When I was going through high school, I was very confused about where I fit into the spectrum of things: I couldn’t hang out with the sporty girls, since I received straight D’s in gym class; I couldn’t hang out with the academic girls, since I was very outgoing; I couldn’t hang out with the drama queens, since they were so outgoing that they scared people. I was in the business savvy group, which consisted of me, myself and I.
     Concentrating on your future and your goals is one of my favorite things about being a woman today. However, being a recent high school graduate with plans to start her own business is something that, at least where I live, is hard for others my age to relate to. They are still in the partying-and-barfing-every-weekend phase of their lives.
     I, on the other hand, have big plans for my future and I work hard every day. I enjoy myself, regardless of the fact that people don’t understand why I’m not acting my age. My theory is being different than everyone else is no reason to get all depressed and wonder which household cleaner you’re going to guzzle down first. In fact, I find it to be an endearing quality, and I am happy that many women feel the same way I do about success.
     Some people take my determination and strong personality as being feminist, but this is not the case. Although I have never been incredibly boy crazy, guys have always been on my agenda. In fact, I am currently in a long-term, successful relationship. I am very thankful for my boyfriend too, because if it weren’t for him, I would have lost control of my femininity. Instead, he gives me the motivation to be more than a woman.
     Because I’m always so busy, it’s hard to find the time and motivation to keep my feminine qualities enhanced, while still maintaining my confidence and drive for success. If it weren’t for my boyfriend, I would be a female Al Bundy. I don’t have a lot of girls that are friends, because few that I’ve met aren’t giggly, overwhelmingly flirty and don’t obsess about guys. They’re pinheads. I am always thinking about what my next business venture is going to be, and often let slide my inner girlyness. I’m a pinhead by choice.
     It’s hard, when you’re so busy, to even remember that you’re feminine. Although my boyfriend would love me even if I dressed in rags and ate beef jerky, I know he likes it when I look nice too. So do I, but I don’t have time to concentrate on the fact that I’m a girl.

     Below I have compiled five techniques so you can incorporate your femininity with your drive for success:

Smell Good
     One thing I have noticed is that women always smell good. The main enhancement of a woman’s femininity is the type of perfume she wears. I enjoy Fetish, and Roots Uniscent. Both are strong enough scents to be noticed, but not overwhelming. They are also very distinctive, and match how I feel on a regular day.


You Are What You Wear
     We all have those days where we dread putting effort into what we going to wear; we could just as easily stroll down the street in our pajamas. Even though women have always been stereotyped as being avid shoppers, such is not the case anymore. Although I like looking nice, I don’t like trying to look nice. Before I go shopping, I look through my closet and figure out what I can buy that will go well with what I already have, and that would be comfortable in both a business and everyday environment. It makes for a more concise shopping trip, since if you’ve been working all week you want to conserve your energy.


Retracting Your Claws
     I have never been a fan of long nails, since they are so hard to maintain. I’m also not into changing my nail polish every time I change my outfit. I enjoy wearing the clear nail polish by Sally Hansen. It’s easy to maintain, and makes your nails glossy and healthy-looking. It is simple, incredibly feminine, and you never have to worry about it clashing with your outfit.


Enhance Yourself
     I’m not very experienced with makeup. When I go shopping for it, I become overwhelmed by all of the products that are out there. I like it better when women look natural, and I like it when their best features are enhanced. All I do when I get up in the morning is put on a simple foundation to take care of blotchiness, and I put on lip gloss. Lip gloss isn’t as noticeable when it starts to fade during the day; it’s again a more natural product. Very simple, very effective.


Dainty and Determined
     Although women are still stereotyped as being dainty and delicate, I am happy about that. It automatically helps us to maintain our femininity. I grew up as daddy’s little girl, not as daddy’s little beast. If I put on my cute face, I know it will work when I want something to go my way. It is great to have our inner girl to help us through tough situations. Because women are very determined and appealing creatures, we can now bring femininity to a whole new level.


     Before, it was all about who could cook the best meatloaf and who could maintain a traditional household. Now, it’s about climbing the ladder of our chosen profession. We have the opportunity to mix the old traditions with the new, and although the ways listed above are more about the exterior, they will enhance our interior: our confidence, our determination, and our chosen level of daintiness. It will also save us time so we can do the things we actually want to do, instead of obsessing over the fact that we are women. We can be simple, and successful all at the same time. We can be more than a woman.