Masculine is not just biological. It implies honor. It implies nobility.
Toxic behaviors are bad. Toxic behaviors that specifically hurt women are bad. Toxic behaviors that bully people are bad. Toxic behaviors that don’t allow men to properly process emotion are bad.
In this podcast episode for men, Josh Hatcher of Manlihood.com breaks down the answer for happiness for men.
Happiness isn’t the point of life. Don’t make it your most important pursuit. We’ll talk more about that in a bit.
Perspective
If men want happiness, it starts by realigning your perspective with a clearer picture of your situation. It’s often easy to see the bad things and lose focus. You’ve heard the old adage, “I always envied a pair of new shoes till I met a man with no feet.”
Gratitude
Gratitude is not just a reaction to happiness for men. It’s actually a catalyst. We often equate feelings with actions or choices. We may not feel grateful, but choosing to express gratitude unlocks the feelings we desperately need.
Discipline
We usually don’t think of discipline as happy – but the truth is – taking care of ourselves, eating right, getting exercise, sleeping well have a huge impact on how we feel. To be disciplined to put good content in our brains and reject the content that makes us feel bad also requires discipline.
Joy vs Happiness
Happiness is a feeling. Joy is a choice – a state of mind. It’s okay to want to be happy, but don’t let the feeling satisfy. Life will often bring times of sadness, anger, loneliness, or other feelings we think of as unhappy. We have to learn that to choose joy helps us overcome the despair that those other feelings can bring if left unchecked.