Being strong is no simple feat. Life throws curveballs the size of Texas our way when least expected. It aims when we’re least ready, rarely shouts a warning, and hits us when we’re looking the other way. And then, just because it can, it provides us something equally as complex to wash down that first hit.
When the world is hell-bent on tearing you down, it’s tough to stay focused. It’s difficult to remain strong. Staying true to yourself when the universe feels loud and unforgiving may feel impossible. But remember – being strong isn’t about perfection.
Pushing through the chaos of life isn’t something anyone can do with ease. A strong person understands life with a different perspective. He or she has learned a few valuable lessons – albeit the hard way. And these lessons have morphed into lifelong understandings.
5 Truths Remembered by the Strong
Are you looking to better yourself? Are you hoping to become stronger and more emotionally capable? You aren’t alone. Here are a few lessons remembered by the strong.
1) Strength isn’t innate – it’s learned.
To be strong isn’t a natural state of mind. It isn’t a quality we are born with. No – strength is learned. It’s understood with time; after years of wear and tear, hardship, and loss. It’s realized after a heart-wrenching tragedy; a lost opportunity.
Moving on is a trait of the skilled. And the only way it becomes possible is through strength.
Let’s face it – you can’t get anywhere if what happened in the past holds you back. Strong people know this. They realized over time that to get anywhere, you have to develop your own strength. You have to learn how to progress when chaos arises. Developing this ability may take time, but the journey and its ultimate endgame is necessary.
2) Emotional intelligence is just as powerful as one’s IQ.
You can’t go through life relying only on your IQ. Life is all about balance. It’s about how well you handle both stress and calm seas. It’s a delicate balance that relies on strength and understanding. Sure, your IQ matters. Knowing the answers to questions like what, why, and how is important. But your emotional intelligence is just as significant.
A strong person knows the power of emotion. They know that feelings often overpower the mind, leading people to carry out both good and bad decisions. Strong people are able to hone their emotional intelligence. They move forward on a dream not necessarily because it was logical, but because it just made sense.
The ability to control your emotions is a necessity. It helps you progress through life by helping you maintain your own passion while acknowledging the progress of your peers. You aren’t truly strong unless your emotions are just as important to you as water. Mind, heart, soul – all of this is necessary. To be strong, you must get a handle on it all.
3) Admitting your faults is empowering.
Most feel you must consistently showcase your strengths to the world. They feel that showing any sign of weakness, regardless of its relevance, is demeaning. That it somehow makes you less powerful. That it detracts from the strengths you have in an entirely different aspect of life.
But folks, letting others in on your weaknesses doesn’t make you any less worthy.
We are all comprised of strengths and faults. We have all done things that are both good and bad in our lives. Have those moments of weakness slowed you down? Probably. Do they make you a weak person? Not in the least. Humanity is far from perfect. You are not expected to be good at everything. Remember that time you fell from the tree at recess in 4th grade? It probably hurt. You likely skinned your knee and cried. Kids probably laughed at you for not being ‘strong enough’ to climb to the top.
But then, something wonderful happened: you learned.
Any strong person knows that there is merit in admitting one’s faults. They know that sharing their weaknesses will only help them grow. Just because you can’t manage a team at the office now doesn’t mean you never will. Admitting this to the right person may set you on a management training path. And in the end, even after all that training, you still might not cut it.
But you will excel elsewhere. You will never be good at everything, but where you do succeed you will make a difference.
4) Alone time betters the soul.
The strength of any one person depends on their perspective of themselves.
Spending time with yourself doesn’t make you an introvert – don’t fret. You have the right to better yourself. But you can do only that if you provide yourself the attention you deserve.
The strong people we all admire give their souls time to heal. They know that there is strength in personal days – or even minutes, if that’s all the time your schedule allows. You will never rightly be perceived as weak if you’re strengthening your own well-being.
Don’t forget yourself when chaos hits. Give yourself some time alone to breathe, nap, walk, read, or journal. And remember – giving yourself some well-deserved attention will heal your spirit. Why not give it a try?
5) Heartbreak is a lesson waiting to be learned.
Relationships aren’t one-sided. No two couples are the same and their journeys towards the present will differ immensely.
The love that happy couple at the coffee shop exudes wasn’t a magical occurrence. It required effort. It required an understanding from the lessons learned by the couple over time. It required knowledge from heartbreak; from unexpected arguments and hateful conversations.
A strong person remembers that life isn’t perfect. They know that relationships cannot be one-sided. And ultimately, they know that a relationship’s health depends on past lessons.
You learn as you love. You learn what makes a relationship last. You learn the significance of loyalty, trust, and communication. And eventually, perhaps after multiple heartbreaks, you learn to not take your loved ones for granted.
Each relationship you’ve ever experienced is a lesson waiting to be learned. How strong have yours made you?
How Strong Are You?
In life, we experience chaos, heartbreak, and failure – sometimes all in the same day. When these forces hit with no explanation, it’s not easy to turn it around into something good. In fact, it’s often excruciating to even try.
But any strong person knows the importance of moving forward. They know that opinionated people may – and will – try their best to wear down their ability to bounce back. And yet, they also know that the lessons we learn are not be trifled with.
They know the significance of resting and admitting fault. They know that lasting relationships require work. And they realize that strength and emotional intelligence aren’t a given.
Take these points to heart. Learn just how capable you really are. And always remember to encourage yourself along the way because life, as we all know, is crazy. Why not learn to handle it with the strength you know you already have?
