About Quiet Confidence
Me, My Journey, & Mission
Bryan Benardino
Mindful Masculinity Mentor
I empower high-achieving men to break free from feeling stuck and unfulfilled in their relationships, career, and life. Through transformative coaching, they cultivate authentic, progressive masculinity, embracing vulnerability, emotional intelligence, and self-confidence. This enables them to forge profound connections and achieve true fulfillment without compromising their true selves.
Who I am
I am a passionate, creative, giving, integrated man walking my path and living my purpose of sharing my basic, true, authentic nature with the world. This true, conscious nature, my Ziji, I give a voice to through my writing, poetry, music, coaching, and by living a deliberate, authentic, purposeful life of peace, freedom, ease, and fulfillment. Through my work, I help other men to find this in themselves and propagate a revolution of strong, conscious, loving, compassionate, masculine men who, in turn, spread this to others. Facta Non-Verba.
I am trained as a men’s coach and a mindfulness coach.
What I do
You know that constant thought lingering in the back of your mind – that your life should be more than it is? More meaning, more purpose, more fulfillment? You lie down and night and think, “surely this can’t be as good as it gets?!”
I help men break out of the hamster wheel many of us find ourselves on that’s mired in mediocrity. I help them understand themselves, express themselves authentically, and impact the world. So that they can truly live – fully, deliberately, and purposefully.
Quiet Confidence is the place for men ready to take charge of their lives and live with more peace, freedom, health, and fulfillment. I help men do this by providing them with tools they can use every day to be more mindful of how they think and feel about themselves as well as others around them.
This mindfulness helps them become aware of their thoughts to make better decisions about what matters most in life instead of just reacting out of habit or fear like most people do daily.
My real job is to guide you to discover, awaken, and unleash the masculine fire that’s inside you.
Why I do it
Most men don’t turn inward and do the work necessary to connect with and unleash our true masculine purpose, power, and passion.
We settle, we get stuck, and we suffer in silence.
Maybe you believe that if you’re a good guy, everyone will love and like you (and the people you desire will desire you).
Maybe you’re feeling some sort of anxiety, depression, or obsessive worry more than 3 times a day. Or you’re feeling overwhelmed more than three times a week.
Maybe you’ve felt either disconnected or isolated from everyone for more than 3 months.
Maybe you feel unheard, misunderstood, or ashamed. Or you feel unrespected, unseen, unacknowledged as a man at least once a week.
Maybe you feel like you can’t be the man others want you to be. Or you feel like you can’t please other people no matter how hard you try.
Maybe you get triggered easily, you can’t control your anger (or any emotions), and don’t understand why.
You might even ask ‘what’s the point of all this?’ once or twice a week.
Brother, you’re not alone! This is more common than most people realize and more of a serious threat to our world than most realize.
You are not invisible or insignificant. You are perfect just as you are, and your beliefs and thoughts are not wrong. You are a man and don’t need to be an alpha male or a macho asshole to prove it.
You haven’t turned inwards to do the work of examining yourself and intentionally designing the way you move through the world.
I believe our lives are best lived authentically with calm, clarity, and congruence. When we take the time to discover and develop the most authentic version of ourselves, we give a beautiful gift to ourselves and everyone around us.
You make a difference and will change the world just by being here and living your purpose.
I want to help you see that. I want to help you to help others to see that.
Quick Facts
Practicing mindfulness since 2014
I was training for my first Ironman and racing 45+ hours a week, 7 days a week. After reading Rich Roll’s book ‘Finding Ultra’, I started using long runs and rides as active meditations. It had such an effect on me that I began incorporating guided meditation into my everyday routine. I’ve continued to explore and expand since then.
I'm no monk
The occasional (more often, if I’m honest) f-bomb slips out. I eat meat. I’m an avid coniseur of whisk(e)y. I don’t always say the right thing, think the right thing, or act in the right manner; I’m trying though. And I’m bald because male patterned baldness runs rampant on both sides of my family.
Married, divorced, remarried
Two great people, just too different to be great together. I’m now married to my best friend and have a fulfilling and thriving marriage; a relationship I had previously thought unattainable.
Father to two stepsons and seven cats
Two amazing (almost) grown boys that I’m honored to be a part of their lives. Yeah, seven cats. Wasn’t on purpose, kind of a long story, and not a crazy cat person.
Two-time Ironman
And have the tattoo to prove it. I’ve also run a number of other distance triathlons, half-marathons, and marathons. Not breaking any records or going to Hawai’i, but it’s a passion of mine that I really enjoy. I’m currently not as hard-core as I used to be, but I’m slowly creeping my way back there.
Have a "regular" job
I have a 9-5 job with a tech company that I actually love. Finding a balance between that, family, myself, and my passions is something I’m constantly working at. I know working for someone else isn’t for everyone but it works well with me and I’m happy.
Struggled with depression & anxiety
Only within the last few years have I learned that I’ve been struggling with this for a large part of my life. Meditation, and Mindfulness especially, have helped tremendously in how I can cope and manage it. So has therapy, which is something I highly recommend. There’s a false, negative stigma around it. Believe me, it’s worth it.
From overwhelmed to empowered
I faced the challenges of midlife head-on, transforming my life and finding a new path. I conquered stress, embraced self-care, and prioritized my well-being. Now, I’m thriving physically, emotionally, and mentally. If I can do it, so can you! Embrace your potential, overcome the obstacles, and create the life you deserve.