WOMEN: The MENtal Shift We Need to Accelerate Action

By Clinical Psychologist, Asha Dullabh

As a woman, a psychologist, and someone who has walked the tightrope between strength and softness, I want to take this moment—International Women’s Day 2025—to speak directly to you. This year's theme, “Accelerate Action,” calls for us to move forward, to push past barriers, and to claim our space. But true acceleration isn't just about speed; it’s about alignment. It’s about stepping into who we are fully—without apology, without fear, and without feeling the need to prove ourselves to the world.

The Hidden Truth in WOMEN

Have you ever noticed that hidden within the word WOMEN is MEN? This isn’t just a coincidence—it’s a message. For too long, society has told us that being a woman means choosing—between softness and strength, between nurturing and ambition, between emotion and reason. But why should we choose when we are meant to be whole?

In my therapy room, I see women who are exhausted from trying to fit into one mold. Women who feel they have to tone down their fire to be accepted, or who believe they must harden themselves to be respected. I’ve seen it in mothers balancing careers and guilt, in leaders questioning if they are “too much”, and in young girls shrinking themselves before they even realize their full potential. And, if I’m honest, I’ve seen it in myself too.

We have been conditioned to divide ourselves, but the truth is, we are at our most powerful when we embrace both the feminine and the masculine within us.

The MENtal Shift: Balancing Strength and Softness

Psychologist Carl Jung’s Anima and Animus theory teaches us that we all carry both feminine (Anima) and masculine (Animus) energies. And when we integrate them, we become unstoppable.

• The feminine energy is our intuition, creativity, and deep emotional intelligence. It sees, feels, and envisions. It is the force that nurtures and gives life—not just to people, but to ideas, movements, and change.
• The masculine energy is our action, discipline, and strategy. It builds, protects, and executes. It is the force that drives, that leads, that gets things done.

I have spent years unlearning the idea that I have to be either-or—that I have to be soft or strong, nurturing or ambitious. The truth is, I am both. And so are you. This is the MENtal shift we need.

Accelerating Action Without Losing Ourselves

To accelerate action without losing ourselves, we must embrace every part of who we are. Here’s how:

1. Lead with Both Intuition & Execution

The best leaders don’t just think—they feel. They trust their intuition and then move with confidence.

• Tip: Before making a big decision, pause to reflect (feminine) and then create a structured plan (masculine).

2. Strength is Both Power and Grace

Strength is not about being rigid; it’s about knowing when to stand firm and when to flow.

• Tip: Practice assertive communication—speak your truth with confidence (masculine) while remaining open to understanding (feminine).

3. Accelerate Action Without Overload

We are not here to prove our worth by doing everything. We are here to make an impact.

• Tip: Use the 80/20 rule—focus on the 20% of efforts that drive 80% of results. Say no without guilt. Rest without apology.

4. Sisterhood & Brotherhood: It’s Not One vs. The Other

Women do not rise by tearing men down. And men do not rise by suppressing women. The future is collaborative, not combative.

• Tip: Collaborate instead of competing—with other women, with men, and with yourself.

The Future of Women’s Empowerment: Whole, Not Half

If WOMEN already holds MEN, then our future is not about one winning over the other—it’s about rising together. And when I say rising together, I mean all of us—mothers, daughters, leaders, students, entrepreneurs, artists, activists. We are not just one thing, and we never have been.

I have seen firsthand how women who embrace both energies transform their lives. I have watched them step into boardrooms, end toxic cycles, start movements, find their voice, and own their power—fully. And I am still becoming that woman myself.

This International Women’s Day, let’s make the MENtal shift we need to accelerate action. Let’s lead with balance, embrace our full power, and move the world forward—not by choosing one side, but by embracing all of who we are.

Because when women accelerate with wholeness, the world moves forward with them.

Happy International Women’s Day 2025. Lead, nurture, create, and take action—because all of it is yours.