For a few days now I’ve been trying to relate to this post. I started writing this without even thinking of what my answer would be. I challenged myself to think outside the box and to finally say things I was only brave enough to think. I finally gave myself this topic this morning and let my mind brainstorm the answer for a while, so here we go.
We are told to obey and not think for ourselves.
Why is it so hard for me to think of my strengths? Why couldn’t I just easily think of an answer? As girls, we are expected to keep our heads down and not make much noise. We are told to obey our parents and obey our husbands and not much else. As a general rule, we are told to not think much for ourselves and let others do the thinking for us.
“A strong woman builds her own world”
This don’t think for yourself belief led me into a heap of trouble growing up, so you can see why it is so hard for me to think about my strengths so easily. Would I be bragging about myself? Oh heavens no, why would I do such a thing? It’s already hard enough to give myself credit for the little things I am supposed to do, let alone think of them as “strengths”. The truth is all the things I was told girls couldn’t do reshaped my own perception of how I viewed myself.
We have to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves.
Breaking free from these chains is not easy. Childhood is the foundation of our existence and once these fundamental values are carved into our belief system, they are so hard to mend. The good news is that although it’s hard, it’s also not impossible. We have to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves or we will forever be slaves to ourselves.
“A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman”
I often tell my girls to find their strengths and go in that direction. If you do, life will be so much simpler because you will be going on the path of least resistance. When you find your strengths, you find your passions, and when you do the things you’re passionate about you do the things that make you happy. Your strengths are the things that make you unique and no two are alike. We can be good at something but not so good at other things and that’s ok. The important thing to know is that we are all good at something.
When you find your strengths, you find your passions.
So after a bit more soul searching, I had to give myself permission to say “hey you, you’re awesome”. Our words are the greatest power we have. With our words, we can create or destroy. Our words are the brick and mortar of the dreams we want to realize. The words we choose to describe ourselves will create the life we will live.
“Women are never stronger than when they arm themselves with their weaknesses”.
I know what I want out of life and I am not afraid to show it. I know my strengths and I am not afraid to be proud of them. I know my weaknesses and I am not afraid to respect them. I am strong, intelligent, fearless, and I have the nerve to not take no for an answer. I am confident, proud, ambitious, loving, smart, and above all grateful.
“We don’t know how great we can be until we give ourselves permission to be our authentic self”
The truth is we don’t know how great we can be, how much we can love, and all that we can accomplish in life, and what our potential is until we give ourselves permission to be our authentic selves. Nothing is out of line, nothing is out of reach, we just have to believe it and hustle to get it. I know this for a fact because I have experienced this in my life many times over.
“I think the best role models for women are people who are fruitfully and confidently themselves, who bring light into the world”
I hope these quotes and my ramblings have inspired you to pursue the things that you want to achieve in life. Strive hard and always know that you are stronger than you think you are. You can do whatever you want to do, as long as you have the determination and perseverance to achieve it.
