Unlearning Hustle Culture & Embracing The Feminine Economy
Creating this two-part series with my close friend Hannah Stomski has been an absolute blast.
Hannah and I met online (through Tiktok actually) while I was still a newbie to content creation. One day, I stumbled upon her video where she discussed mental health, and I immediately felt a connection to her message.
We eventually chatted over instagram and had a zoom call, then just like that, we became instant friends. That was around a year and a half ago, and to this day, she remains one of my top 5 friends on my “peace list”.
Making Friends as an Adult: Quality over Quantity & the Feeling of Loneliness ~ learn more about the peace list here.
When I started my podcast, I knew I wanted her on as a guest. She has so much wisdom to share about hustle culture, the feminine economy, and the importance of taking things slower in life, so tune in (or just read these show notes) and I hope you enjoy!
What is hustle culture?
Although Hannah claims she’s not an expert in this topic, in my eyes she’s my teacher here. The definition that she believes captures the meaning of hustle culture and its toxic qualities is the following:
“Hustle culture is a lifestyle that is driven by capitalism. It’s putting productivity and work achievements above all else – to a detriment of your mental, emotional and physical health. When you’re in the hustle culture, everything you do is rise and grind: get up a 6am, have a super strict routine, you have your networking, you’re putting in 10-12 hours at work, [you neglect your basic needs of] not eating or sleeping [enough], and your self-worth is measured by your achievements.”
- Hannah Stomski
How to detox from hustle culture
Believe that there is another way
The constant cycle of working hard, to only eventually burn out was so last generation… The first step toward any mental detox is to become aware of another way of living.
Most likely, you have confused your worth to be tied to something externally so here’s a little reminder for you today: Everyone is inherently worthy.
There is no deserving–we just are.
No you don’t have to wake up at 6am.
No you don’t have to work 10-12 hours every day.
You’re worthy of rest.
You’re worthy of play.
You’re enough.
The importance of play
There needs to be a balance. Work hard, play hard baby. But what exactly does "play" mean?
To play, means tapping into what brings joy to your inner child. Connecting with your inner child is vital for nourishing your different energy levels, such as mental, emotional, and creative energy so that you can be more aligned with yourself and life.
JOURNAL TIME
Take a moment to reflect on your childhood memories. What activities brought you the most happiness as a kid? Another question you may want to ask yourself is why have you lost touch with the playful parts of yourself? What may you need to detox, or let go?
The most crucial aspect of play is this: there should be no goal other than being present in the moment.
If you're interested in learning more about the importance of play, Hannah recommends this book that has helped her implement play into adulthood:
Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Dr. Stuart Brown.
Masculine economy vs. Feminine economy
01. The Masculine Economy: American Capitalism – Society is currently built upon the foundation of the masculine economy, which promotes materialism, individualism, and competition.
It's important to remember that capitalism was never meant to be the end goal. Rather, it was an economic system designed to promote economic growth and increase the wealth of nations–a stepping stone towards developing a stronger society.
But why isn't it working in the way it should? More importantly, why haven't we acted upon ways to improve it?
The answer is simple: greed. The individualistic qualities of the masculine economy fuel our desire for more, causing us to lose sight of the fact that our nation isn't actually becoming wealthier. Only a small portion of the population benefits, while the rest, particularly the middle to lower class, suffer. The rich get richer while the poor get poorer.
Unfortunately our economic system isn’t changing anytime soon, but if we’re intentional enough in our day-to-day lives, it’s possible to shift to healthier way of living.
02. The Feminine economy : In the proposals for the feminine economy, Jennifer Armbrust discusses a new economic paradigm, founded on feminine and feminist principles.
Some of the ways I like to honour the feminine economy include:
Cycle syncing: Planing your month ahead according to your menstrual cycle can be very beneficial in stabilizing hormones and using (and conserving) your energy efficiently to prevent burnout.
Valuing fulfillment over success: For me, success is less about how much money I have in the bank. It's more about finding joy in the little things and making them feel special, even if they seem mundane.
Being mindful of the ego: The ego can have many masks. If you catch yourself feeling dazzled by people or having grandiose thoughts, it may be a sign that you've put yourself too high or low on a pedestal. In turn, fueling individualism and cuts you off from the abundant energy of community and collaboration.
Check out this article to learn more: 12 Principles for Prototyping a Feminist Business
LEARN
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UNLEARN
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RELEARN
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LEARN 〰️ UNLEARN 〰️ RELEARN 〰️
Extra Notes from Hannah
Thank you to Jessica Lackey for putting me on to the concept of the Feminine Economy and showing me that there was another way to live than deep in the trenches of hustle culture.
Full Body F*ck Yes podcast by Abbey Gibb - Episode # 14- SOLO- F*ck Bro Marketing
Intuitive Art Session guided by Angie Louthan: https://www.angielouthan.com
