Masculinity, a blessing or a curse

For too many years men have been tagged with needing to be strong, silent, fearless, emotionless, stoic and in some cases dominating.

These attributes were probably needed in the great depression and the world wars however hopefully the 21st century man has evolved into one that is sensitive, caring, kind and open.

The old characteristics have led many men to a point of crisis, creating unrealistic demands and pressures to be the strong silent type. Today it is important to have an evolved skill set.

The skill set should include family skills which means being able to communicate to all family members in an open, honest and emotional way. Socially you should be able to communicate to all genders in a respectful and honest way and listen and acknowledge the other persons opinion and point of view. Another important skill is to keep watch on your ego so that it does not rule your mental decisions.

We are all on the planet seeking joy and happiness and bullying and dominating is not required to get the most out of life.

A new skill in the toolbox is navigating the social media platform, it is very important to understand the consequences of expressing an opinion or point of view, realise that all social media sites have logarithms that can track you and your thoughts that you express. Process your posts before hitting the upload button, does the content reflect facts, truth and hope?

Times are a changing and so should you, be the man you want to be, show emotions, speak your mind, seek help early if needed and be the positive male and father figure.

One of the fundamental differences between men and women is that women talk, and men take action. You can be that man that actively adopts positive habits and behaviours, yes, it is in your hands.