The male lifestyle is not going to mean the same thing to any two men. The male gender is not a monolith, and two different men are likely to lead entirely different lives. However, there are some activities in which many men engage.
We’ll talk about some of those now, emphasizing behaviors that men should learn to avoid or should at least reconsider. If you’ve ever engaged in these activities, now might be the time for you to modify these behaviors.
Distracted Driving
Some men enjoy doing things while driving besides concentrating on the road. Maybe you consider yourself a safe driver, and you’ve never caused a car accident, even after years of driving. That might lead to you feeling complacent and not paying strict attention to the road ahead and the cars around you.
For instance, you might eat while driving, which is dangerous. You could try to take a sip from your drink or take a bite of your burger, and the next thing you know, the car in front of you slams on the brakes.
You might also try to text or talk on your smartphone while driving. Either of those are dangerous activities as well. If you know that you sometimes do these things, you should make an effort to stop if you want to be considerate to the other drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists around you.
Riding Motorcycles
Motorcycle riding has seemed like a stereotypical masculine activity for generations. Many men have patterned themselves after James Dean and his Rebel Without a Cause character. Others have enjoyed more recent motorcycle-themed shows like Sons of Anarchy.
The problem is that motorcycle riding is inherently perilous. Even if you take great care and wear a helmet every time you go out, you do not have the steel shell around you that protects car and truck drivers.
You might be fine riding a motorcycle as your primary transportation form if you live alone, but if you marry or start a family, it may be time for you to reconsider. Your spouse or significant other may not like the idea of you being out there on a vehicle that comes with such high crash statistics. You may feel like the responsible thing to do is sell the motorcycle and get a safer vehicle that offers you more protection.
Drinking Too Much
Some men also equate masculinity with excess drinking. They may justify that in various ways. They might say that they only drink while they’re watching the ballgame or on the weekends.
It’s up to every adult to modulate their drinking. There is nothing necessarily wrong with alcohol, but you should try to control how much you drink so that it does not adversely impact your life. If you drink to the point that you can’t get to work on time, you’re drinking while on the job, or you’re having other alcohol-related difficulties, it’s probably time that you make some changes.
If you find that you cannot modify or eliminate your drinking on your own, you should talk to your doctor or seek help through a substance abuse program like AA. Problem drinking can impact your health, but it can also adversely affect your relationships with your family members and friends.
Not Seeing a Doctor or Dentist
There is also an idea that some men have that masculinity involves suffering in silence. There is nothing wrong with stoicism, except when the man involved has what could be a serious medical condition, and he is neglecting to see a medical professional to his detriment.
For instance, not seeing a dentist when you have a toothache is stubbornness that serves no purpose, rather than stoicism. Not seeing a doctor or dentist for regular checkups isn’t something that makes you more masculine or strong. When you do that, you’re hurting yourself and the people around you who rely on you.
Cheating
Cheating on a spouse or partner is also an activity that some men feel like they can do without repercussions. Even if you do this regularly and get away with it, it is not fair to the spouse or partner who trusts you.
You need to put yourself in the other person’s situation and think about how you would feel if you two reversed roles. Try to eliminate this behavior. If you can’t, you need to be honest with your current partner and tell them you no longer want to be with them.