Here's the bad news: Men are hurting, and, according to many researchers. masculinity (男子气) is what is hurting them and making it hard for them to maintain friendships. Society tells men to hide their feelings and expects them to be aggressive, so many men lose their friendship when growing up. The good news is that those skills can be recovered!
There are a lot of experts who can help. and here's what they recommend:
⒈Accept your own desire and normalize it for the people in your life. Way, an expert, recommends sharing articles about masculinity and friendship so that you can start these conversations! Concentrate on them and don't forget you have the entire Internet at your fingertips, friend!
⒉Model vulnerability. Say the thing that frightens or worries you. like "I'm afraid nobody will go to my party," or "I miss my grandma every day." Doing so will make it easier for other people to follow your lead. We are all on the elevator to a society where emotional availability is normalized, and I want you to press "door open".
⒊Ask more questions. People sometimes feel they might be prying (爱打听的) if they ask someone about themselves-especially when their friend is sharing something tough. But if you get curious in moments of vulnerability you will open the door to all kinds of growth in your relationship. Take the opportunity to really see your friend and show them they matter by following up.
⒋Get close with the children in your life. Way's research says that the top priority that helps children (especially boys) grow up to have enriching friendships is to be close with an adult relative who was not afraid to express emotions. So. if you are a father. stepfather. or thinking about becoming one. or if you have nieces or nephews, take the opportunity to be close to them and help them grow up to be good friends, too.
