When I was in middle school I remember torturing myself for years about the way looked. Constantly comparing myself to other girls. Eventually, it was like an obsession, I need to wear this and need to look like that. I never felt very pretty, and because of this and spent most of those years being extremely shy and unsocial. Fortunately, for me it didn't last long. When I hit high school I finally became interested in school and put my focus into other things besides the way I looked. Now that I am happily married and have a daughter of my own I find that period of my life very very silly. Children should not be struggling with beauty issues at 14.
Unfortunately, sex sells, and because sex isn't kept in the closet anymore it has become, like anything else enjoyable, a multimillion dollar industry. Children are just seeing it more than they were 20 years ago and because of this we now have 14 year old girls refusing dinner in order to achieve Hollywood idea of perfection. Child prostitution is on the rise and so is the amount of girls diagnosed with eating disorders, its terrible.
This issue isn't just effecting young girls, this conflict follows many of us into adulthood. Women all over the world, in all age groups, struggle with their idea of what true feminism is. Its very self destructive and is a huge issue within our society. Women have always struggled to find good footing in this world. We all wonder at one point or another, what is true feminism?
The Cherokee treated women as equals and, unlike their European cousins, traced heritage through females and not males. I like to use the Cherokee as examples because they were one of the few cultures that saw women in this view during that time. The Cherokee were also very knowledgeable when it came to their understanding of how masculine and feminine energies balance each other.
Masculine energy is very forward and is the source of our "get things done" attitude. Feminine energy is very reserved, its more concerned with feeling than doing. Now imagine someone who is all doing and no feeling from birth to death. Its a very boring existence and doesn't allow room for much creativity. Now imagine someone who does everything based on feeling, they do only what they want to. They would stumble upon many ideas but lacks motivation to do anything with their creativity.
If we look at it this way it makes more sense that women struggle in today's society. Masculine energy is the driving force in our growth as a spices. It common for one to "get something done" regardless if it hurts someones feelings. If you work at a slaughterhouse and start expressing our emotions about the conditions, you will be jobless very quickly. Emotion doesn't play a huge role in our society. We "suck it up" and survive. So when it comes to out finding out what true femininity is we need to realize something important. Men need to find it too. Its not just a girl problem, men shut out their emotions as well and sometimes even more than we do. Women will continue to struggle with their image until "WE" as a whole make it a priority to balance these to energies.
Balancing your Masculine and Feminine Energy
Everyone has both energies present within the regardless on someone is male or female, making it difficult to tell which energy is out of balance. If the masculine side is much stronger than the feminine side, you tend to be pushy and take unfair advantage of people. On the other hand, if the feminine side is much stronger than the masculine side, you tend to let others take advantage of you, and you become a doormat for people. Once you know what to look for its usually pretty easy to notice. The best way to balance these energies within yourself is to start listening to yourself. Make a journal, if you don't already have one, and write about each energy once a week.
What do you notice about them?
What traits are strongest, which need work?
How does each pay a role in your daily life?
What things do you dislike about these energy's?
What "stereotype" do you have about these energy's?
Notice the quality of these energy's. How would you describe them?
The more focus you put into balancing these energy's the easier it will be for you to except yourself, regardless of your gender.
Always remember we are all beautiful!!!!