Guys build friendships, but more often than not, they are not very vocal or open about it. For many men, intimacy is defined by Friday nights at the bar and watching live basketball games. Maybe it’s time to change the way you think about male friendships to facilitate a healthier and more open relationship.
This can be quite challenging for most men, thinking that initiating such actions will be deemed awkward and non-masculine. However, now is the right time to eschew certain ideals about being a man. You’re a human who needs someone to lean on and someone who will help you grow emotionally.
If you are looking to make bro bonding much easier sans the awkwardness, here’s one thing to remember: be brave and own your emotions. For anything else, here’s what you need to do to make the conversations and bonding activities much smoother:
Find common ground
Friendships are built on similarities. They are stable because the people involved have the same interests. If you want to strengthen your male bonding, you need to find common ground. Do both of you love landscaping or gardening? Maybe you can invite him to your garden and install an artificial lawn. Do both of you love classic wines? Go on a vineyard trip together! Mutual interests will help your friendship to grow beautifully, knowing that you will always have something to take about.
Take the initiative
Some friendships can stand the test of time only to be broken by separation due to time and distance. You might have a close friend who has moved to the other side of the world, but the friendship has died because both of you feel that it is awkward to call each other. In this case, take the initiative. You do not want to lose a friendship just because you think that it is unmanly to call another guy to say, “Hi!” There should be no excuse since some video chat apps allow you to call for free.
Know each other’s communication’s style
Admittedly, men have a different communication style. And within the male group, you know too well that guys have different approaches to friendship. It is worth knowing what your friends’ styles are. That way, you will be able to complement them and make adjustments. You should let them know about your communication style. That way, they will be able to understand you and not have to read between the lines.
Be nice
At the bottom of it all, you are all humans. And humans thrive in their connections and relationships when they are nice to each other. So the last tip that you need to know is: be kind! Do not be too selfish; you also must understand the needs of your friends.
Nurture your friendship
Nurturing friendships is not as easy as it seems. It requires both of you to work on it. You need to understand each other well so that things will not always end up in conflict. As they say, “It takes two to tango.”
