Strong women are not born – They are made.
1. They’ve experienced adversity.
I was recently talking with a friend who has experienced intense hardships in life. She said that people often tell her how “strong” she is, but she told me, “I am only strong because I had to be.” When strong women go though adversity, they become stronger because they went THOUGH it. They may even start out in survival mode, but eventually they switch to offense and learn how to turn obstacles into opportunities.
2. They are not afraid to fail.
When strong women are presented with the possibility of failure, they can see past what could go wrong, to what could go right! When they see the situation as a win or learn scenario, failure loses its sting and they push ahead!
3. They embrace emotion.
Strong doesn’t mean constantly composed. Strong women know it’s strong to embrace all the facets of ourselves and feel all the emotions that come along with being ourselves. Strong women embrace their emotions, leading to better understanding and ultimately… breakthrough! They know that when they are brave enough to face themselves, they can face the world.
4. They are vulnerable.
I know it sounds counterintuitive, but if you read “vulnerable” and it made your heart race or your gut turn, you know exactly how intimidating it is to be vulnerable. When the world sees us for who we really are, they can reject us, and that’s one of the scariest things for anyone to face because it invalidates our entire existence! Well, not really, but that’s how it feels. However, strong women know that when they show the world their truest self (even in the face of possible rejection) they will strengthen thier identity and learn how to live unapologetically authentic… and that is the truest way to exist and thrive.
5. They forgive.
It’s easy to hold a grudge. It’s hard to forgive. But forgiveness is necessary to let go of excess baggage. A bi-product of releasing excess baggage, is making room to carry something more important. By not obsessing over grudges, strong women are not only able to handle whatever life can throw at them, but they also create room in their hearts and and minds for bigger, more important work along the way.
We are all capable of being the strong women we aspire to be.
But it’s up to each of us to take inventory on where our strengths comes more easily, and where we need to work on our weaknesses more intentionally.
Life practice:
- What on this list is a strength of yours? Acknowledge and celebrate it!
- What on this list is an opportunity for your own personal growth? Create a situation where you can rise to the occasion!
