I realized over time it was my dad who taught me to feel that shame, and the friend group I was with. Slowly I started to realize that it wouldn't matter, and let myself be me a bit more.

Life definitely got easier. When they talk about toxic masculinity, that's it. Forcing you to hide who you are because you think it isn't manly or something. It's wrong though. I met my wife and she liked me because I was in touch with my emotions. It's become a part of me. Hell I finally realized I love Taylor Swift because I emotionally connect with her songs where before I could never let myself like her music.

Society pushes all of these weird rules on us, and man does life get easier when you just stop caring about them

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 8 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Yeah, “softie” sounds like an insult. I’d rather have emotional intelligence than to be (or act) calloused to the world. Feelings are part of the human experience.

[–] UraniumBlazer@lemm.ee 2 points 5 months ago

Haha glad to see that I'm not alone in thinking this way. Like, logically it makes sense. But when u'r constantly bombarded with the "emotion bad" propaganda or whatever, u start to question and doubt urself.

[–] scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech 1 points 5 months ago

time and time again those who ignore their feelings just end up having worse and worse problems later. So many marriages end because one person refuses to open up. Repression leads to substance abuse. It's better all around to acknowledge emotions

[–] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 5 months ago

They asked if you were a "softie" not a "swiftie!"

(I'll show myself out...)

[–] UraniumBlazer@lemm.ee 1 points 5 months ago

Man you were definitely lucky to meet ur wife, huh. Idk, it just has been very difficult to find ppl like these irl for me. And for those who were like this, they just treated me like I was dumb or something. You know, more "childlike" or whatever.