Finding Your Inner Strength

Finding your inner strength is an ongoing journey. It's a testament to your resilience and courage. Practicing self reflection and asking for help when you need it will help carry you through. Sometimes a good way to develop inner strength is to challenge yourself to do something different - something you normally wouldn't do.

Last year, even though I was working out every day, I was doing the basics - treadmill, weight training etc. I had never done a plank...so I decided to try it. That shit is hard! At first I couldn't even make it 5 seconds - but then I kept at it...every.single.day. Suddenly, I could do 15 seconds. Then 30 seconds. Then one full minute. I was adding four one minute planks to my workout every day. One Sunday, I challenged myself to do 2 one-minute planks every hour for twelve hours. I did it! Try stepping out of your comfort zone and take on a new challenge - it doesn't need to be a plank! Each accomplishment, no matter how small, reinforces your belief in your inner strength.

Sometimes, gaining strength comes in the form of setting boundaries. Learning to say "no" when necessary is a sign of inner strength. I admit, this is a hard one for me. It's just not in me to refuse a request for help, but knowing your physical and mental/emotional limits is a sign of strength. I no longer feel it necessary to attend family or friend functions where toxic people (to me) will be present. I also don't feel any obligation to explain my absence. "No" is a complete sentence. The first time you flex this muscle is hard...but the satisfaction and strength you gain from it is worth it. It gets so much easier after that.

The final tip I'll talk about today (I have a couple more for tomorrow!) is embracing change. I know I've spoken about change in the past, but holidays bring about different stuff...I used to LOVE Thanksgiving as a kid. My mother, if she were here today, would be the first to admit that she was a horrible cook...I won't go into details, but suffice it to say the dog would not even eat the food we tried to feed her under the table! But, on Thanksgiving Day, she was a regular Martha Stewart. Not only was the food amazingly delicious, but the table was set with all the finery we owned. Cloth tablecloth and napkins. The "good" flatware. These glasses that had ships on them and were trimmed in gold...we only used them on Thanksgiving...and these other beautiful glasses that we used for apple cider and the smaller version for egg nog. They looked like crystal, but actually were a promotion in the supermarket and were filled with peanut butter when we bought them.

After my mother passed away, Thanksgiving just wasn't the same. My aunt tried to do it, but it wasn't the same. Many years I went to my sister's in-laws and later, when my sister had kids, we would do Thanksgiving at her house. I didn't like it. It just wasn't the same. I honestly don't know what made Thanksgiving with my mom so special, but without her - I just came to loathe the holiday. I remember the very first time I decided I wasn't going to celebrate...I actually lied to EVERYONE and told them I would be spending the holiday with someone else...told my sister I was going to friends, told my friends I was going to my sister's...and then I stayed home all by myself. And now that is MY tradition.

Change happens. Sometimes it's good, and sometimes not so much. It can be daunting, but it fosters adaptability and resilience. Don't fear change, instead, see it as an opportunity to grow stronger and more flexible.

Sometimes, the path to inner strength includes challenging you to step our of your comfort zone, set boundaries and embrace change. Each of these steps helps you build that inner fortitude that you might not even realize you have until you need it most!

I have one more post on this subject and we'll conclude it tomorrow...until then - stay strong!

#InnerStrengthJourney #ChallengeYourself #NoIsACompleteSentence #GoHappyYourself