In all fairness lads, I know how hard it is to simply open up to somebody without having a pint in front of you to apply that liquid courage. Speaking from experience, the one big thing that stopped me from opening up in the past was my ego. My ego was the wall that I had to learn to jump over and between me and you, I’ve never been good at scaling walls.
But the thing about your ego, and the proverbial wall that I’ve just mentioned – they’re both not real. Yes, the wall looks real, and you know you could never jump over it, but have you tried? Or are you just assuming from experience that it’s a hopeless endeavour and, hence, never even bother trying.
Yeah, it’s easy for me to say since I’ve never walked a mile in those banana boats of yours, but all I can do is give you, my perspective. This is coming from a lad, who only a few years ago, would never open up to anyone about anything. The consequences of that, I still feel today. I’m lucky that I have friends who had the persistence to put up with my sulky bullshit for the past few years. However, you my friend! May not be so lucky.
This is why I’m begging you to set aside your ego and finally talk to your mates and family about the things that are going on inside your noggin.
It’s very important to be honest with yourself to begin with. You really need to try and play the armchair therapist with yourself and analyse why it is you feel certain ways. if you are feeling down about something. That on the inside, feels like the most horrendous, scariest problem that you don’t think anyone in human history has ever experienced, I can guarantee you, someone, somewhere has gone through what you’re going through. You may even find, your own closest mates (who you will certainly open up to after reading this article) are going through the exact same problem as you!
One of the big critiques of men in general is that we struggle to open up. We often drown our sorrows or become bitter. This doesn’t need to be the case anymore. The days of men having fragile egos should be well and truly in the past! There’s nothing to prove anymore, the war is over, put away your weapons. My own theory is that the reason we are afraid to open is, is because we will face vitriol or shame off others when in fact, I think it’s the complete opposite. When you open up to people you are exposing a slice of your soul to that person. That, sir. Is the bravest thing you can do!
So, to summarize! Its crucially important for the future of manhood that we become more in touch with our emotional sides. We need to utilize our friends, and, ultimately make deeper connections with them in the process . Ironically, you will probably find that you will become closer to the people you open up to.
Get used to talking to your mates about everything and don’t be an island. It’s only through talking about how you’re feeling that you can ever find out that the problems you have aren’t in fact unique to you and that we all, probably, go through the same grief!
Without trying to sound too much like a sleazy salesman pushing my wares on you. You should genuinely check out ‘’The Snug’’ on this very site. The one thing I had on my mind when creating it was lads coming together and talking about their lives, while, at the same time encouraging each other and helping each other with life problems that rear their heads every so often in our day-to-day grinds. You’re free to post anything in there, and, in fact actively encouraged to slate people if they are being idiots. While on the other hand - helping out those that may be posting in there as a last resort, or just someone to talk about sports with.
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