5 “Not-So-Manly” Things That Are OK To Like (We Won’t Tell)

For most men, self-confidence is a hard-fought battle. Whether it’s getting up the nerve to approach that sexy girl eyeing you from across the bar, or nailing a crucial presentation at work, you’ll find it helps to have a keen sense of who you are before others will genuinely respond.

Not to say that you can’t try to fake your way through life, but odds are if it doesn’t blow up in your face, you’re going to end up so far from where you’d like to be that finding real happiness becomes practically impossible.

One of the most dangerous enemies to a man’s sense of self is the ego; that vicious little bastard in your head who’s so sure of his inherent awesomeness that even the slightest suggestion to the otherwise can lead to major bruising and overt displays of masculinity. Before long you find your manhood backed into a defensive position; you stick your chest out, start quoting John Wayne, and challenge anyone within earshot to an arm wrestling match.

I say it’s time to lighten up, guys. What makes a man is relative, and it certainly isn’t something that we should let the ego dictate for us, especially once we take into consideration that most men’s egos have at least in some part been groomed by decades of watching SportsCenter and Indiana Jones movies.

In a bold move of defiance against the ego, I propose that one’s masculinity can remain intact well beyond the crossing of traditional gender lines. In fact, there are some instances where doing so can be downright good for you.

1. Crying at the Movies

Not just at Old Yeller either. Believe it or not, most films were meant to resonate emotionally with its audience, and it’s OK to express that. I remember the first time I saw my father cry was during Full Metal Jacket; for me, it made the movie’s message all the more powerful and endearing.

2. Delicious Fruity Cocktails

Under normal circumstances I like my whiskey neat (and preferably Irish), but you hand me a drink that tastes like someone blended strawberry Yoo-hoo with pineapple and a decent tequila, odds are I’m going to love every second of it – even if my reaction sounds a bit more like “Yeah, I guess it’s OK.”

3. Clothes Shopping

This one’s a no-brainer. Choosing to be an active participant in your wardrobe is the surest path to finding a style that works for you. Treat it like some perfunctory grab-and-go trip to 7-11 and others are going to notice… and not in the good kind of way.

4. Yoga

Working out is a fairly grueling endeavor for most of us; you tear yourself down with the hopes of something better being rebuilt in its place. A quick round of obligatory stretching is as close to yoga as most men ever get, which is too bad considering all of the positive things it can contribute to your overall fitness level. Faster recovery times, decreased soreness, extra work for the smaller muscle groups, and improved flexibility (in both the gym and the bedroom) are all some of the benefits you’ll see by adding just one intermediate yoga session to your weekly routine.

5. Spa Time

I can’t say that I’ve ever gone so far as to have a full mani-pedi with a facial treatment, but I can tell you that I’d at least be willing to give it a try. What I have done, however, is spend a lot of time at the spa with my wife getting massages, body scrubs, or just whiling away the hours in a giant soaking tub. Some might see this as nothing more than a ridiculous extension of basic personal hygiene, whereas I like to look at it as a helluva good excuse to get naked with my wife for a few hours.