Are men allowed to express their emotions? Is crying a “manly” thing to do? Is a man weak if he expresses any form of emotions? Why do men have to be so brave all the time and hold their emotions in? Where did men learn this behavior of repressing our emotions so we can be “strong”? It sounds like the “chicken-pecking-hierarchy-syndrome”. Men are plagued with the belief that weakness is showing and expressing vulnerability. Are men weak because we express our emotions? The “big-boys-don’t-cry-syndrome is a societal problem that still exist. Repressed sadness can and will lead to depression and frustration that will lead to anger. Many years ago, I had an experience baby-sitting my 5-year-old nephew. At one point I noticed that something had upset him and he started to cry. I asked him what was wrong and he just kept crying. He cried for a good 5 minutes. I encouraged him to do so. I knew that this was going to be a very cathartic experience for him and he would get much relief from shedding these tears of discomfort that his mom would not let him do regularly because of the “big-boys-don’t cry-syndrome.” I know as a medical practitioner/body worker for the past 24 years that people will “cry themselves well. People just want to be heard and loved. We are emotional beings. “The Issue is in the Tissue” is another common phrase that is expressed amongst body workers such as Massage Therapists, Reiki Practitioners and Acupuncturist. Emotions get trapped in our cellular memory and need to be expressed. Self expression is paramount for ‘Thriving to Live’ and NOT to live the Survival-Living-Mentality. We are called human being for a reason. We are the only species on the planet that has the ability to reflect and redirect our emotions if necessary. We have this amazing ability to ‘respond and not react’. We have the ability to emote our feelings which is essential for the survival of our mental, spiritual, physical and emotional health.
So men, get real and stop putting on a front if your emotions are hurt. Express yourself. Talk about your feelings. Strength is in vulnerability. Strength is in reaching out for help when needed. We are here to commune with one another and share all the good as well as the tough times.