Sources of Strength

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What makes a woman strong? What is the definition of strength? Is there strength in beauty, in love? Is there strength is supporting one’s family financially or emotionally? Is there strength is breaking down completely and then picking oneself up and moving forward? Absolutely. Strength is not the same thing is perfection. Strength is an understanding that things must move if they are to grow; that staying stuck in one spot, whether that spot is pain, an unhealthy relationship, a terrible home, a disaster, a crisis or an injury is not a choice. Strength means moving on, moving beyond pain and injury, beyond pain, toward something new or energizing, or just something that’s so different that maybe something good can come of it.

Where do you get your strength as a woman, as a human being? Where do you find the strength to keep moving forward, to keep working at your job, to continue mothering your children, partnering your significant other, being a daughter to your parents, a sibling, a friend, an animal owner?

Where do you get your strength to keep believing in yourself, in your community?

For some women, strength is found in faith. A strong belief in a higher power can bring these women through even the most challenging crises into another dimension of hope and prosperity of spirit.

For some, family is everything. Knowing not only that their family loves them, but also that their family is counting on them to pull through can generate a sense of purpose and clarity, priorities and goals to help get through even the most stressful periods.

Finding out what gives you real, solid strength and then cultivating that in your life is probably the greatest gift you could ever provide for yourself, for your loved ones and for your future health and wholeness. So often we think of doing things for ourselves as a result of our past failures; for example, “I am going to start eating healthy now because I have become really unattractive with all that ice cream I ingested last year,” or, “I had better get a second job because I’m so horrible with money.” We do things that are positive, we grow, we develop, but we’re mean to ourselves, too, we put ourselves down, we go for the good, healthy choices almost as if we are going for the punishment as a result of having been, somehow, all wrong.

Finding sources of strength is not the same as all that. It means you understand which situations energize and enliven you, and you work hard to create more of them in your life. The irony is, it takes real strength to do this, as well.

Aimee Boyle is a special education teacher, writer and mother. She is a regular contributor to EmpowHER.

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.