Subscribe to Next Gen Men’s newsletter, Future of Masculinity, a mental space where our readers get to do the work—of examining, unpacking, learning, unlearning, and questioning—together as a community.
Imagine building a deck and all you had was a hammer.
It’d be a pretty wonky-looking thing since you weren’t able to cut the boards, sand them, or all of the other myriad things needed to bring it together.
It sure would be great if you had more tools…
What if that hammer you’re holding represents an emotion? And that one emotion that you’re given to solve the complex situations life throws at you is anger?
When all you’ve got is a hammer, everything starts looking like a nail.
Read More“Do you think being a man affects the amount of joy you feel in your life?”
I asked my friend this question. I was curious if the messages he’d received about how to “be a man” — things like being tough, self-reliant, dominant, aggressive, status-seeking, etc. — had impacted how happy he had been in his life.
Throughout our conversation, these two themes stuck out most: 1) feelings of “never being good enough” and 2) struggles with relationships.
Read MoreGoing to therapy is much more common and far less stigmatized than at any other point in history. But how do we know if we need to go to therapy? Is self-care, self-help, or peer support enough?
Read MoreWhen it comes to school performance, behaviour, and social skills, children with involved dads perform better than those without. In many ways, by being affectionate, open, caring, nurturing and present, you are giving your children a head start to have healthy minds, hearts, and relationships.
Read MoreAs a current youth facilitator for Next Gen Men and former teacher, one of my main objectives has always been to create a safe space free of judgement. A place where young people feel comfortable and are free to be their authentic selves.
Why is this a challenge for boys? You might be surprised to discover that school is a place where many boys feel unsafe. They are afraid they won’t live up to the rules of manhood – they won’t be cool enough, popular enough, or tough enough.
Read More
