How to Tap Into a Gentle Energy in the Creative Process
Whatever gender you identify with, whatever way you see yourself, we all have masculine and feminine energies within us. Creativity is such a personal and non-linear process, in this post, I highlight some of the more gentle energies that might help your creative process
I was asked to address the more gentle energy of creating, specifically more feminine energies, and so I’ve done a little research.
Identifying as a woman, I take my feminine energy for granted, but I experience a lot of confusion around my masculine energy. Being tall, blond, and Danish I’m expected to behave a certain way. But I’m far from “a sweet, pretty girl” type of personality. I’m definitely more of a “don’t mess with me” kind of type. And it confuses people when I don’t act the people pleaser, I’m apparently meant to be, due to my gender. People get really p*** off when I set boundaries and say no. Which is so confusing to me.
It’s an interesting topic of gender. Creating new work, and building a business from your work, is such a personal process, and it boils down to energy a lot.
Feminine and masculine energy
From Googling around the interwebs, I found that feminine energy is the energy of being, of receiving, of acceptance, and of intuition.
The masculine energy is more about doing, go-getting, setting goals, and taking action.
(I’m not going to say whether this is right or wrong. That’s the conclusion I got from doing a search.)
Some of us have more of one energy than the other, sometimes we’re more feminine, sometimes more masculine, but we are a mix, a blend of yin and yang.
You know when you shine a light on something, then you see it everywhere? I see this topic of energy in so many places at the moment. We are energy, money is energy. Some people’s energy drains you, while other people make you feel great and optimistic.
It’s all energy.
How to tap into a more gentle energy in the creative process
I don’t think in terms of feminine or masculine energy when I create, but I definitely feel it. You have to know yourself and how you work best.
This is why I say creativity is personal and cannot be compared. You and I are different energy and we respond to different energy.
I don’t respond well to the energy of Tony Robbins, Gary Vaynerchuk, and the likes of them. At all. I respond better to gentle, calm, and funny energy. You’ll probably feel the same way about some people. It’s not about who’s right or wrong, we just respond to different energies.
“The union of feminine and masculine energies within the individual is the basis of all creation.”
Listen to your intuition and trust it.
Instead of being the people-pleasing person that listens to the “shoulds”, a feminine superpower is intuition. Not always logical or articulate, listening to your deepest inner truth, is your intuition guiding you.
First, you practice listening out for it, it can be an ever-so-quiet whisper. Then you practice trusting it. Even if it doesn’t make logical sense. Especially if it doesn’t make logical sense.
Reflection.
Set aside some time to reflect on how far you’ve come, why your creative work is important to you, and where you’d like to go next.
Taking time to reflect on how well you’re doing is especially important. If we don’t see how good we have it and feel a sense of gratitude, it becomes easier to live in the hamster wheel and compare ourselves to others.
Be patient
Creating is a marathon. In the instant gratification dopamine-fix times, we live in, patience is a virtue. From coaching clients, I see how we can be impatient with ourselves if we don’t learn things right away, or get success right away.
Growing an email list, getting likes and followers…. it’s a race for growth. But what is this growth really we chase so badly? What if being patient meant more free time, more time with your loved ones, and more time for creativity?
Practice self-compassion.
This is so huge. Self-compassion is part of my creativity coaching methodology, it’s a foundational pillar because this is how you look after yourself when you struggle.
The process of creativity and business is vulnerable and hard at times, and self-compassion is how to look after yourself. I recommend Kristen Neff’s work
Getting plenty of rest
Let go of the need to be constantly busy and rest instead. Without feeling guilty. Resting is part of the creative process.
You can think of rest as pulling back the slingback before you fire the stone. You rest after a burst of energy and before a burst of energy.
Respect your personality
Respect your introvert, ambivert, or extrovert personality. If you’re an introvert, like me, you recharge your energy by unplugging, going within, and being alone.
The bottom line, listen to yourself and respect yourself. You know best how you feel and what works for you.
Want help with your own gentle creative process?
Hop on over to my contact page and let me know in the form what you need help with. I’d love to help you find your own personal process.
