Women often make the mistake of trying to change their man. Who wouldn’t like a new, improved version 2.0? But they may as well give up, because you just can’t change some things about men. You shouldn’t even try to.
Model turned actor Niketan Madhok admits, “There are some male habits that are very generic and women find them annoying. But obviously there are other redeeming qualities because of which you are with the guy. So why not overlook these small things?” The hunk however adds, “It doesn’t mean we will never change, but some guys are flexible and some aren’t. If you find that your man is stubborn and simply doesn’t want to change, maybe your equation with him is not that great.”
The way a woman approaches the issue makes all the difference, feels author Geetanjali Jha, She says, “Pressurising a guy is just not going to work, and the older the habit, the more difficult it is to break. Instead, what girls need to do is make them think they’re changing themselves for the better, not changing for your sake.”
You also need to pick your battles, opines cricketer Bharath Chipli. “Since I got married I’ve learned a few things. You can’t keep trying to change everything about a man. It could be something as small as the way I keep surfing channels. Or how I keep forgetting my car keys, the way I fold my clothes — it’s better to just accept that that’s how we are. Otherwise, the smallest of things can lead to arguments.”
It’s not fair to say that men will be men. Niketan adds, “The same is true for women. When a friend calls me up with a last minute plan, I’m game for it coz I can get ready in 15 minutes. But my girlfriend may need two hours just to do her hair! So girls also have habits that we wish we could change.”
Geetanjali concedes, “In the end I think the most important things to change are the ones that matter most to your partner.” Whether a guy needs to be more expressive, or a girl needs to stop nagging — it’s a process of give and take.