A lot is expected of the 21st century man.
He must be assertive, but not bossy; sensitive, but not a cry baby; and caring, but not overbearing.
In this fast-moving generation of Millennials, the meaning of being in love has evolved rapidly too. If the modern man doesn’t adapt, he runs a serious risk of turning relationships calamitous.
But fear not! We’ve brought together some great advice on to navigate the maze that modern relationships are.
You know how they say smooth seas never made a skilled sailor? It’s not very different with relationships. The tougher they are, the better you get.
Now brace yourself, and read on, fellow man!
1. Tame Your Ego
99 problems but a b*tch ain’t one might have made Jay-Z what he is today, but any man worth his salt will tell you it’s terrible advice.
There’s a reason the “famous male ego” is called what it’s called.
It has this uncanny ability to creep up on you when you’re not looking, and it takes control of your speech and decision-making abilities in a flash.
How to do this: Be your logical self, and hear your partner out before making judgements or decisions. Think before you speak.
2. Accept Your Mistakes
A good man is not one who never makes any mistakes. (If you think you never make mistakes, we know some good psychiatrists.)
No matter what you do, accepting the fact that you’re not perfect is one of the single greatest keys to great relationships.
A man who can own up to his mistakes demonstrates the will to be a better person.
How to do this: Be humble, come what may. Humble is sexy too.
3. Build Trust
Like any great monument, trust in relationships takes a lifetime to build, and just a few unfortunate moments to destroy.
The only way to keep it up is transparent and regular communication. One small lie can sow seeds of distrust between you and your partner.
If this seed is allowed to flourish with more lies and deceit, there’s no way in hell your relationship is going anywhere.
How to do this: Be frank with your partner, and encourage her to do the same. No lying. Have trust in her ability to understand your point of view. If not, then better look for love elsewhere.
4. Cultivate Mutual Respect
Relationships start out with mutual admiration and respect for each other’s qualities.
With time, however, partners start taking each other for granted. Insecurities creep in, and the trivial quarrels grow larger by the day, until the big fight happens.
How to do this: If you feel that the lady in your life is ignoring you, ask yourself if there’s a possibility that she feels ignored too.
If the answer is yes, begin doing the things you did in your early dating days (like surprising her with gifts, or dropping naughty texts).
Rediscover the person you fell in love with. The respect will follow.
5. Keep Your Best Friends Close
It is important for a man to have bro time.
It helps you unwind, takes the edge off tense situations, and gets your mind off things (read relationship issues) for a bit. Anything in excess is bad, remember?
How to do this: Get your brothers together and set up a Poker Night or a Scotch & Cigar Evening, or a FragFest (or whatever floats your boat) at least once a month.
Ideal locations include any place absent of women and children, preferably with a freezer full of fine ale and a large screen TV.
Remember these, and your relationship woes will fly by like a breeze!
