This week I have been thinking about the idea of femininity vs masculinity.
Oftentimes, when people refer to these words, they think about female vs male traits and qualities. However, each term describes both woman and man interchangeably.
Feminine energy refers to the side of you that focuses on being. The feminine side is the softer side, the one that listens to their intuition and to their feelings. They make decisions based on what truly feels right to them.
Masculinity refers to the side of you that focuses on “doing.” This is the need to give and work in order to feel successful. It is the idea that productivity equals achievement. These people are confident, organized, and goal oriented.
After reflecting on each category, I am aware that most of my behavior fits on the masculine side. However, I am reflective and make sure that I am not overdoing it to the point that I become burnt out.
I haven’t spoken about these concepts often, but more recently they have been coming up more in conversations. I spoke to two of my friends this week who are both hard working women and both of them had a similar thing to say about the topic. I brought up the topic of getting my nails done. Most people enjoy getting their nails done, but not myself or these two other women. To me it feels like another thing on my to do list that I need to check off, but in reality I can be getting so much more done during the time that I am sitting at the salon doing nothing.
After digging deeper around this idea, I reflected on why I need to be doing something? Why can’t I just sit there and do nothing and be okay with it?
So why is it that productivity equals success?
Another thought I had this week was around social media usage. I have an Instagram account that I was posting on daily. I share quotes, messages, insights, inspirational ideas and more. I reflected on WHY I was doing this and it was to make more information accessible to others and to attract more people to my life coaching services.
After over a year of doing this, I decided to stop posting this week. I found myself just creating content, just to check it off my list and even scheduling posts to maximize my time and efficiency.
I don’t know how long I will feel this way, but I wanted to listen to how I truly felt.
I find that Instagram can be a tool, but it can also be a huge distraction. I found myself just mindlessly scrolling as we all do. After reflecting and writing about this, I am tapping into my feminine side my side that is in tune with what I actually want and don’t want for myself. It’s not the task completion. It’s not I need to get this done. It’s not a feeling of obligation. Instead, it is what feels right for me at this time in my life.
This week I spent more time reading books, which is something I enjoy doing. I spent more time listening to podcasts and also being present in the moment that is in front of me. Mindless scrolling steals those opportunities without you even realizing it.
Take time this week to reflect on how you are spending your time. Are you in a state of go, go go? Or maybe you are spending too much time “going with the flow.” Whichever it is, spend time reconnecting with your inner voice. Listen carefully to signs from your body that let you know when it is time to step it up a notch or time to take a break.