Some women play hard to get, and this can make dating harder for men. It’s not always a bad thing, but sometimes it can feel personal and make guys feel like they aren’t worth the effort.
Girls want a man who is good at communicating with them. This is important for building a solid relationship foundation.
There’s a lot of competition
Many women think that dating has gotten harder in the last decade. This is especially true for Black and Hispanic women, who are twice as likely as White adults to say that it’s harder now.
It’s a crowded space and guys can feel overwhelmed by it all. They’re worried that they’ll say something wrong and turn off a potential date. Or they’re concerned that if they try to flirt too hard, they’ll get pigeonholed as a creep.
Also, they’re constantly aware of all the ways they can be taken advantage of like being catfished or getting endless lewd messages and unprovoked dick pics. That makes it hard to open up and be vulnerable when they’re in a new relationship. Men are also worried that they’ll make a mistake in texting and risk losing the girl they like. This overthinking can be exhausting for men. Plus, it’s not always easy to meet the high expectations women set for their dates.
Rejection is personal
Rejection is hard to deal with for any person, but it’s especially tough for men. The problem is that they often see rejection as personal, especially when it’s from someone they like or respect. They think, “Why didn’t they want to date me?”
But it’s important to remember that rejection isn’t always personal. It may have nothing to do with your personality or your values, but rather a lack of chemistry and compatibility.
That’s why it can be helpful for guys to look for models outside themselves. Whether it’s a friend who can be there to support them or an example from TV/Movies, find someone who has successfully dealt with rejection and use them as a guide for their own struggles. They may even help you get through this rejection and learn something about yourself in the process! Hopefully, this will make the next rejection less painful. Then you can move on to finding that special someone who’s worth the effort.
Guys aren’t always great communicators
Many men struggle to communicate how they feel to a woman. They may try to play it cool or they may be afraid of losing her. This can cause a lack of understanding between the two of them.
They might spend hours swiping on dating apps hoping to get a match (especially when they are good-looking). They may agonize over crafting witty and creative messages that will stand out from the sea of competitors.
Men are socialized from a young age to not show their emotions, especially when they are insecure or upset. They are told to be strong and to “be a man”.
This can make them less comfortable talking about their feelings with women. Especially because women generally have more experience communicating emotionally with other women. As a result, men might shut down emotionally or withdraw from the relationship. This can lead to them not getting the support they need. This can cause them to feel depressed and low in self-esteem.
Guys have a tougher time becoming emotionally vulnerable
Men are conditioned from an early age that showing their emotions is out of character with their masculine identity. They’re told to “be a man” and to avoid crying because it threatens their image of being strong and stoic.
This creates a barrier for men to become vulnerable in relationships and can lead to toxic and unhealthy behaviors. It also makes it difficult for guys to seek out help when they’re having emotional difficulties.
In addition, many guys have a hard time overcoming the friend zone – a girl may only want to hang out with them as friends and not date. This can make a guy feel like he’s on a tight rope and that any misstep could chase her away. And then there’s the pressure to meet dating norms, sex standards and other expectations of society. This can be exhausting. And it can even make some guys feel like they’re not good enough.