We are surrounded by opposites in life. Good and bad, happy and sad, hot and cold, night and day. We only experience one because its counterpart exists. You wouldn’t know how good it feels when you are happy if you never experienced feeling sad. We also embody two main types of energies that seem to oppose one another. The masculine and feminine energy.  It’s common to think that men should embody masculine energy and that women should express feminine energy. Although there are many benefits that accompany this belief, for anything to be harmonious there needs to be a balance. I was someone who grew up believing I should only show my masculine qualities. As a kid growing up I observed the media and all of the male figures in my life. I absorbed what I saw and built my perception of what it meant to be a man. I thought I should only portray confidence, focus, pride, power, firmness, strength, reason, logic, and action (all ‘masculine’ traits). Again, these are very useful traits, but I had absolutely no balance. Unfortunately, when we don’t balance our energies they can become wounded. This can lead to unhealthy actions of overcompensation. In my case, I would become over-controlling, more aggressive, be unsupportive, or competitive to avoid showing my more feminine qualities.  Over the past few years, I had to redefine what it means to be a man (for my unique life experience). This involved learning how to put my masculine shield down and re-training my subconscious mind to not always react in an overcompensating masculine manner.  If it’s time for a change, you might just have to redefine what it means to be a man (or woman) in your life. This might involve balancing your masculine and feminine qualities/energy. That to me is taking ownership and responsibility to seek harmony. And that is something powerful and inspiring for any gender.    I hope you enjoy this episode! Joel:)