MICRO EP: Damned if you do, damned if you don't: The double binds women face

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This micro-episode came from two therapy conversations I had that hit on the same frustrating theme: the absolutely ridiculous and contradictory standards women are expected to live by. I had to share because if you're feeling exhausted trying to meet impossible expectations, you're not alone.

First, the body bind: We're told that if we're "too sexy," we're asking for danger and assault, but if we don't have bodies that appeal to the male gaze, we're worthless. Second, the motherhood trap: Work too much and you're abandoning your children, but staying home makes you "privileged" and taking the easy way out. Either choice leaves us feeling not enough.

I call bullshit on all of it. These are traps designed to keep us measuring ourselves against external standards instead of trusting our own sense of what's good for us. My challenge: Can you find your enoughness within yourself and give yourself permission to choose a direction without apologizing for it?

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27 Aug English Explicit South Africa Self-Improvement · Relationships

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