Photo by Drew Tilk on Unsplash

Like the waxing and waning moon, we have periods where we're expanding into our fullness. And others where we're leaned back, receiving the rewards of the harvest sown in our more active times.

I read a quote on Instagram that compared life to a game of chess. Sometimes you have to move backward to play the game well, it said. I'm not a chess aficionado, so the idea of backward movement as strategic fascinated me.

And it made me rethink those periods of "stuckness" I go through before moving to the next level in life. You see, when it comes time to level up, I've traditionally felt mired and blamed these periods of inaction on my subconscious mind protecting me from danger.

Because there's risk involved in moving up and out of your comfort zone. It makes sense my habit of stagnation right before such a shift could be my inner child keeping me safe.

But what if it's more than that?

As a Type B personality, I've never resonated with the constant push forward of the Type A. Intuitively, I've known that a period of rest and reflection must follow any sustained forward motion.

But knowing something and acting it out are two different things. My inner critic won't let me relax and enjoy the fruits of my labor. She wants to make it difficult for me to lean back like the waning moon.

She fills me with self-doubt and existential drama. Maybe that's all you had to give, she taunts. The trick is to tune her out and get quiet enough to listen for the next steps.

Waxing and waning as feminine growth

Personal growth is more than constant forward movement. It means having the courage to follow the breadcrumbs where they lead. Not having a plan all mapped out ahead of time.

Have you considered that personal growth might include periods of waxing and waning? Could you see intentional rest and reflection not only as self care but an essential part of the growth process?

The growth as forward movement mentality is a masculine energy that derides the feminine. You see, the masculine wants to do and the feminine wants to be.

If you are a feminine woman, you will always struggle with the societal message of constant forward movement. It doesn't sit well with your soul but you've probably overridden this inner knowing.

Like me, you've felt lazy or guilty when you're not making strides. The deep need to not only rest, but retreat and reflect, feels like a failure or something's wrong in your business or life.

Nobody thinks there's anything wrong with the moon in its waning phase. It's doing what it was made to do. Well, most women are on the same cycle and it's our privilege to go through similar stages.

If this resonates, I encourage you to embrace your own periods of waxing and waning. Of pushing into fullness during some weeks and leaning back and allowing yourself to receive in others.