Have you been wearing "low-maintenance" like a badge of honor? That easygoing, never-complain attitude might feel like strength, but there's a hidden cost we rarely talk about.
What many men call being "low-maintenance" is actually emotional disconnection. It's shutting down your needs because somewhere along the line, you learned that having needs made you weak or a burden. While appearing self-sufficient on the surface, this pattern silently erodes your ability to connect—with yourself, your relationships, and your capacity to lead others authentically.
This episode unpacks how this disconnection happens and why it's so damaging. We explore how childhood messages, sports culture, military training, or workplace environments teach men to swallow their frustration and "power through" rather than voice what they actually need. The result? Living in an emotional gray zone, feeling perpetually unseen, and watching your relationships suffer—not because others don't care, but because you never give them the chance to show up for you.
The path forward isn't about becoming "high-maintenance." It's about reconnecting with your authentic needs, owning them without apology, and having the courage to voice them clearly. Because the truth is, needing nothing doesn't make you stronger—it makes you invisible, sometimes even to yourself. When you stay disconnected from your own needs, you cut off the very fuel that makes you a better partner, father, friend, and leader.
Ready to break this pattern? Join me for a practical challenge that will help you identify one need you've been quietly going without and take the courageous step to share it. Stop pretending you don't need anything, and watch how owning your truth transforms not just how you feel, but how you lead in every area of your life.

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