Do men crave connection?

The simple but masked truth is that men have always needed deep connection. A 2010 study discovered that men between the ages of 18 and 23 were more affected by emotional instability in their romantic relationships than were their female partners. This doesn't change with age.

nytimes.com - It's Not Only Women Who Want More Intimacy in Relationships

How do you know if someone is the one?

When someone is truly "the one," they will make time to be with you, listen to you (even if they don't agree), and support you. "There will be a...

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Is your soulmate your partner?

For some, a soulmate may be considered our “better half”: someone with whom we are connected on a spiritual level, where the relationship exists...

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Do you really know who the “One” is? Your true Soulmate?

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This sounds completely counterintuitive. How is it that so many men need deeper, stable ties in their love lives, yet historically they have been the ones fleeing to literal and figurative “man caves”? Time and time again, both gay and heterosexual men I interviewed spoke of a paralyzing fear of appearing “weak” (that was the most common one) or “small” or “too insecure” if they opened up and shared their fears, sadness and need for emotional succor with their love partners. They feared that airing such protected feelings would lead to rejection or abandonment.

More often than we care to believe, these fears are well founded.

Andrew Smiler, a psychologist based in Winston-Salem, N.C., whose practice is devoted to boys and men, told me that one of the main skills he helps men with is learning how to access, process and articulate their deeper emotional lives as a way of sustaining and strengthening their romantic partnerships. Typically, he said, it goes well for these men the first time they make themselves vulnerable. After that, though, the warm reception cools. They’re often met with such responses as “‘You’re much needier than I thought you were.’ That seems to be the big one,” said Dr. Smiler, an author of books on masculinity, including “The Masculine Self.” Another common reaction from female partners is one they have long endured from men: “They’re told that they shouldn’t get so worked up and emotional about things.” I’ve experienced this myself. One girlfriend during my 20s was mortified when I cried openly, sitting next to her on an airplane. Another girlfriend during my 30s told me she wanted nurturing when she felt scared or sad but didn’t find it “attractive in a guy” who sought the same. In my marriage, I have always pushed for greater emotional intimacy, asking my wife, Elizabeth, to articulate loving feelings or sentiments she has told me that run through her mind but remain unsaid. When she would share them, sometimes they were shrouded in humor. A few years ago, I pushed harder when we were seeing a couples counselor. “Know what I would love more than anything to hear from you?” I asked, facing my wife. ‘“I need you.”’

“Well, I do,” she replied.

Tess Brigham, a San Francisco-based therapist whose practice is made up of millennial and Generation Z clients, wasn’t surprised by such anecdotes, even though, she said, vulnerability is essential to healthy relationships. “In their daily lives, women can’t show vulnerability,” she said. “They can’t show vulnerability at work. And when younger women feel too vulnerable in dating life, they fear that will make them look weak. If you’re vulnerable you’re seen as too emotional. That’s not a good thing today for women.” This squares with the findings of the vulnerability and shame researcher and author Brené Brown. In her book “Daring Greatly,” she observes the zero sum dynamic that occurs when women “beg” men to be vulnerable with them. “The truth is that most women can’t stomach it,” she writes. “In those moments when real vulnerability happens in men, most of us recoil with fear, and that fear manifests as everything from disappointment to disgust.”

How do you ask for a kiss?

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What are the 5 basic skills of drawing?

The 5 basic skills of drawing are understanding edges, spaces, light and shadow, relationships, and, the whole, or gestalt. These 5 basic skills of...

Last updated Apr 7, 2018

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Can soul mates be just friends?

Yes, soul mates can be platonic. A platonic soul mate relationship is a friendship that goes virtually as deep as any friendship can.

mindbodygreen.com - Soul Mates Can Be Platonic — Here Are 9 Signs You've Found Yours

Yes, soul mates can be platonic. A platonic soul mate relationship is a friendship that goes virtually as deep as any friendship can. Nuñez explains these friendships won't feel like other "normal" friendships but rather you are friends "at a soul level" and likely shared a profound and instant recognition upon first meeting. And don't underestimate the power these connections can have. According to Richardson, our platonic soul mates can be just as important in our lives as romantic soul mates. "If you think of earthly life as a temporary journey for the soul, as some spiritual people do, you'll want to have interesting, supportive companions for the trip—just like any character in an epic story or legend picks up companions along the way," she adds. It's also very possible (and even likely) that you'll have more than one platonic soul mate throughout your life, and even more than one at the same time. "You can meet new soul mates all throughout your life. They don't have to be a best friend from childhood—it could be someone from work or someone you meet in your 50s," Nuñez says. Richardson also notes that some soul mates come and go, and some are around for the long haul. Regardless of their duration, these connections are a fundamental part of the journey. "Just like the human body needs food and water, the soul requires companion soul mates," she says.

Is 14 and 16 ok?

It says that a minor can legally consent to sexual contact or penetration if: he or she is a 14-year-old, 15-year-old, or 16-year-old, the other,...

Last updated Sep 2, 2021

Are you allowed to have 2 best friends?

Can you have more than one best friend? According to Dr. Gut, the answer is “yes. " She believes it is important to have close friends in all...

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What is a good man?

Many will agree that a good man is committed to his relationship and partner. A good man regards and respects his partner even in disputes. He...

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Can you be spiritually drawn to someone?

Spiritual Connection: When two people can sense or communicate with spirits together despite being non-spiritual in their daily lives. You feel...

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