The Male Mind for Women
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Male Friendships: Why They Are Confusing for Women
I have always found male friendships interesting. Male bonding is nothing like when women get together. When women meet, there’s a lot of sharing, advice-giving, empowerment, and overall satisfaction. When men meet, I see none of those things. They often sit quietly and drink or watch stuff with the occasional comment or joke passed around. Can you call that a friendship? Well, as crazy as it may sound, yes, you can. The bond of brotherhood is simple yet complex. No, men will not hug and cry together, but they would go to war for each other after being friends for a couple of days, no questions asked! When I’m bored,…
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Male Confidence: How Changing My Approach Changed My Husband
Male confidence is tricky territory! Deeply ingrained societal norms place an enormous burden on men to be invulnerable — a warrior impenetrable to the worries of the world. They’re expected to pull themselves up by the bootstraps, let harsh comments roll off their back, and solve any problems that arise by throwing hands. While some of this mess is finally changing, this was the reality of my husband’s raising. Healthy self-esteem doesn’t come naturally for my fella, and it didn’t take me long as a new wife to realize that much of his confidence was tied up in how he thought I perceived him. A Tale of Two Opposites… I…
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Building A Strong Relationship: Dealing With Challenges as a Team
What makes a relationship strong? Before you answer that, consider Mexican artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. A passionate love story that started when the two met and discovered shared ideals about Mexican identity. Even better, they were both artists with strong personalities. Their marriage? Well, it was marked by fiery arguments, infidelity, and intense artistic collaboration. Diego was involved with other women through their marriage, while Frida took several lovers. The couple would fight rather publicly– through art. Frida once painted a portrait of herself crying with Diego’s face as a third eye, symbolizing the pain from their rough relationship. It came as no surprise that they divorced. Then,…
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This Helped Me Better Understand How Men Perceive Vulnerability
Recently I watched my husband grieve the loss of his father following a courageous battle with cancer. This experience was truly heartbreaking to witness. However, I believe it helped me to better understand just how complex the depths of vulnerability can be for men. To be vulnerable means to identify and share what is true for us emotionally. From the words of Brené Brown, “Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.” As a therapist I encourage vulnerability; It has the power of truly transforming our relationships, with ourselves and with others. When we show vulnerably in the context of…
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Understanding His Boundaries, What Does That Mean?
There are those days when your boyfriend needs to retreat to his shell and then emerge a better and more loving man. It happens sometimes, and you’ve been asking yourself why he’s been doing it. Is it because he’s getting exhausted, or is he hiding something? The answer could be less evil and visible than you would think. You could be dealing with your boyfriend’s boundaries. It sucks to think that he would even place boundaries in your relationship. But they are necessary. Most people did not grow up with adults who communicated healthily and respectfully. Setting healthy boundaries was not exactly something we learned from them. What if setting…
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The Top Things Men Secretly Want in a Relationship
If you are active on social media, you must be confused about what men want from women. The requirements seem as diverse as they are non-inclusive. In addition, what men want seems to be changing every few months. We all want something from a relationship. Women are more vocal about their expectations and needs. They are rarely afraid of asking for what they want from their partners. But it is not to say that women do not have secret desires. Men are a different case. They struggle to be open about what they want in a relationship. Especially if they think it will affect the relationship. So, believe the rumors:…
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Decoding Men’s Words: What He Says vs. What He Really Means
Men are supposed to be simple communicators, like a yes or no questionnaire. What they say is supposed to mean exactly that. Men are supposed to be straightforward in communication. No dropping hints or struggling to express themselves. Good theory, right? Well, the reality goes a little different. If you have ever been in a relationship with a man, you probably know that sometimes, what he says vs what he really means, are siblings, not twins. But wait, there’s a little more to this. Men try not to be complicated by saying what they mean. However, they are not the best at expressing themselves through long texts and deep explanations.…
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Discover His Love Language!
‘Love language’ is something you will hear everyone constantly talk about. But it is not a 2020 phenomenon. No, the concept of the love language goes back to 1992 when Gary Chapman shared his masterpiece ‘The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate.’ Years later, this book remains relevant, birthing ‘What is my love language’ quizzes and articles about maximizing your love language. Some pieces even explain the differences between men’s and women’s preferred love languages. It’s fun to discover these things! But it can also help you understand your partner better. That said, what is your boyfriend’s love language? I get it; it’s wild to…
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A Guide to Supporting Men Through Emotional Challenges
Sometimes, it feels like men have no idea how they are feeling and how it’s affecting them. Worse, they fail to understand how it affects people around them. But they are not entirely to blame for this! As if the differences between men and women are not enough, male and female brains are built differently, affecting emotional expression. So get this: Studies show that women’s brains are better connected across the right and left sides. On the other hand, men’s brains have stronger connections between the front and back regions. But why is this important? Well, those connections make women better at emotional expression. The right part of the brain…
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Signs He’s Pulling Away from Your Relationship
‘Yeap, he’s definitely breaking up with me,’ is probably what you are thinking right now. Your boyfriend, husband, or partner is pulling away, and you can’t help but think the worst. So, is he going to break up with you? Maybe! Terrifying thought, right? But wait, is he actually being distant, or is something else going on when he’s pulling away? Men are far more complicated than they get credit for. So, it is possible that he’s not pulling from the relationship. You do not want to think the worst but want to be ready just in case. Unfortunately, running around with uncertainty could cause more problems in the relationship.…
