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Expression
The adults were chattering away downstairs. I stood back and looked proudly at all the stick men my little 4-year-old hand had just carefully drawn all over the bedroom wall, with my best blue felt tip pen. Now Grandad wouldn’t be sad and lonely without Grandma.
Suppression
This was going brilliantly! YES!!! I’d worked bloody hard this year. I’d smashed all my targets. My brand was holding its strong #1 market position. We’d reached #1 in Ireland in just 6 months from launch. And it was the most profitable brand in the portfolio. I felt the warm swell of pride in my chest as I sat opposite my manager soaking up all the positive feedback.
“BUT you really need to be more aggressive if you want to get to the next level. You care too much about other people. You need to be more selfish. More competitive”
The warm swell deflated like a limp balloon and was replaced by a heavy heart. But I’m not aggressive. And I do care deeply about others. Why do I have to pretend to be something I’m not? I’m exhausted. I really don’t think I can do this anymore. I am never going to be good enough for them.
Awakening
I’d never felt more alive in my life. I screamed out loud as I lowered myself into the ice-cold stream. It felt like a thousand needles pricking my skin all over. It took my breath away. An excited orchestra of rushing water, tweeting birds and shrill screams from the other women filled my ears. Beautiful bright green moss covered the edges of the stream like a soft blanket enveloping us. I breathed in the earthy cool scent deep into my lungs.
Yep! I was naked, in a stream, on a wild camping retreat in Dartmoor, with 6 other women who I barely knew. This was not the quiet, sensible, responsible Hazel that I (and everyone else) was familiar with.
But I knew this part of me. I’d forgotten this part of me. This wild and free part of me. This powerful and yet gentle feminine part of me.
I could sense the ethereal magic of this place seeping through my skin and deep into my bones. Awakening my inner wild woman. Awakening the old ways. Awakening my soul. Like a brightly coloured butterfly breaking free from her tight cocoon.
Revolution
To quote St Frances De Sales “Nothing is as powerful as gentleness. Nothing is as gentle as real strength.” And that’s why it’s my mission to support empathic women leaders. The ones who feel. The ones who care. But are exhausted from suppressing their sensitive nature at work for fear of being seen as weak. I help them to get their energy back and find courage to be the compassionate and powerful leaders they know deep down the world is crying out for.
And when women are empowered in this way, they empower other women. And then they go on and empower other women. And so on. It’s like a ripple effect. I am part of this ripple effect. Will you join me?
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