Embracing Your Own Brilliance
How does that title make you feel?
Excited in acknowledging your strengths, experience and achievements or does it bring with it a level of uncomfortableness? “Who am I to suggest I am brilliant’ says the voice in your head.
What I can tell you is, it is absolutely time to step into your brilliance!
A lot is being written about the rising of the feminine energy which I find fascinating. The feminine energy connected with qualities of empathy, honesty, integrity, sensitivity, vulnerability, intuition, compassion and nurturing. Are we not seeing this in fact playing out before our very eyes?
We have heard during the Covid-19 crisis about women leaders world-wide having done a better job, with studies showing that outcomes related to covid, including the number of cases and deaths, were better in countries led by women. Women rated more positively in competencies that comprise overall leadership effectiveness, with female leaders seen as more aware of how their people may be feeling, showing concern for their wellbeing, communicating effectively and having confidence in their plans.
However, it is not as if women have suddenly acquired these skills – it is only now that they are being truly recognised.
We have all witnessed the traits that have dominated our patriarchal society – power, competitiveness, independence, ego and control. Traits that have formed the basis of our societial structures and that have generally been seen as masculine, a singular form of authoritive leadership, one that has not been inclusive. Many of us have in fact, adopted these qualities as we have sought to climb the corporate ladder to success, hiding our more feminine and vulnerable side to fit in, in fear of being seen as weak and not ‘traditional’ leadership material. While I am not saying these traits are all bad, they can be so much more effective when combined and in balance with others.
It can be very easy to look at the state of our world right now with concern, questioning how we can turn things around. Climate change challenges, war, racial issues, a lack of equality and diversity, examples of poor conduct and culture in business, organisations and politics, with a prioritisation of financial gain over good stakeholder outcomes. I would suggest it is through the feminine rising that we, in accepting our own brilliance and unique strengths, can all come together and contribute to be the change we want to see in our immediate and wider world.
This is not about women over men, this is not a gender-based discussion. I absolutely believe that every person possesses both feminine and masculine energies, with these being complementary and not singular, the ying and the yang. To consider them singular is in fact unhelpfully devisive.
It is time to step into our brilliance, to embrace the feminine within us all, no longer denying but celebrating these core traits. A more nurturing, unified, peaceful and authentic way of being in the world. Important for all, for both men and women – space being created to be more nurturing of our true and full selves. For too long, many of our men have been carrying the primal expectation of needing to be the alpha male, strong and in charge – it is time for change. It is time for us to acknowledge, understand and leverage off all of our core strengths and to contribute in our own right.
So how do we embrace the feminine?
- Gather and connect, supporting each other to shine
- Seek to serve others, not simply self
- Connect in with nature
- Journal, connecting in to you
- Practice gratitude
- Support men to honour their own vulnerability
Be brave, in openly acknowledging the strength and benefits of the feminine energy in all walks of life, including business and politics, opening up space to listen and learn from each other.
The feminine is a strength, its full potential waiting to be harnessed.
What will you do to embrace the feminine as we seek a better way of doing things for the benefit of all, for all our futures?
