy or not.
Because the simple truth of the matter is this:
Happiness is a choice.
Seriously, it is.
You can choose to be happy, right here, right now.
Sure, you might be pissed off about what your wife said to you this morning.
Yes - you might be angry about something one of your coworkers said.
And sure, you might very well be ticked off about how your children keep leaving their toys and socks and other shit in random places around the house.
But then again…
You can also choose to feel happy about the fact that you’ve got a loving wife in the first place.
You can choose to feel grateful about having a job or business that puts food on the table.
And next time you trip over a f--king monster truck on your way out of the kitchen, you can choose to get upset over it…
Or, you can choose to look at it as a reminder that you get to be a dad.
A dad with a kid that loves you and looks up to you...
You know that kid’s going to grow up one day, right? Do you want them to remember how often you got angry with them? Or do you want them to remember how often you brought joy and happiness into your interactions with them?
Happiness is a choice.
So start choosing to feel it in as many moments as you can in life.
You’ll feel like a lighter, better, more energetic man by doing so.
And it beats the hell out of regret.
I wish that I had let myself be happier.
I choose to be happy right now.
As men, we’re conditioned to man-up, be strong, and take care of business…
And I see value in that. I believe in it and embody it.
In addition to that, though, I also believe that we, as men, need to loosen the f--ck up sometimes.
We’ve got to allow ourselves to feel more joy and happiness.
So let go of what you think your supposed to act like and let yourself be a kid again every now and then.
Laugh and be goofy and weird.
You know you want to.
And if you’re worried about what other people will think of that, you’re worried about the wrong things.
Nobody gives too much of a shit about how you act.
And that’s a good thing.
Because when you’re on your deathbed, what other people think of you will be the last thing on your mind.
What will be on your mind, however, is all the moments you could have chosen to feel happy about the life you’ve got.
What if you could just let go and smile again?
What if you could just be you?
And what if you could do it now, and not moments before you take your last breath?
Guess what?
You can.
— Dean Bokhari
Co-founder, Gents Journey
📰 THE MOMENT
Sh*t that’s happening now, ICYMI
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Master Your Year With AI: The Smile Test: 10-minute conversation that reminds you why you're kind of great
We spend a lot of time looking at what’s not working, what needs fixing, what we’re falling short on. This week, try something different.
Open up your AI tool of choice - Claude, ChatGPT, whatever you use - and ask it this:
“Ask me some questions to help me smile at myself.”
That’s it. See where the conversation takes you. Let yourself be curious. Let yourself be surprised by your own answers.
Give this interaction with your AI ten minutes of your time. I guarantee you’ll smile.
Sometimes the simplest questions unlock the biggest shifts. This week, give yourself permission to remember what makes you... you.
SMILE.
— Matt McManus
Co-founder, Gents Journey
👊 THE MOVES
Media for men.
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Watch | Choose to Be Happy
Watch the video on the new Gents Journey YouTube channel (and remember to subscribe!)
This may sound simple, even a little cliché, but it’s true:
You can choose to be happy.
Happiness isn’t determined by your money, possessions, or fame; it’s a choice you make every day.
You are the one driving the ship behind key relation-ships, friend-ships, partner-ships, and ultimately your leader-ship. When you realize that, something magical happens.
When we let go, much like unclenching a closed fist, we open ourselves up to receive the blessings around us.
Shift Your Mindset
In 2020, I relocated across the country during the pandemic. Within a short span of time, I experienced nearly every major life milestone at once: a job change, a new home, the birth of a child, a global crisis, and the responsibility of caring for a sick parent.
I felt lonely, lost, and depressed, looking outside of myself for a lifeboat—something to bring me some sense of joy, or even a new direction.
Then a mentor asked me a simple question that changed everything:
“Are you coming from happiness, or looking for happiness?”
It made me pause. Was I seeking happiness in people, places, and outcomes, or was I finding it in the moments I was already living?
At the time, I was chasing it.
So I made a shift. I returned to the things I loved. I practiced gratitude. I joined the Lexington tennis club, attended local concerts at The Burl, and took long walks in nature to connect to the love (and joy) that was within.
Happiness wasn’t missing, but waiting for me.
Here’s a simple question to ask yourself from our Journey Deck:
It doesn’t have to be impressive or public. It could be listening, fixing old cars, making your child’s bed just right, or remembering the stories your parents used to tell.
Whatever it is, honor it.
When we recognize our own gifts, we choose love over fear, appreciation over doubt, and happiness over the belief that we’re not enough.
The choice is yours.
In the words of Bobby McFerrin, “Don’t worry, Be Happy.”
— Stephen Seidel
Co-founder, Gents Journey
🔗 MEANINGFUL MENTIONS + MAGIC LINKS
Fun stuff you’ll dig.
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💻 REAL MEN HAVE A COACH IN THEIR CORNER
Stop playing small, step into the man you know you are.
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We’re looking for ten men who want coaching and guidance to level up in life + work. If that’s you, fill out this form, and we’ll be in touch.
Until next week,
—The Gents
Inspired? Forward this newsletter to another gent you think it could help.