Teenage acts as the primetime in any person’s life, wherein they cross several physical and emotional stages. Just as a creepy caterpillar grows and turns into a beautiful butterfly, so does a little tender kid undergo this cycle of teenagers to grow up and be a man. This metamorphosis that happens in human life teaches a lot to a person, rather than a child who is yet to explore the world.
What Is A Man Taught During His Teens?
In his teens, a boy is taught what a grown-up man should look like. And one must be pretty sure what could be the possible definition of a man- someone who is strong, who knows how to figure out his ways of life, who knows how to handle his crisis without seeking help from others. And the list never ends. But no one really seems to understand what pressures they put on that little tender brain, without even knowing what a man should actually be.
And What Do The Negative Impacts Look Like?
Everything looks cool and calm on the upper surface until things take a bad turn. Not knowing enough about oneself can often lead to making wrong decisions or choosing the incorrect paths. These may include:-
Aggression
Resorting to violence
Changing behavioral traits
Addiction to substances or alcoholism
Poor Mental Health
Deteriorating physical health without any known reason
Getting influenced by negative companies
But What Should He Be Actually Taught And Realize?
Breaking all the stereotypes and leaving behind all the preconceived notions, a man should know that being the “Perfectionist of the lot” every time won’t do any good to him, and acting as the typical masculine figure isn’t what a man should appear to be. Here’s a guide to some common things that a man should know during his teenage years, but doesn’t know about.
What Every Man Should Be Taught, But Doesn't Know About
It's Okay To Let It All Come Out
Everybody is having their fair share of problems and struggles. Letting them out and feeling overwhelmed for a while is just fine and doesn’t make you weak, it only boosts your emotional capacity.
Life Is Not A Competition
It may seem hard, but life is definitely not a competition or a race that one needs to ace. You should just stop and take some rest, or maybe reboot yourself. Everyone has got their own pace to work with.
Failures Are Just A Part And Parcel Of Life
Even if you fail somewhere, don’t look at it from a negative perspective. You are just being prepared for something bigger and better that awaits you.
Being Open And Being Vocal
It is a well-known fact that effective communication is the key to healthy relationships. You don’t need to suppress everything within yourself. Learn to communicate about whatever might run through your mind or body openly and without hesitating.
Understanding What Manhood Looks Like
You do not have to prove your masculinity by getting into fights with anybody or solving matters through aggression. It implies acting wisely and with a cool mindset. But wherever you feel your opinions are not being respected or you are not being heard, just leave.
A Man Isn’t Just A Money-Minting Machine For The Family
An economic crisis should not ever hinder your mental health. It’s good to work for your family and earn, but when work becomes your burden, just get away from it. Greater opportunities lie ahead of you.
Choosing Friends Wisely
One must keep in mind that friends and companions play a significant role in shaping an individual. Choosing your company wisely helps one in the long run.
Health Is The Greatest Wealth
Hampering one’s mental and physical health for the sake of other things is not the correct way to lead life. When a man faces problems in his daily life scenarios, he should definitely not resort to alcohol or drugs to cope with them; rather consult or talk to someone who would give them the right type of guidance.
Accept Yourself For Who You Are
Take yourself for what you are and who you are. You own yourself and you don’t need to alter yourself or your image for the sake of others and their thinking about you. Just be your own unique self and be ‘you.’
Be Forgiving To Yourself
As you grow, some things around you might start going against your wishes; the world may become cruel to you and some days might contribute to your subsequent downfalls. But do not forget to forgive yourself on your low days and don’t give up.
And while these are some common things that a man should know during his teenage years, there is a lot that lies behind them. But what tops the list is that one simple thing, yet something men fail to do. It is- being kind and generous to yourself and being forgiving.
The Need To Slow Down
Men tend to think that they don’t have a scope to slow down and just be there in the moment. They want to rush things; this may also happen because of the underlying reason that implies proving their manhood and running in the race of life. Nothing pays better than just slowing down for a while, watching things happen patiently, and catching up again. What’s better than taking a break and giving time to oneself?
Conclusion
It’s a bit unfair knowing that boys and men don’t have the same amount of privilege of becoming what they want as compared to what girls or women get to enjoy. Certain liberties and broad-mindedness become a limit while giving a choice to men of what they want to be. And when denied access to such freedom, they take the roads that should not have been taken. Teen years are the most tender days of a person’s life- a time to learn who they really are and understand what they want to be, a period of self-exploration alongside exploring the world. In leading them to the right path, society has a very crucial role in guiding and teaching them the right things. Youngsters should be taught not to be too harsh on themselves but rather be kind and patient. These positive traits would bring out the best in a boy and help him inculcate the optimistic values of the world.
Written By: Chirajita Gupta
Edited By: Aniket Joshi