"A Crying Woman? Fine, I Can Handle That. But a Man? Come On, Do That at Home..."

It’s a good thing my hairdresser had my soapy head firmly in her hands.

The usual small talk at the hair salon.

You know how it goes:

Chatting about the weather, your sunny vacation, the house renovation, or work.

But this ⁉

Even though I couldn’t turn my head, I knew exactly who had made the remark.

It was the owner of the salon.

He had just shared with his client that asking, “How are you doing?”

had occasionally led to an emotional response.

Often accompanied by tears.

But recently, a man had broken down in tears.

“Well, I just find it awkward. Come on.”

And so:

“Do that at home.”

My mind was racing.

Surprise, shock, the urge to say something...

But before I could collect my thoughts,

they left the room for the styling chair,

leaving me deep in thought.

---

We’re not there yet.

🔅 A place where everyone is allowed to feel less than great.

🔅 A space where vulnerability is welcome.

🔅 Where people understand that *home* might not be the safe haven you assume.

And most importantly:

🔆 Where showing vulnerability is recognized as an incredible act of courage.

---

Emotions in public are uncomfortable.

I’m not saying the supermarket is the best place to let them out.

But it saddens me deeply when, even in a safe space, emotions aren’t allowed.

What you’re really saying is:

✖ *You’re not allowed to feel this.*

✖ *What you’re feeling isn’t valid.*

✖ *Nobody wants to hear about this.*

If this were a child, we’d all agree:

❗ *This is not what you say.* ❗

But the same applies to adults.

---

And yes, sometimes men feel sad too.

Let’s make sure we’re there for them before it’s too late.

---

My call to action:

✅ Let’s normalize sharing when things aren’t going well.

✅ Let’s relearn how to listen *just to listen*.

✅ Let’s see it as a compliment when someone confides in us.

Because there is great strength in this.

Both at home and at work.

---

Tomorrow, I’ll share more about one of my “cornerstones”:

Vulnerability 💪

Curious to learn more?

Check out the podcast episode on *Listening and Asking Questions* from *“Geluksvogel, de Podcast”*:

[https://lnkd.in/eUVvDqC3](https://lnkd.in/eUVvDqC3)

Do you feel unheard, or want to learn how to listen better?

I’d love to connect with you.

Foto credit:

www.boysgetsadtoo.com