“On the left side of a strong woman, stands a strong man; he is strengthened by her character.”
― Ellen J. Barrier
A lot of men are intimidated by strong women. They either won’t approach them at all, or they try to control them. Neither of those is the answer, though, because a relationship with a strong woman can be extremely fulfilling, meaningful, and downright sexy.
Strong women are not looking for anyone to save them. Strong women are not asking for anyone to give them special favors. Strong women are not seeking an easy way out. Strong women are not looking to blame anyone for their own failures.
We are asking that everyone follow the rules and that the playing field is level. We recognize our weaknesses along with our strengths, and we don’t make excuses. We also refuse to accept them. We want to be treated fairly and with respect, and we want others to meet appropriate expectations.
So how can you be in a fabulous relationship with a strong woman?
Be Vulnerable.
“Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.” ― Brené Brown
As Brene Brown has most notably pointed out, vulnerability does not have to mean being weak or submissive. Rather, it implies the courage to be yourself. It absolutely involves uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure — but those are necessary for experiencing new things.
So in order to be in an authentic relationship, where you bring your strong, genuine, true self, you must be vulnerable, at least to some degree. In order to be with a strong woman, you need to open yourself to feeling all emotions across the spectrum in order to fully engage with who you really are, and be there authentically for others. If you’re afraid to ever feel a certain way again and declare that you’ll do whatever you have to in order to avoid that feeling, you’re closing yourself off from feeling lots of wonderful other things, too.
Be Accountable For You.
Don’t expect her to be responsible for your happiness. You aren’t responsible for hers. What you both can do is add to each other’s happiness – but that’s where it ends.
Don’t try to control her, either. Be a strong enough man to stand next to her. Applaud her intentions, applaud her motivations, applaud her efforts, then back off. Don’t suffocate her.
Be Fearless.
Stand your ground, men. Don’t be afraid to ruffle her feathers. If she’s truly a strong woman, she’ll want some intellectual stimulation and debate. Be kind, of course. But speak your mind! Don’t tiptoe around her. That’s not at all what she wants. Be fearless enough to have your opinions and defend them with conviction.
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