Many people think of strength in it's literal term, associating it with physical capacity when in reality strength can take shape in many forms. Lately, I've seen strength be formed in ways that have made me reflect on core values such as: courage, perseverance, self-discipline, forgiveness, responsibility, patience, and honesty. There are a ton of other values I could mention, but lately these have been the ones that have made a difference in my tests on strength within myself:
Honesty: It takes a certain level of honesty for an individual to be able to look at themselves, or a situation and clearly understand what areas need improvement. Honesty starts within. I believe that our purest forms of communication come from a root of honesty that ultimately has started within ourselves. Sometimes we like to point fingers and place the blame on outside influences, when in reality the person to blame could be staring right back at you in the mirror. The things we devote our time to, and how we decide to carry forward with those decisions all carry weight...and if we cannot be honest with ourselves then how do we expect for us to be able to be honest with the larger world?
Patience: Time. All good things worth having take time. Think of it as an investment. Investments normally do not multiply drastically overnight, they accumulate larger value after many hours, days, months, and years. We cannot expect the things that we want to appear and maintain value overnight. That's not how that works. Artists spend hours working at a canvas. Athletes spend hours in practice working on technique. I have never seen impatience formulate anything that patience couldn't make better.
Responsibility: We all have our lessons on responsibility, but here lately I've noticed that these lessons on responsibility multiply with age. The older I get, the more I am responsible for. My plate continues to expand, and my list of responsibilities keep growing. The challenge though is understanding that these responsibilities all need room to effectively be accounted for in your life. We pick and choose our battles of course, but strength comes into play when you actually face those responsibilities that you do not necessarily have the energy to confront.
Forgiveness: Un-forgiveness and love cannot occupy the same space. How do you expect to heal and move forward when you have yet to confront the very things that leave your heart heavy? Forgiveness comes from a loving heart. In order for us to walk in forgiveness we have to be willing to acknowledge the things that have hurt us.
Self-Discipline: A lot of times your toughest competitor is yourself. Sometimes we aren't the best when it comes to life coaching ourselves because it is so easy to cut ourselves slack at moments when we should be persevering through the storm. Yes, everyone needs an umbrella to stand under every now and then, but strength is curated when you persevere at the very times you want to give up.
Courage: Fear is not welcomedby those who are courageous. My journey on understanding courage and what it means to be courageous has been formed by the frequent deterrent of fear. It takes a lot of courage to move forward in things that we do not necessarily see, but still have faith in. Fear is one of the only other determinants of whether or not we move forward with the things that are unknown. It is a hindrance that welcomes stagnant energy, which is ultimately why it is an uninvited suitor in the lives of those who seek courage.
Perseverance: Real ones persevere. What matter's the most is those who can continue forward in their walk of light even when it get's dark out. It's great to know you can endure things when they're good, but what about when things get bad? It's almost a question of resilience. What makes you motivate yourself when the environment that is around you is trying? What keeps you going when you feel like your resources have been diminished? We all have had moments where we have wanted to give up. The real glory comes when we can say that 'despite certain circumstances' we overcame them and still achieved our goal. It's a strength test on what you're willing to let stand in your way.
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