Even amongst my closest male friends, I've noticed something of a pattern: Men generally don't like to talk about their problems. I recently wrote to a friend who uncharacteristically forgot my birthday this year. To my surprise, he told me he'd had surgery and had been in recovery for two weeks.  He didn't seem inclined to talk much about it; in fact, he didn't even disclose what kind of surgery he'd had. I'm in a similar boat with yet another male friend, who recently broke up with his fiancée of three years and has been scant on details.  This despite the fact that I, as a man, have been transparent with them about my health and relationship woes in the past.  I understand not everyone is at the same comfort level when it comes to divulging personal information, even to close friends.  But these very men have a tendency to pry into the affairs of others. They may ask questions of me that they wouldn't answer themselves if it were the other way around....

Over the years, people have told me that they wish they could free themselves of their own sensitivity, claiming it has led to deep heartache and hurt feelings. I told them that nixing their sensitive nature will only demonstrate one thing: That they are succumbing to the desires of others. If you've read several other of my posts, you'll know that a recurring theme on this blog is the concept of individuality , and how important it is that we hold on to the things that distinguish us from other people. By becoming the hardened, unemotional person others push you to be, you're just letting them win .  So what is one to do? Well, no one says you can't be sensitive and firm simultaneously. We can be kind, generous, and compassionate toward others without granting them the latitude to trample on our feelings. The key is to make clear that although you have a soft side, you are totally capable of summoning a bolder, no-nonsense version of yourself that won'...

The biggest complaint men seem to have about women is that, when it comes to relationships, " they don't know what the heck they want .'' Many of these hapless guys say they do everything to gain women's favor -- buy them flowers and candy, send them romantic texts, call them every so often to see how they're doing -- but it still lands them in the friend zone. Still others say they can't understand why women go for the jerks they claim to loathe. It is true that what many women say they want -- and what they actually go for -- aren't always in alignment. Here's what I've observed: Most women don't go looking for jerks who will mistreat them. No one wishes to be treated like dirt -- unless, of course, they harbor low self-esteem and feel they deserve that. But that is the exception rather than the rule. No, what most women want is confidence . Though they may not say it directly, women really do want the man to be in charge, whet...

While I tend to be quite open with my wife about how I feel, many of my male friends do the exact opposite. In fact, they tend to alienate themselves from me -- and presumably others -- when they're going through tough times in their lives. Based on what I've gathered, the reason men don't like to express themselves simply boils down to this: they feel others will perceive it as weakness. But what men have to understand is that we're only human. It's okay for men to cry. It's okay for men to admit they need a shoulder to lean on. Women won't think any less of you if you get emotional. Sure, most women would prefer that men not overdo it. For example, they wouldn't want their partners to cry more than they do. But the notion that men should not cry under any circumstances is absolutely ludicrous. If anything, most women prefer that men shed tears when justified -- it shows a sensitive part of them that probably doesn't come out often. And men do...

Whether it's on TV or in the workplace, the general consensus seems to be that women gossip, backstab, and stir up more conflict than men do. But, as with every other topic, I thought it only fair to put this so-called stereotype under the microscope. If you watch reality shows like Celebrity Apprentice, you'll notice it's the women who spend far more time bickering. While the men do at times become embroiled in tit for tat, it's the women who are portrayed as meaner and more hostile. In the workplace, I have noticed that women seem to gossip far more than their male counterparts. I haven't really seen any cases where a person blatantly backstabs the other, but I have caught both men and women in little white lies. If it is true that women are generally more into backstabbing and gossiping than men, why is this the case? I believe that it isn't fair to make a blanket statement like "all women play these games while all men keep to themselves and pre...