Be a Good Man to Be a Better Husband

Change is the rule of life. No one has all the best qualities at the start. And certainly not husbands.

They say being married is the hardest job in the world. They don’t teach you how to be a husband or wife in school.

So here is some advice for struggling husbands everywhere: Don’t work on being a good husband. Work on being a good man. The rest follows.

Acknowledge Your Emotions

Men have been conditioned to hide their emotions since they were young boys. And while the space in society to be sensitive and open is slowly growing, there’s still a lot of work to do.

The idea that sharing your feelings shows weakness is archaic. In fact, bottling up negative (or positive) emotions can have detrimental effects on your mental health.

A better man is able to share his emotions without letting them get the better of him.

Your wife could not care less for your machismo. She does not want a facade. She wants every bit of you. So acknowledge your feelings to her and your children. That doesn’t mean being an emotional wreck. It means that you are human, and you do not hide behind your insecurities.

Practice Communicating

Communication is key to any relationship, whether it’s romantic, with family, or in business. Being able to express yourself clearly while listening to others is a vital skill in life.

It allows us to build deeper connections and reduce misunderstandings that would otherwise escalate into full-blown fights.

There are various ways to improve your communication. But the most important thing to work on is your ability to accept others’ emotional experiences as valid. Learn to read body language rather than taking what’s said at face value by first reading and listening to yours.

Take Responsibility

Being accountable for our actions, words and behavior is part of being a man. Men accept obligations and duties either as a parent or in the workplace as means of self-development.

This doesn’t mean failures don’t happen — mistakes and failures occur no matter how much we attempt to avoid them. Framing them as learning opportunities is much more empowering than being a victim.

So take responsibility. So what if you fail? At least everything you do will be of your own accord.

Take responsibility for your own household. It may not be perfect, but it is your own. Do that, and you will gain your wife’s respect.

Be a Man of Your Word

A man who keeps his word is respected by others and can be trusted. A respected man honors his promises and sticks to them no matter what. Men who lie, exaggerate, cheat and turn back on what they’ve promised, are not respected by others.

Always remember to promise only the things that you can deliver and if you can’t deliver, tell the truth straight away.

Be honest with your wife. You have nothing to hide from each other, so why lie? Whatever you do affects each other in one way or another, so be as open as you can be to one another.

Love Yourself

Lastly, practice self-love by taking care of your emotional and physical needs in the form of exercise, nutrition, and connecting to others. Avoid being misled by the outer world’s expectations of the ‘perfect man’ and instead learn to accept how you learned to survive.