I remember when my limited self-view only identified with specific parts of me—moody, serious, not fun.
My creative playfulness used to flow so naturally. But like the Cherokee proverb about the two wolves within us, somewhere along the road, I stopped feeding the one that brings joy and only nourished the overachieving, responsible one.
Here is the thing though…
Women’s bodies are wired differently—our biology is built for creativity.
Throughout our menstrual cycle, rising estrogen levels naturally boost our openness, playfulness, and capacity for new ideas. This isn’t random—it’s how our bodies invite us to explore, imagine, and create. And this wisdom only deepens as we graduate into menopause— a time when we embody all that we’ve learned.
When I was pregnant with my son, I was shocked to realize it had been years since I truly laughed. That year, I chose “Laugh More” as my word for the year.
I have a vivid memory of us in the kitchen. I cracked a joke, burst into laughter, and Dean looked at me and said, “Wow… you’re laughing again.”
That moment was a micro-expression of the kind of freedom women feel when they begin to tap into the macro of their power.
Unfortunately, this playful part of us is often criticized or ridiculed in today’s world, because fear-based consciousness has long been threatened by women who feel free and powerful. (But that’s another article I absolutely plan to write.)
Anyway… I digress.
These days, I’m constantly tuning into my body’s desire for play. I’ll randomly find myself singing, dancing, and being incredibly silly—especially with my husband and kids.
And inevitably, these are the moments that give birth to some of my most creative ideas and insights.
You know which parts of me I’m able to identify with now?
The parts that say:
I am free. I am goofy. I am funny. I am creative. I am limitless.
And this makes me feel alive in every way.
This feeling… this aliveness… is our power.
Which brings me to the traditional definition of power:
The ability to act, influence, or direct the course of events or the behavior of others.
“Others.”
Why does our power depend on how we relate to others?
If that hit you the wrong way, you’re not alone. Because guess what’s missing from that definition?
The feminine power.
Feminine power is defined as:
The capacity to be fully expressed, aligned, and alive.
It’s the energy of presence, authenticity, and inner knowing.
It’s not about control… It’s about connection.
Control vs. Connection.
That’s the shift.
So the next time you feel lit up and alive, delete all that programmed nonsense that convinced you power lives somewhere outside of you.
And remember:
Power lives within.
This simple shift has reconnected me to the fullness of all that I am.
I am fun. I am playful. I am spontaneous. I am silly. I am unscripted. I am flowing. I am confident. I am responsible. I am serious. I am… everything.
As Glennon Doyle stated in Untamed, women are not either/or, we are both/and. And that’s not a flaw. That’s the truth of our power.
For me, it was laughter.
For you, it might be something else—that playful presence that makes you feel light. Uninhibited. Fully alive.
Maybe it’s dancing in your kitchen. Singing in the car. Scribbling ideas in a notebook.
Whatever it is, follow it.
No! Remember it again.
Because that’s your power portal.
And your creativity lives on the other side.
And that brings us back to one of our most innate superpowers: playful creativity.
Playful Creativity
Here’s how to understand and apply your second feminine superpower.
POWER FACT
Women’s brains have a stronger connection between the left and right hemispheres. A groundbreaking study from the Center for Creative Brain Research found that women’s brains show up to 14% more neural connections between analytical and intuitive regions compared to men—what researchers call “playful creativity,” the ability to integrate logic with imagination.
When women engage in creative activities, they experience a 32% boost in problem-solving both personally and professionally—making play not a distraction, but a direct pathway to innovation, intuition, and empowered expression.
POWER AFFIRMATION
“Play is my path to power.”
Use this when expectations and responsibility try to pull you away from joy.
POWER BLOCKERS
When this power is blocked, you may feel: overwhelmed, restless, anxious and unmotivated.
Watch out for these habits that block your creative fire:
- Relying on rigid discipline and control: routines are helpful, but when they become robotic, they deaden the moment-to-moment aliveness where play and creativity live.
- Chronic perfectionism: the pressure to “get it right” blocks experimentation, spontaneity, and joy.
- Constant consumption: too much scrolling, researching, or comparing can crowd out your own ideas. It keeps you in reactive mode instead of expressive.
- Self-censorship and judgment: harsh inner criticism kills play before it can even begin. It makes you edit yourself instead of explore.
- Lack of rest or movement: playfulness is a full-body energy. Without sleep, nourishment, or joyful movement, it’s hard to access imagination or vitality.
- Overcommitting without tuning in: when you move too quickly to please or produce, you crowd out the quiet space where creativity wants to speak.
POWER ENHANCERS
When you’re aligned with this superpower, you feel: playful, curious, excited, spontaneous and inspired.
Do more of this to stay connected:
- Move playfully (dance, walk, stretch)
- Brainstorm freely
- Try something new
- Say yes to spontaneity
POWER BOUNDARIES
Protect your superpower by:
- Scheduling inspired work, not just urgent work: set aside time for vision-mapping, or creative strategy (versus tasks and to-dos).
- Protecting the in-between spaces: avoid back-to-back meetings or rigid plans that don’t leave room to breathe. Creativity needs openness.
- Honoring aligned spontaneity: Say yes to what feels exciting and expansive. The most meaningful moments often aren’t the ones you scheduled.
POWER RITUAL
Dance Break Reset
Try at least one of the following two exercises today:
1: Put on one song that lifts your energy.
Let your body move however it wants—no choreography, no mirrors. Let go. Laugh if it feels awkward. That’s the point.
Too much too soon? Here’s another way…
2: Write yourself a one-line permission slip.
“I give myself permission to ______.”
Fill in the blank with whatever feels like playful freedom today—rest, mess up, start without a plan. Then… do it! (And enjoy that sweet and uncomfortably authentic power you feel in the process.)
To owning our powers,
— Amna
