I don’t know about you, but growing up I was always a “girl’s girl.” It was just my default setting. As a teenage girl growing into a young woman, it just felt better to be surrounded by a tribe of sisters that “got” me without having to explain myself.
However, as a grew and matured I realized there was something seriously missing in my life. While I’ve always had guy friends in my extended circle, none of them were really close or intimate friends – ones I felt I could count on when times got rough. I knew that something needed to change, so I opened myself up to the possibility of making more male friends. When I did, everything shifted.
Here are just a few of the perks I noticed about having good guys in my corner:
1. Their Direct Approach
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It’s a pretty widely accepted that men have a more “to the point” and simplistic approach to solving problems, and this can be a huge advantage when you’re seeking advice about a complicated issue.
Whenever I feel like I’m too "in my head" about something and I’ve been mulling it over and over in my mind, I reach out to one of my guy friends for advice and often get the simplest, clearest response that would have probably taken me forever to come up with on my own.
Inviting any outside perspective is always good when you’re in a rut, but I really find that when it comes to making decisions the male perspective is really “gut” centered and direct without the additional pandering.
While they might not always be right, we can still learn a thing or two from them about being firm and staying true to ourselves.
2. They Can Help You Understand Men Better
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Sometimes when we chat with our girlfriends about our relationships with men, sadly, it really is a case of the blind leading the blind. I mean — we don’t know what we don’t know! And it certainly doesn’t help to consult our girlfriends who may be in similarly confusing situations with men.
If you have a doubt, it’s always better to go straight to the source, sis. I find that just spending time with men opens up my mind and my awareness to how they really see the world. Seeing how they relate to their guy friends, their girlfriends, their families, etc., gives me perspective and better understanding of how to communicate better with them and have healthier partnerships. It’s a win-win!
3. They Can Help Balance Out Your Emotions
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It’s no secret that women have a different way of responding to their emotions than men. While it is healthy and wonderful for us women to express our emotions, it’s not always the best to be guided by them when making major life decisions. Sometimes we may just be in our feelings and reacting from a place of hurt or fear, when life is really asking us to step up and see a situation for what it really is. Cue the clutch guy friend.
While I do believe it’s important for men to honor their emotions too, sometimes their approach to dealing with them is more balanced, and just, well – refreshing.
So do you have good guy friends in your circle? If not, maybe it’s time to open up and give it a try!
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