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Guest Post: Becoming an Eco-Friendly Man

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Being eco-friendly and trying to save the environment isn’t an act of courage anymore – it’s an act of duty every single individual in the world has to perform. If we want to protect our world and save it for the next generation, making a change as soon as possible is the only thing we need to do. And the way to accomplish that is simple – be the change you want to see in the world and start by changing yourself first. So, if you too are thinking about becoming an eco-friendly guy, here are a few things you need to do.


Change the paradigm


One of the issues and difficulties you may be facing while becoming an eco-friendly man is the ruling paradigm that says that men aren’t even ready to become eco-friendly at all. Most of them consider this sort of behavior to be “unmanly” and beneath them, according to a 2017 study, and that’s the biggest problem you’ll have to address in this process
What you need to do, therefore, is change the paradigm and start thinking in another direction. Instead of perceiving sustainability as something that’s endangering your masculinity and making you weaker, start perceiving it as something that’s endangering your life and the lives of those you love. Once you do that and understand how serious the situation is, you’ll become ready to make a change and become sustainable and environmentally-aware.


Switch to recycled materials


Using recycled materials whenever possible is one of the best ways to take your sustainability to the next level. This is a simple hack that can go a long way and create a larger impact than you can anticipate. What’s great, though, is the fact that lots of people have already embraced a more sustainable lifestyle and are using recycled materials every single day.
This is why you should have no problems understanding why these materials are so useful and how you can make the most of them. Start by reducing the use of plastics in your daily life and switch to alternative options for your containers and storage solutions – glass, wicker, wood, etc. Also, if you’re skillful and handy, use recycled materials in your DIY projects. This is a great idea no matter what you’re designing and building, from art pieces with your children to home renovation projects.


Share your car


We all know that carpooling is one of the best ideas in the world, not just when it comes to eco-friendliness, but when it comes to saving money, energy, time, and gas. instead of wasting hours and hours behind the wheel every single day, you can reduce that by 80% and do that only once a week. So, find four friends, neighbors, or coworkers who are willing to carpool with you and you’ll start seeing the benefits in a matter of weeks.
If you’re already an avid carpooler, you can boost your efforts and do something even better – share your car! This concept is a new and innovative way to own a car without all the costs that come with this privilege, but also without endangering the environment that much. So, if you decide to check out the innovative car share concept, you’ll still be able to have a vehicle by your side whenever you want, yet spend less money than you normally would – and do your share when it comes to saving the environment!

Make your home more sustainable


In the end, this might be the ultimate way to become an eco-friendly man and protect Mother Nature. Making your home more sustainable might easily be the most effective approach you could opt for, especially if you want to make a visible difference in your living space and inspire everyone around you to follow your lead and do the same. That’s why this is a win-win scenario you simply have to explore, and it’s safe to say that this idea is easier to realize than you can imagine.
The number of different ideas and approaches is huge, and it’s up to you to pick the ideas that work for you the most and start turning them into practice one by one. Sometimes even the tiniest changes can mean a lot, and some of the things you might do to make your home eco-friendly include replacing your old light bulbs with those LED ones, weather-stripping your windows, and installing a smart thermostat.

Once you start putting these ideas into practice, you won’t just do wonders for the environment, but you’ll also become a more attractive man, as revealed in a 2020 study. So, stop procrastinating and start being more proactive – right now!

John-L-Sullivan

MMC 41- Man Crush Monday – The Last of the Barenuckles

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Episode 41- Man Crush Monday – The Last of the Barenuckles



Keep in mind – not all of the heroes we recognize are perfect. If you look hard enough – you’ll find a reason to disqualify anybody from admiration. We propose a better plan, though – look for the good first. You can learn a good lesson from anyone if you are willing.

Growing up as an Irish Immigrant at the turn of the last century usually meant you’d be tough – and prone to fighting.  Young John grew up on the streets of South Boston – but his parents had hoped he’d be a Catholic Priest – not known for their fisticuffs.

John dropped out of Boston College to try his hand at baseball. Eventually – bareknuckle boxing was his sport of choice. Despite the sport’s battle for legitimacy and eventual loss to a more sensible form of gloved boxing. (which John also excelled at.)
You might recognize John – his likeness has become a popular “tough guy” meme.

For being a hard as nails man with grit – for being skilled at his sport – today’s Man Crush Monday is  John Sullivan



If you want to be a better man – check out our website – Manlihood.com – for blogs, videos, and more from our Manlihood Team. Men, you can also join our private facebook group- Manlihood ManCave -where you can meet up with a band of brothers who will challenge you and help you on your journey of manhood.


This episode is produced by Hatcher Media for Manlihood.com
Our Manly theme music is from Austin Stirling and also from Mark Kroos.
Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review on iTunes, Youtube, or wherever you are listening to the show!

Tune in again for more of the Manlihood ManCast

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MMC 37: What BOYS Do – Part 1: Whine

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Episode 37: What BOYS Do – Part 1: Whine
Remember that 90’s RnB Group Boys II Men? Yeah. They were great. That has nothing to do with what we’re talking about though. What we’re talking about is common behaviors that should have died off when a boy became a man.

The first one of those behaviors? Whining

Obviously – men do this. It is a behavior that didn’t just “die” with the onset of manhood – but it should.

I don’t think that identifying something that is wrong and needs to be repaired is the same thing as whining. It’s okay to identify a need, talk about solutions, and then implement solutions.

Now that we’ve established that- let’s talk about whining.

Boys who don’t get their way complain about it.

Men learn to deal with it, and find solutions to problems.

Life isn’t fair. It’s true, and you still have to deal with it. Whining about it rarely levels the playing field, but learning to rise above it is the ultimate reward.

Harvey Mackay

Firmness in enduring and exertion is a character I always wish to possess. I have always despised the whining yelp of complaint and cowardly resolve.

Robert Burns

The tendency to whining and complaining may be taken as the surest sign symptom of little souls and inferior intellects.

Francis Jeffrey

If you want to behave like a man – you won’t whine. Complaining changes nothing but other’s attitudes about you.

This was originally published in May of 2015 – read the full series of blog posts here:
http://www.manlihood.com/tag/what-boys-do/

___________

If you want to be a better man – check out our website – Manlihood.com – for blogs, videos, and more from our Manlihood Team. Men, you can also join our private facebook group- Manlihood ManCave -where you can meet up with a band of brothers who will challenge you and help you on your journey of manhood.
This episode is produced by Hatcher Media for Manlihood.com
Our Manly theme music is from Austin Stirling and also from Mark Kroos.
Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review on iTunes, Youtube, or wherever you are listening to the show!

Tune in again for more of the Manlihood ManCast

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Hey Friends. It’s Okay to Be Flawed

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By Kelsey Boudin

 

Writing is an interesting exercise. It can be rewarding. It can feel intellectually satisfying like reading a challenging book on an enlightening topic. It can also be maddening. It can feel stupefyingly complicated as you sit and stare at a blinking cursor and a handful of crappy words that sounded a lot better in your head than they look on your screen.

 

In that way, writing mirrors life and its many trials. Who hasn’t felt as if they were staring at a blank screen while contending with crises of faith, relationships, parenthood, career, finances, and more? What’s the next keystroke?

 

So I wanted my first blogpost here to offer some value while also introducing myself to the Manlihood Mancave.

 

For those of us looking to better ourselves as men and empower those around us, here it is: Our flaws are inevitable. We’re going to mess up despite our best efforts. We’re going to misjudge, misstep, misunderstand, misplace, misuse, misread, misspeak, misbehave, and mistake our paths through life.

 

We hope those times are few and far between. We hope the errant steps have minimal effect on those we care for most. We hope we’re man enough to admit when we’re wrong and make an immediate course correction.

 

Oh yeah, we also know no matter how hard we hope those hopes that we’ll rarely live up to our own expectations. We won’t learn our mistakes and shortcomings until after the fact, sometimes long after, sometimes after damage has been done.

 

But it’s OK. It’s part of being human. If we’re introspective and open to change, we can learn some of the greatest lessons of our lives. Sometimes it could take:

 

  • A DWI to accept that you have a drinking problem
  • Losing your job to actually stumble across the right career
  • Divorce to realize your attitude was part of the problem
  • The guilt of missing your kid’s school play to tell your boss you can’t work overtime

 

Sometimes it literally could take a death close to you for you to get a clue.

 

Being a father has cast a glaring spotlight on my own shortcomings. Even still, it can be difficult to make significant changes. It’s easy to rationalize or make excuses for when and why I choose pleasure over responsibility.

 

But there’s a flipside. In acknowledging my mistakes and vices, it’s also easier to realize and appreciate my successes. I guess, there’s a silver lining to messing up and being foolish sometimes.

 

Here’s to personal growth. May you find yours.

Marriage - Masculinity - Manhood, Manlihood

Love Your Wife More Than You Love Yourself – Part 2

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Study her.


How well do you know her? I know that now that my wife and I are approaching the time in our life when we’ve been together longer than apart, I know her well. Very well. I can walk in the room, and without a word, I can tell what she’s thinking, or how she’s feeling. (Not always, of course – women, after all, are always mysterious and surprising sometimes.)

As we get older, this relationship changes and morphs. It’s not just physical or emotional. It’s spiritual.

I am not saying we are a perfect example – we frustrate each other and annoy each other all the time. But I can tell you that for almost 20 years, I’ve studied her.

When we were dating – we started out asking each other questions. When we were engaged, we read books together about marriage -and went through THREE different premarital counseling courses. We knew we were getting married young and making what everyone else thought was a bad decision – so we wanted to make sure we were well equipped to face it.

So we started off with a really strong foundation.

As we have progressed in our relationship – I’ve always tried to be attentive to her. She thinks I don’t pay attention – but I do. Sometimes I choose NOT to do the thing that she wants me to do – for any number of reasons. But in general, I want to KNOW this woman I married.

In the bedroom, I know what she likes.
In the kitchen, I know what she likes.

If you want to know how to study and learn your wife, I highly recommend you read the book “The 5 Love Languages” as a starting place.

It breaks down the different ways that people love, and it will help you understand her, and how to communicate with her.