What in Your Opinion is Strength

"What in your opinion is strength?"

This was a random journal prompt my friend and I stumbled upon during our monthly writing meetup sessions. Typically, we get together and plug away at individual projects. This time, we decided to collectively create by responding to a journal prompt. This was a great way to get things out and explore the deep recesses of our mind to understand how we are defining strength.

After 30 minutes and pen to paper, we shared our definitions and responses to the prompt. Not surprisingly, we came up with two totally different interpretations of what strength means. Luckily, the first line of the prompt calls for our opinions. Which lets us both know that there is no right or wrong answer. Our opinion is the answer. Read on below to understand a bit more about how I define strength.

Strength in my opinion is having the courage to show up at fear’s doorstep one more time after running off the first time. It means having strong emotions and fortitude to still smile after any set back. Having the courage to be calm is what strength means to me. To not allow the ne'er do wells that roam the earth to penetrate your fortress of happiness. Standing up to your giants and makine the most of your voice, whether your choice is to stay silent or raise and roar.

Strength, to me, is remembering where you're from and why you’re here. Strength is an intrinsic resilience.

If a person tells me they are strong, they are telling me they are courageous. More specifically, courageous enough to exist in their true form and they are true to their personal mission. They say only the strong survive. In order to be strong, you must be smart. My dad has a saying, “if you wanna be stupid, you gotta be tough.” I’d add to his adage by saying, “if you want to be strong, you gotta be smart.” Because only the smart survive.

Smart, I should clarify, is not book smarts and intellect. Smart is having knowledge of self and the world. It’s understanding your true self as an infinite being, who is here on a soul contract mission. The strength to persevere to fulfill the terms of said contract, regardless of obstacle.

Strength is character.

Strength is fortitude.

Strength is patience.

Strength is belief.

Strength is retreat.

Strength is freedom.

Strength is wisdom.

I suppose I can write for 30 minutes about strength because I’m a strong person. In terms of “it takes one to know one” I fit the mold. Strength is having the courage to bypass the shortcuts. Understand fully that life is a journey.

Strength is being brave enough to love any and every human you encounter on this journey. Strength is having the wherewithal to believe there is no such thing as coincidence. Strength is having the courage to be creative in a world that preaches constraint. The people who tap into their unrestrained creativity are always rewarded handsomely for it. This is the goal I strive towards daily.

Strength takes stamina.

Strength takes agility.

Strength takes ability.

Strength takes humility.

Strength is timeless and strength takes time.

The greatest gift any person will ever know is their true strength. The further you lean into your strength, the safer you feel. There is strangely so much safety in being strong. The more you stand up to your fears, the less scary the world becomes. Strong people live very carefree lives most of the time. The other times, they are using their strength to push past pain.