3: Balance: Honoring Feminine & Masculine Energy

Jessica Armstrong (00:00):

The success and the productivity and those things that are so celebrated in our society, it makes it hard for us to get in touch with our feminine side to the point where we can balance it out in a way that actually works for us. And that we should be looking at them as both of these parts of us that we love, and we want them to support each other so that they thrive together.

McKenzie Raymond (00:31):

At least here in the United States, we are a masculine-driven society. And even the idea of competition is such a masculine concept versus the feminine of collaboration, “There’s enough for all of us. Come, we will share, you will share.” I mean, even that it’s like just so ingrained.

Jessica Armstrong (01:00):

Welcome to the Good Enough Podcast, a podcast that takes you into a new realm by inviting you to reduce your daily hustle and celebrate yourself right here.

McKenzie Raymond (01:09):

Tune in as we dive deep into vulnerable topics and interview guests who deliver transformative moments to you, our community of individuals healing on a collective journey.

Jessica Armstrong (01:20):

We’ll open up to the art of embodied self-care, and even on the days that you feel like a self-sabotaging rebel …

McKenzie Raymond (01:27):

We’re here to remind you that in this realm, we are all good enough.

McKenzie Raymond (01:31):

Hey, Jessica, so happy to be back with you.

Jessica Armstrong (01:38):

Hi McKenzie. I am as well. It’s so exciting. The energy feels amazing today.

McKenzie Raymond (01:45):

I’m wondering if recording day is ever not going to be my favorite day, but for now, I’m just going to ride this wave.

Jessica Armstrong (01:52):

Yes.

McKenzie Raymond (01:54):

So, today, we are covering the topic of balance, and the idea of balance. So, I wanted to just bring up something that I think a lot of our listeners may already have an idea of, but I think it’s just a good kind of basis for us to start.

McKenzie Raymond (02:14):

And for me, the first thing that came up when I thought of balance was the balance between masculine and feminine.

McKenzie Raymond (02:24):

And this idea that regardless of if we are female or male, we both have the feminine and the masculine energy within us, and we all have the ability to maybe more naturally, lean and feel more comfortable in one of those spaces than the other.

McKenzie Raymond (02:42):

So, I just want to bring that out that we all have feminine and masculine energy, and today, we’re really going to be diving deeper into how we can honor both of those energies.

McKenzie Raymond (02:52):

And notice I think one of my greatest awarenesses around balance is actually when I’ve fallen out of balance to be able to get back. So, talking about balance, the feminine and masculine, and just so much more today.

McKenzie Raymond (03:10):

So, Jessica, I’m curious about if you could just kind of give a general overview maybe around the idea of feminine and masculine, and what the heck we are talking about.

Jessica Armstrong (03:25):

Yes, absolutely. I was thinking about when you were saying balance — I did goat yoga the other day, which was really amazing. And the woman who was teaching, who really had just a great way to work with the crowd, she was teaching us … we only did like one balance pose. Everything was fairly easy because it was about us being around the goats.

Jessica Armstrong (03:50):

And so, we did the tree pose, and it was interesting because obviously, I’ve done that many times in yoga classes. And you get in this mode where you concentrate, you’re looking for your Drishti, and you’re trying to make sure that you’re staying straight up. And she was like, “Now, just try to go crazy. Just start swinging your arms around and moving like you’re trying to fall down.”

Jessica Armstrong (04:22):

It was interesting. She’s like, “What did you notice?” It’s actually easier for you to stay straight when you’re literally trying to fall over. And it was so interesting because she was so right. I was like, “Oh wow,” I had just learned something so new, and just unlocked this whole new idea around balance.

Jessica Armstrong (04:43):

So, for me, it was like, I think our masculine energy, it’s really that one that takes action, that one that’s going to present with confidence, it’s going to have direction, it’s going to want things to be more direct. And that may put us in that space in yoga, where we really want to show how we can be in that pose correctly, and there’s the balance we need to show that we can balance by focusing. Focus is another big characteristic of masculine energies.

Jessica Armstrong (05:20):

But our feminine energy, when we allow that to come in, that’s our creativity, our adaptability, our pleasure. And that’s when we’re having fun, we’re dancing, we’re moving around. And so, the masculine helped us get into that pose, into a way that feels good and supported, so that the feminine could rise and feel lively, and bring that energy, that fun, creative, openness, vulnerability, all that stuff that we need to balance out that masculine energy, that productive, focused energy.

McKenzie Raymond (06:07):

Oh my gosh, what a great example. I feel like even just the idea of goat yoga totally demonstrates the balance of masculine and feminine. Because it’s like the masculine is the structure, the logical, the linear, it’s all of that.

McKenzie Raymond (06:23):

And so, it’s almost like goat yoga, the concept of it in itself is the masculine, but what you’re actually doing is the feminine, which you said it really wasn’t about the yoga at all. It was totally about just laughing and being with these goats and-

Jessica Armstrong (06:38):

So much joy.

McKenzie Raymond (06:39):

That’s the feminine. So, yeah, just such a cool example with so many different layers of that example of balance represented. And I’m definitely going to have to try the whole like — because I’ll say, “Oh, sway in the wind in tree pose.” But I’m going to have to really be like, “Okay, pretend you’re in a storm,” see what my students do.

Jessica Armstrong (07:02):

Yeah. It’s like it was that idea of, try to actively get yourself to fall kind of thing.

McKenzie Raymond (07:08):

Yeah.

Jessica Armstrong (07:09):

Oh, it’s really cool. It’s interesting how just something little like that and it’s because you feel it in your body too. Like she knew what it was going to feel like to you, and then once you actually did it. Because she could say that, and you’d be like, “I really doubt that. I’m sure I will fall over.” But no.

Jessica Armstrong (07:28):

And then so when you actually feel it, it’s like so mind-opening because you’re just like, “Wow.” It gives you that ability to trust yourself and your body, and even just the ground you’re standing on so much more.

McKenzie Raymond (07:44):

Absolutely. I just want to touch a little bit more on some of the kind of descriptive words that you were using with the feminine versus the masculine. So, you were talking about how the masculine is action-driven, it’s direct, it’s confident. So, the masculine is like fiery.

McKenzie Raymond (08:03):

It’s the sun, it wants to get stuff done. It’s that manager within you that’s like, “Okay, when is this being scheduled? What’s the next step?” And you mentioned the masculine and the feminine exists so that the other one can flourish.

McKenzie Raymond (08:18):

And I think that’s so important to highlight that it’s not good or bad, whether you’re one way or the other. But the structure of the masculine allows the feminine to be passive. The feminine is the moon energy. So, it’s much more passive. It’s intuitive, it is the feeling.

McKenzie Raymond (08:37):

So, even in that example of like with the tree pose and your mind, your logical part, your masculine wanted to go, “Oh huh, that’s funny. Like that’s not true. That’s not going to work.” But then the feminine part that said, “Well, I’m just going to try it and feel it. And this feels goofy and weird but whoa, here it’s” — oh my gosh, there’s just so many layers of the balance here that I feel like we’re hitting on already.

Jessica Armstrong (09:02):

I know. I didn’t even think about the goat yoga thing until you said balance and I was like, it just triggered that thought immediately.

McKenzie Raymond (09:09):

So good. So, as I mentioned, one of the ways that sometimes I realize that maybe I’m not as balanced as I’d like to be, as once I’ve kind of had the alarm bells ringing where I’ve noticed that I’ve been out of alignment. So, to me, it feels like I actually was in a place at that time that I wasn’t able to define for myself what enough of either of those sides was. And I think it can be really uncomfortable to lean into the space that’s not what we normally tend towards.

McKenzie Raymond (09:52):

So, I’ve learned this in my business. I have really had to kind of play with both. And even to the extent of sometimes scheduling in (this is my masculine) playtime, which is a total way that I have been able to actually find that balance when I schedule in spontaneity or play because it’s like, “Okay, here, my masculine’s happy, I’ve gotten my work done, I’ve been the productive person that I need to be.”

McKenzie Raymond (10:28):

And then also getting to be so fully present in my feminine of being, it’s almost like if I don’t create that structure for myself, then even as I’m trying to be, I’m still going to be overhearing the masculine. Like, “Oh, how could I be using my time?” Or whatever the thing is, that’s pulling me from being fully present.

Jessica Armstrong (10:52):

Yes. That’s exactly how I feel and well, it’s interesting what you said there about the scheduling that playtime, and I’ve mentioned that to people who I’ve mentored or coached in the past. Like why don’t you try to actually put that on your calendar? And that tends to be for people who are very calendar-oriented like myself, I often need to have it on my calendar.

Jessica Armstrong (11:21):

And as you know lately, I’ve been practicing trying to connect more with my feminine side. So, only the important kind of meetings go on there because I’m trying to allow myself to more organically and authentically come to that space.

Jessica Armstrong (11:38):

However, doing that by putting it on your calendar, it’s really just another way your masculine side is supporting your feminine side. And it’s actively trying to help find the support so that your feminine side can thrive. And I think this is such a big part that people should look at because we often think about this feminine/masculine, man/female idea as a competitive thing.

Jessica Armstrong (12:13):

Definitely in our patriarchal society where … and even just from the beginning when we start, there’s always these two very different choices, and there’s a competition in between; whether it’s sports or whether it’s even — I remember when they used to have all of the girl singers, like Britney and Christina were feuding with each other.

Jessica Armstrong (12:41):

And it’s like, no, I love both of them. Why can’t we all just love each other? And it’s like they should do a concert together kind of thing. But we’re just constantly thinking about how there’s a competition, and even when I mentioned it to my husband, I was like, “Hey, how do you feel like your feminine side gets represented? How do you call that in?”

Jessica Armstrong (13:01):

And he was just kind of making fun of this competition between man and female. And I thought to myself, I bet that is an inherent thought with a lot of people, or this automatic idea or this instant narrative that we have to compete against each other.

Jessica Armstrong (13:26):

So, for me, being a business owner, I felt like I had to really adjust myself to tap in more to my masculine side. And I really had to disengage with my feminine side because I couldn’t be both. That’s how I felt I had to choose.

Jessica Armstrong (13:47):

And the success and the productivity, and those things that are so celebrated in our society, it makes it hard for us to get in touch with our feminine side to the point where we can balance it out in a way that actually works for us.

Jessica Armstrong (14:07):

And this idea of working all the time and having to be productive, to be successful, and what does that even mean anymore? And who are we actually working so hard for?

Jessica Armstrong (14:22):

And so, I think that’s where we are now, is we’re trying to find how we can have them work together harmoniously. And that we should be looking at them as both of these parts of us that we love and we want them to support each other so that they thrive together.

McKenzie Raymond (14:44):

Yes. I think that societally, at least here in the United States, we are a masculine-driven society. And even the idea of competition is such a masculine concept versus the feminine of collaboration, “There’s enough for all of us. Come, we will share, you will share.” I mean, even that, it’s just so ingrained.

McKenzie Raymond (15:12):

So, yeah, touching on just the idea that our entire society, at least again, here in this country, is much more masculine-based.

McKenzie Raymond (15:22):

It just reminded me of being in Costa Rica, and the first time that I brought my boyfriend there, and I was explaining to him, hey … I was almost warning him, which is funny, because I knew that there’d probably be a little pushback of like “really?” because there’s this expectation now that our society is like run in this way. So, anyway, I was telling him about Tico Time.

McKenzie Raymond (15:51):

So, Ticos are the local people, Ticos and Ticas in Costa Rica, the local people. And it’s called Tico Time because really in their society, time just doesn’t have the same value or pressure that we have in this country. And so, you might have a tour going out at 10:00 AM and if they show up by 11, no one’s even concerned. It’s like, “Oh yeah, whatever, the plantains have fallen in the road and we are just cleaning them away.”

McKenzie Raymond (16:21):

And so, they’re just on this other time and this different expectation. But because as a society, they’re all on it, it’s like this general understanding. I think a lot of people have heard the phrase “pura vida,” which means pure life. And to me, it feels like they are so much better at embracing the bean, which is the feminine side.

McKenzie Raymond (16:47):

So, we had this whole experience where we went out with my friend Carlos, and he took us in his old Ford Bronco, and we went down this sketchy road to this waterfall, and had this amazing afternoon in the waterfalls and climbing these suspension bridges. And then after this entire adventure and just totally beat in our day, he took us to this local woman’s house for lunch, and she had this beautiful sitting area that just overlooked the whole countryside.

McKenzie Raymond (17:23):

And we sat down and even the pace that my boyfriend was eating, I’m like, “Okay, we have nowhere to go babe, just enjoy.” And so, it’s like I can just kind of feel that rushing through and like, “Oh, there’s something next.” And eventually, I just kind of touched his arm. I’m like, “This is what we’re doing today.” And I said, “And this is what I was talking about, this is Tico Time.”

McKenzie Raymond (17:47):

And we had finished our Gallo Pinto and we’re just looking out at the beautiful countryside, and watching these two cans. And I’m like, “This is the perfect example.” And I’ve never forgotten that because I think it was kind of this monumental moment for him too to be like, “Oh wow.”

Jessica Armstrong (18:08):

Yeah, I bet.

McKenzie Raymond (18:09):

So, that was just a really powerful example for me of how societally, when we travel to different places and get to experience different cultures, we can see how we all are under this bigger umbrella of masculine or feminine, and how it impacts the ways that we live.

Jessica Armstrong (18:29):

Absolutely. For me, traveling has opened up my mind and created so much more joy and understanding and love in my life. I mean, Costa Rica, when I was there, I remember just feeling more relaxed than ever, like almost sleepy because you could just really do kind of whatever. There’s no worries. And it was like you could just feel it in the air. And I really, really loved that.

Jessica Armstrong (19:03):

And recently, when I went to Bali, they really touched on this idea of masculine and feminine in a way that was fairly new to me. Just because obviously, it’s not practiced in Western society as the way they do. And they really focus on the idea of takes a village, you can see it everywhere. Everyone working together, nourishing the collective is very important to them.

Jessica Armstrong (19:35):

And there is just this sense of feeling safe and welcomed, and you don’t feel like this constant judgment or pressure even as a woman being able to walk around without feeling like you’re being watched or stared at, and you just felt very comfortable.

Jessica Armstrong (19:58):

And we had this one incredible gentleman that was our guide to a few different temples, and he was talking about this idea, and he was saying how the men work the rice fields, clean the temples, and really create this space that is supportive, safe and comfortable, and this foundation for the feminine to dance.

Jessica Armstrong (20:26):

And what she brings in is this nurturing, creative, loving spirit into the community. And it just is in every ounce of everything there. You just can’t even escape it. You just feel it because it’s so natural to them. This is something that they’ve been doing forever, and it is how they know that it feels right for it to be that way.

Jessica Armstrong (20:57):

And I think that’s a big lesson that we can learn from other cultures who practice more of that balance and especially practice tapping into that feminine because that’s really your connection to your deepest inner self and your spiritual self. So, there’s so much importance in nurturing that part of us.

Jessica Armstrong (21:21):

And because we come from a society that really makes that part of us look shameful and that we should hide it is … well, for one thing, that’s a travesty. It hurts to even think that you’d want to hide or darken such a beautiful thing. Because we can love and respect our masculineness and love and respect our feminineness. And both of those things can be important equally.

McKenzie Raymond (21:57):

It’s almost like, I forget because I’m just so in it sometimes. I guess more so coming from the lens of being in the masculine society. It’s like when I go to Bali or Costa Rica or wherever it is, and I feel that deep sense of connection with the earth and the food that I’m eating and the community and my spiritual self, and my inner landscapes. I’m like, “Ugh, this is it.” And I’m like, “Forget the calendar altogether.”

Jessica Armstrong (22:34):

I know, I never want to leave.

McKenzie Raymond (22:37):

And I think, that’s where the balance comes in. It’s like how do we come back then into this society? How do we reintegrate in a way that we can still feel that nourishment and connection and all of those things, and be able to feel things, and be intuitive, and all of these things when we’re in this capitalistic consumer-driven place?

Jessica Armstrong (23:06):

That drives that competition and that negative feedback loop and just all of these things that put even more pressure on our masculine side to be great. And then our feminine side, we’re struggling to find it. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve talked to lately who say, “I feel like I don’t even know who I am,” or they’re just starting to discover that and taking that journey.

Jessica Armstrong (23:34):

And I know because I remember when I was just getting sober and started therapy for the first time after that, my therapist asked me, “Who are you? Who’s Jessica?” And I literally was like I couldn’t believe I could not come up with anything.

Jessica Armstrong (23:56):

And I was like I don’t know. And since then, it’s almost like creating this relationship with myself again. Like falling in love with myself, creating that relationship and being committed as a partner to myself kind of thing. But yeah, it’s a crazy feeling when you wake up one day and realize you don’t know who you are.

Jessica Armstrong (24:19):

I think the power of things like retreats and collective gatherings where women can come together, and this works with men too, but I have more experience obviously with women, and getting together and being able to get yourself out of that reality is just so important. But then what happens is the sudden awareness that comes up that you’ve been giving so much of yourself to others, and now, who are you?

Jessica Armstrong (24:57):

And when you lose all the things that you were taking care of or maybe they don’t need you to take care of them so much, and now, you’re just left with you, that is where I really — and I think a lot of us want to get that message out is that we are with ourselves forever, we’re the only ones that are there for ourselves, we need to love all of our parts. And it’s so important.

Jessica Armstrong (25:23):

And even if you are just starting that journey of finding out who you are or if maybe something came up for you around that in this discussion, I just say you can always start now. And I love artistic, artist dates from the book, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.

Jessica Armstrong (25:44):

Really good. But the artist dates are really dates with yourself to go out and do something fun and creative, and really tap into that rest and softness and nurturing feminine side.

McKenzie Raymond (26:00):

Oh, my gosh. I don’t know if it’s just me, I’m going to believe it’s not just me — but I swear I’ve had multiple times already with just full body chills during this call where I’m like this is it.

Jessica Armstrong (26:14):

Always. Oh, my gosh.

McKenzie Raymond (26:16):

Yeah, I think it’s important to touch on the idea of, even as someone, I feel like I have been on this journey of finding things that I love doing. So, even in my work, it’s like I get to really be in it, whether it’s giving reiki or teaching or meeting with people, hosting retreats, like all of these amazing things that I have really devoted my life to.

McKenzie Raymond (26:41):

And that there is such power in being just so in integrity with yourself that you can actually recognize, like you said, you’re going to be with yourself the rest of your life and to really recognize how are you showing up in the things that you’re choosing to do.

McKenzie Raymond (27:03):

So, for me, even though I love the work that I’m doing, it’s still work. I’m still putting out energy. And I actually did this really powerful exercise probably at least a year ago now, where I had to write down everything, I was kind of outputting, and then everything that I was inputting.

McKenzie Raymond (27:22):

So, if I was giving six appointments a week, well then, what am I doing for myself to refuel and replenish? But I think it’s important to note too that even in doing work that I love, it’s still my work. And so, I have to still be in such integrity with myself, even if I’m showing up in total joy in my work.

McKenzie Raymond (27:43):

And I feel like I have really reached this point where I can be in the feminine, in the masculine, and I’m like, “Okay, I think this is the balance.” It’s also being able to say, “Yes, today, we’re recording an episode and I’ve been trying to get to the pool all week, so I’m going to do both.” And to me, that is balance.

McKenzie Raymond (28:04):

It’s finding the work that I love to do, but I know not everyone has that privilege or opportunity. And so, even if you have found work that you love to do, still creating that balance.

Jessica Armstrong (28:16):

Yes, that is so true. Because we absolutely have to take action towards making time for ourselves, and making time for that self-care. And we know it’s not easy, but I like that you mentioned it’s about finding what you like, what kind of sparks you, what feels right to you.

Jessica Armstrong (28:37):

Because maybe meditating every day in the morning helps me so much, but maybe somebody else, the thought of meditating every day is extremely stressful and just makes it harder. So, obviously, that’s not going to be the best place to start.

Jessica Armstrong (28:53):

And so, it’s really finding something that lights your soul on fire, makes you feel like a kid again. And no matter what that is or what that looks like, and just starting off small, because I know when you are in a job that is really energy-sucking and it really is just not aligning with who you are, especially if you’re working for a corporation, I know that your morals and ethics are probably not aligning much with them.

Jessica Armstrong (29:29):

And that’s hard. That’s hard, for us humans, for us to live with. And we’ve been doing it for such a long time too because we’re not really given that chance to express ourselves the way that we should be able to, as freely and as openly as we should.

Jessica Armstrong (29:51):

And there’s ways that you can see if you are tapping too much into your masculine or your feminine, since most of us probably are tapping too much in that masculine, doing things by honoring your rest, being able to take that time to rest, take that time to play — that’s really going to help you start feeling that balance, which will give you some space and give you some good energy to go on creative dates with yourself or have a little fun with a hobby you haven’t done in a while, playing with your pets.

Jessica Armstrong (30:31):

But maybe you really do, unfortunately, you really do have to push yourself a little bit to make that stuff happen. And it all comes in good time and each day is going to be different. And some days you’ll be unbalanced, some days, you’ll feel great and balanced, and those will be wonderful. But just know that it’s more about the practice and being able to navigate that unbalanceness.

McKenzie Raymond (30:59):

And just the awareness of that of like, “Oh, I’ve been operating in this place for some time now.” And usually, for me, when I’m out of balance, I start to feel it physically, I might be just dying to get to some yoga class or where I can really feel like, “Man, I could really use Rolfing or acupuncture or some kind of thing where as a reiki practitioner, people ask me all the time, they’re like, “So how often should I get this?” And I’m like, “You’ll know.”

McKenzie Raymond (31:32):

I’m like, “I can’t tell you.” I would say quarterly four times a year would be awesome maintenance. But if people are working through very specific problems, it might be more like once a week or every two weeks. And only we can know that for ourselves.

McKenzie Raymond (31:47):

So, just like you were saying of kind of being in integrity with ourselves, I think something that I’ve been playing with a little is like when we are in the situations that maybe we don’t want to be in, or it is what it is and it’s just not where we’d like to be.

McKenzie Raymond (32:06):

It’s like even in those situations, how can we honor how we want to feel and be. Because we might be working for someone that we totally don’t align with, and that is just automatically going to be draining and it’s going to be harder to feel in that balance I believe.

McKenzie Raymond (32:25):

But if we can show up to that job still in integrity with what it is that we want to experience, whether that be just staying calm or showing up to this job and maybe even sometimes the balance is caring less. Only we know when that energy is not feeling in alignment.

McKenzie Raymond (32:49):

Like honoring the feminine, honoring the being in the things that you’re doing even when it feels like just the hardest thing in the world. And like the most simple of tasks too of, “Ugh, I have to make dinner. Well, who do I want to be?” I want to be nurturing, I want to be connected. I want to be feeling good about this investment that I’ve made in my meals for the week ahead or whatever.

Jessica Armstrong (33:16):

I love that though because that speaks so much to me. Because I like that idea of thinking who do I want to be to? So, if I’m cooking dinner, I want to see myself as nurturing, I want to have this as time for me to connect with my husband and things like that.

Jessica Armstrong (33:37):

And man, I know there are some days where you’re excited about the dinner, but by the time it comes to that point, you’re like, “I cannot do this.” And I think that’s where we want to have that awareness. But then take a moment with that thought and think, “What could I maybe do to tap back into that nurturing feeling or that excited feeling?” Maybe it’s music, getting some high vibration to the house or maybe it’s asking your partner to help you.

Jessica Armstrong (34:12):

And I’ve had that happen. I’m like he steps in, then we end up cooking together. So, you never know. I think that having the intention upfront around it and practicing, showing up the way you want to, and then finding ways that can bring you to that place where you want to show up when you feel like you’re not quite there. And if you don’t want to do that, that’s okay too because it’s going to be enough, either way we promise.

McKenzie Raymond (34:42):

Well, I have to just admit something because I have to just … full transparency. I rarely make the dinner because actually as I was just thinking about it, I’m like “Whoa, this is totally on the topic of balance and masculine-feminine.”

McKenzie Raymond (34:58):

Growing up, my dad was like a lot of our childhood, a stay-at-home dad. So, he would do all the cooking, he had this beautiful garden, he would do a lot of the cleaning, and then he would have just kind of like odds and end jobs.

McKenzie Raymond (35:13):

Like one time he worked at Starbucks, which I loved because I would go there every day after school with my friends and just — he would bring home gallons of chai. And I’m like, “Okay, yes.”

Jessica Armstrong (35:24):

Nice, yeah.

McKenzie Raymond (35:25):

But my dad just embracing kind of more of that feminine. And then my mom owned her own business, and she was, a lot of the times, would meet us while we were already out camping or might’ve been showing up to dinner right at the time.

McKenzie Raymond (35:42):

And what I recognize now is that is like so the dynamic that me and my boyfriend Reid have. Like today, I was gone most of the morning teaching classes, doing my workout, out doing things and I come home, and he had cleaned most of the house and just things like that where I’m having this epiphany of, “Wow, okay, noticing what I’m attracted to.”

McKenzie Raymond (36:07):

And maybe more of these almost feminine traits, like him doing the things like cleaning the house allow me to just know that, “Oh, like I love having a clean clutter-free space.” And to know that as I’m out away or as I’m recording or getting my emails out or being more the masculine, that those things are happening. So, yeah, I just had that recognition that like, “Wow, I was raised kind of in this flipped reversal.”

Jessica Armstrong (36:35):

Yeah, the the role reversal there. I had a very traditional, dad worked, mom stayed at home. So, I think it’s impactful to be able to see the man in your life, the first man in your life anyways to be able to do, embrace that feminine side of himself. I actually kind of just love that because-

McKenzie Raymond (37:02):

My gosh, I love it so much. He’s like, “You just live your dream, be successful.” Because I always have said how much money I want to make by the time I’m 33, and I just have these big ambitions and goals and he’s like, “I’ll be the stay-at-home dog dad. I’ll be cleaning the bathroom.” I’m like, “Oh yes, this is everything. This is what I needed.”

Jessica Armstrong (37:24):

I know. And I think Travis and I are that way too because when you have women who are fairly in touch with their masculine side like us who do have those big dreams that we want to focus on, to have our partner be able to take on more of their feminine side helps, helps us so much to be balanced and have our home be balanced.

McKenzie Raymond (37:55):

Yeah, absolutely. Well, I feel like those were most of my points that I wanted to touch on.

Jessica Armstrong (38:03):

Yes. Absolutely, I think this is a really great topic for everybody as we’re trying to really find balance in everything that we work in, even with work and life. Just remember to search more for that harmony, that space that really lights you up and that feels good.

Jessica Armstrong (38:27):

And even when you’re in spaces that don’t feel good, the more you take time for yourself, it will open up more opportunities for that energy to change and to shift. And it’s all just the practice and learning more about how it feels for you and what feels good for you.

McKenzie Raymond (38:47):

I feel like we’re going to have to do multiple balance episodes because there’s so much to unpack here. We just scratched the surface talking about feminine and masculine and kind of the societal roles that all of that plays. But yeah, I feel like there’s so much more we could unpack. We could go on forever.

McKenzie Raymond (39:07):

But another episode you might see balance pop up again. It was so great to be here again. I’m already looking forward to our next time together.

Jessica Armstrong (39:18):

Same here. I hope you have a beautiful rest of your day.

McKenzie Raymond (39:21):

You too. Jessica, don’t forget you’re enough.

Jessica Armstrong (39:25):

Yes. Same to you McKenzie.

McKenzie Raymond (39:27):

Love you. Bye.

Jessica Armstrong (39:29):

Love you.

McKenzie Raymond (39:33):

This time is precious to you. And because we are insanely joyful that you are spending it with us, we always want to deliver authentic, vulnerability, and dive deep into what we are feeling as a collective.

Jessica Armstrong (39:45):

Our intention is to bring you stories and guests that provide you the opportunity to discover aha moments, so you leave our conversations feeling lighter and knowing what you do today will be good enough.

McKenzie Raymond (39:59):

We love to connect, follow us on social media by following our handles linked in the show notes. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend, rate, review and follow the Good Enough Podcast on Spotify, Apple Music, or your favorite podcast listening app, so you never miss an episode.