How to be a gentleman.

Greetings, gentlemen.

The word gets tossed around a lot but what makes a man a gentleman? Originally a gentleman was someone born of noble or gentle birth and was part of the gentry. Next it was a man of leisure who was wealthy and did not need to work. Eventually it became a catchall term for all men.

There are those who say that in the last few years true gentlemen have all but disappeared but I don’t believe that is the case at all. Perhaps we weren’t as prevalent as we should have been, allowing cheap trends and poor style hide who we were. Perhaps we weren’t easily identified as gentlemen because we lacked any kind of social structure but we’ve always been here.

Gentlemen, its time for a revolution. Not one of conflict or chaos but one where we redefine and evolve the concept of a gentleman. A modern gentleman.
A true modern gentleman is someone who respects himself (dresses well, eats well, stays physically active, grooms properly, works hard), respects all women, respects his fellow-man (gives to charity, helps those he can however he can) takes pride in his home (can work around the house, contributes to the neighborhood and greater community), isn’t afraid to express himself, educates himself, is well spoken and in turn is someone who all respect in return. Never live your life to work, work only to live your life, to provide for yourself and your family and the rest of the time, ENJOY your life and your family.
Being a modern gentleman doesn’t mean you must be rich or snobby, it just means enjoy life. Dress well, eat good food, drink good booze, travel to new places experience new things and appreciate life for what it is. We live in scary times, there will always be a precipice that you’re dangerously close to falling into but that doesn’t mean you have to let the fear of falling cripple you. The abyss will always be there, it’s up to you to make the most of your life.

1) Respect. Respect yourself, respect others, respect everyone. Everyone has a right to the pursuit of happiness, no one is happy if they are disrespected. Treat men and women with equal respect, there is no “weaker sex”.

2) Dress well. This shows self respect. If you want people to identify you as a gentleman, you must identify yourself as one. This doesn’t mean you have to wear a suit everyday, it means, don’t give in to fads, don’t look sloppy, wear clothes that fit, wear clean, well-maintained shoes.

3) Be courteous. Address everyone as sir or miss. Don’t say ma’am, a lot of women don’t like that and “miss” is much more acceptable. Hold doors for everyone, be polite, study up on etiquette, and don’t discriminate against anyone.

4) Groom yourself. Get a good haircut, if you have facial hair, maintain it, wash yourself, brush your teeth, get manicures. Look good and smell better.

5) Exercise restraint. Moderation is key. If you like to drink, don’t be a drunken ass, if you like to partake in other substances, don’t let yourself turn into an animal.

6) NO VAPING. I cannot be clear enough on this. A gentleman never vapes. It’s a trendy fad and beneath you.
Just avoid fads in general.

7) Educate yourself. Learn as much as you can all the time. The more things you learn, the more opportunities you have to help others.

8) Be tidy. Keep your living space and work space neat and well organized. You’d be surprised how much confidence this builds and how much easier it will make your life.

9) Try your best at everything you do. Be dedicated. Be prepared but don’t ever be prepared to fail. A true gentleman will fail until he succeeds.

10) Smile. Always smile.

The life of a gentleman is not for everyone and if it’s not for you, that’s ok too but if you want to be a gentleman its pretty easy to do.

-Reverend Rocky