You say:
"Of course an essential part of walking the path is 'standing in our truth' - having the courage to express who we really are. This in itself begins to light a beacon for others to find their own truth, inside themselves"

This Resonates and I have had this happen on more than one Occasion, where I have noticed how I have had an impact on one person's energy shift or an entire Environment of people's energy shift, I was never able to understand the How and why... I have seen this happen many times as I changed Job environments, the energy transferring from a gloomy one, people talking behind each others back and not getting along ect, a few months after I am there I witness connections being made (maybe not best friends) but people who would not talk to each other would start too and a new more positive energy amongst more people, this always humbled me and confused me, asking myself "was I really doing this?" but after repetitive times of this occurring not long after I would arrive it became clear I had a play in the transfer of energy at the very least. To this day it still happens and Today it happened with one individual.

I find in my experience Men have a harder time dealing with emotions and especially expressing them or talking openly about them, about topics that would be considered less masculine, using the words Love, Compassion ect.

I think part of my success with being able to influence other men is I am a masculine guy (whatever that means) as I have been told/labeled, so the source matters and helps I think, coming from a so called guy who has a strong masculinity but yet expressing himself openly and not being afraid to put himself out there being compassionate. fascinating article that has helped piece some of the puzzle together. <3

Steve