Hopefully the subject of this post raised an eyebrow or 2 and got you thinking about strength, which is precisely what I was hoping for.
What does the term strength conjure up for you?
Is it having big muscles? Is it quitting heroin? Is it lifting lots of heavy weights? Is it simply being who you are?
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
My definition of Strength is: the ability to overcome.
Which can be applied to many things, including the questions above.
To have big muscles, you must overcome more and more resistance. To quit heroin, you must overcome addiction (and your own demons). To lift heavy weights, you must overcome fear. And to be yourself, you must overcome everyone else’s expectations of you.
That last one might be the toughest, however, we all have to overcome ‘stuff’ every day.
Do you listen to co-worker’s, even if they’re difficult and help them with projects? Do you have patience with your kids as they’re learning a new skill? Do you deal with the in-laws even though they aren’t your favorite people? Do you have patience with an elderly parent who is slowing down?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you’re stronger than you think.
If we get right down to it, your mind will fail before your body does and every time you overcome something, you’re telling your mind that you can do it.
No matter how small or inconsequential, little constant steps forward, add up to big monumental successes later.
And in Strength Training terms, every time you get a repetition, or add a little intensity, or up the challenge – you’re strengthening your mind and your resolve to overcome!
The more ‘stuff” you overcome, the more things become easier and tolerable to deal with – because you have the strength!!!
