From the desk of Grace Lange,
Women who work have a special place in our society and are vital to the growth of our communities and world…
Pope John Paul II wrote in his letter to women:
“Thank you, women who work! You are present and active in every area of life —social, economic, cultural, artistic and political. In this way you make an indispensable contribution to the growth of a culture which unites reason and feeling, to a model of life ever open to the sense of “mystery,” to the establishment of economic and political structures ever more worthy of humanity.”
In this beautiful letter, Pope John Paull II expresses his gratitude towards women and all we bring to the world, our families, and to society.
But as women, it is so easy to lose ourselves in the grind of work that we forget our true purpose.
We forget our feminine genius.
What is your feminine genius, you might ask?
The term feminine genius is used to describe the special, unique capabilities we have as women. Through feminine genius, families can flourish, workplaces can become a bit kinder and gentler, and public affairs can be more personable.
There are 5 key parts to our feminine genius:
- Receptivity
- Empathy
- Generosity
- Reflectiveness
- Maternity
“Understanding feminine genius means understanding that women are complex creatures, competent and intellectual, yet tender and nurturing as well. Not one or the other, but all. From the soft nurturing hands to the warm embrace within her arms, a woman is one of the most comforting creatures and indeed the first home for all mankind.” – Heidi Comes, Diocese of Sioux Falls
Now when it comes to women in the workplace, we often forget about one of our best qualities, because it isn’t necessarily welcome in our offices or in the field.
We forget our calling to be nurturing, warm, and tender.
As women we have a special opportunity to impact others in our workplace and bring our God given qualities to everyone we meet.
Here’s how you can bring your feminine genius to work:
- Practice Listening to the Heart Of Your Co-Workers
- Instead of rushing from thing to thing, stop and let your heart be still so you can hear and empathize with the people who need you.
- Share Your Joy
- Don’t let your to do list, the angry client, or mean coworker steal your joy. Spend your mornings and evenings in scripture and ask God to give you joy. Your joy is invaluable.
- Humanize Your Work Environment
- Be compassionate, supportive, and considerate towards your coworkers. Focus on relationships, not tasks… for isn’t that the reason we are all here?
- Be generous with your time and talents
- We each have our own talents, so don’t be afraid to use them! When we don’t give of ourselves and use our gifts, we are doing a disservice to God and everyone around us!
- Take time to think and reflect before acting
- I think this one is pretty self explanatory… but I need to work on this one a bit:)
Lastly, an excerpt from everyday roses explains it better than I ever could…
“Learning and building upon our skills is, of course, important in all professions. But focusing on our personal and professional development can also help us cultivate our feminine genius. Becoming better at discernment can help us be more receptive. Learning about the needs of underrepresented groups of employees can help us be more empathetic. Developing our time management and budgeting skills can help us be more generous with our time and our money. Nourishing our prayer life and developing our relationship with the Lord can help us be more reflective. Learning how to mentor or coach others can help us be more maternal.
From the Christian perspective, personal and professional development go well beyond self-help books focused on improvement for one’s own sake. When we build our skills, we enhance our ability to use them for God’s kingdom. We do so with humility, knowing that our gifts were given to us by God, and we do so with confidence, knowing that with his grace, those gifts can make an impact.”
Our feminine genius is so important, and we are called to lean into our gifts given to us by God.
How will you live out your feminine genius at work?
P.S. If you want to be surrounded by awesome women who are practicing living out their feminine genius, join us at our 2024 Women’s Goal Setting Summit on January 12th to set yourself up for the best year ever!
** I wanted to make a quick note that I am in no way downplaying any woman who is a stay at home mom. I believe that role is one of the most beautiful and needed roles in our society… and hopefully my role some day <3 **