Vixen Manual - Karrine Steffans [36]
I’ve made many of the classic mistakes women make, such as needing a man to support me and not having my own life outside of my romantic relationships. By not having a job, furthering my education, or having a plan for myself, I gave the men in my life tremendous power over me. I didn’t believe in my dreams, never spent time with friends, and was often estranged from my family. I eventually figured it out through extreme trial and error, but imagine if I had known then how truly powerful I really am! You have this same power within you. It’s waiting to do your bidding.
From Helen of Troy to Cleopatra to Mrs. Wallis Simpson, who was able to get a king to abdicate his throne just to be with her, women have been able to captivate men with the power of their femininity. Empires have crumbled, wars have been launched, and some of the most powerful men on earth have been destroyed in the battle for the love of a woman. Only when we realize that we are, indeed, the more powerful of the sexes will our true nature be fully unleashed. Yes, there is great power in your sexuality, but it can also be dangerous and addicting. Once you realize that you possess this power and that it works—whether you want it to or not, in both your personal and professional lives—you’re going to have to harness it. It’s unfortunate that men and women alike seem to believe in an “idiot theory,” that a woman cannot be aware of herself sexually and still be intelligent. I have intense sexual feelings that I am not only aware of but also excited to discuss. Many women feel the same, but they have been taught to be ashamed of their bodies and their sexuality, especially if they are highly educated professional women. A powerful woman is aware and unafraid of all sides of her femininity and has learned how to embrace her masculine side, integrating it all to her benefit.
Know your power, ladies. Master it and make it your own. Use it to create a better you. The world, particularly men, will respond accordingly.
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Recap
So many women offer too much of one thing and none of the other, believing that they can’t do it all.
Power is not easily earned but is absolutely necessary in order to be successful.
Become the ultimate authority on the word no.
Part of a woman’s power exists in knowing when there must be a changing of the guards, to know that it’s okay to relinquish power to her male counterpart.
A woman of power knows when to speak and when to listen.
A powerful woman is aware and unafraid of all sides of her femininity and has learned how to embrace her masculine side, integrating it all to her benefit.
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Chapter Fifteen
Position
Position. What exactly is that, anyway? Is it our career? Our financial status? Does it refer to our place in the world? It sounds like it may even have something to do with power. In truth, it can be all those things, but what I’m specifically referring to now is in relation to how you achieve it, particularly the manner in which you as a woman carry yourself and dictate the way in which you will be treated. Your comportment—and by that, I mean your demeanor, your presence, and the personal ethics that go with it—plays a major role in your position and how and whether you will excel in life and love. It can affect your career and how far you rise. That, in turn, can impact your financial success. And a woman’s rank within her own home will eventually determine the type of relationship she’ll have with her mate and how he will relate to her. A woman who upholds a powerful and meaningful position in life and relationships will inevitably find herself in control of both. She will be queen of her domain. Yet, you can’t expect to be treated as a queen when you run your life with ragged abandon and act like nothing more than a common wench, a chambermaid,