This past summer (yes, today, in this cold weather, I’m recalling warmer days :)) I was out for a bike ride, and as I headed home, I became acutely aware of my strength. I took a deep breath, noticing how that awareness made me feel, and how that strength was a connection with my physical, emotional and intellectual being. And then of course – a question arose…. How do we stay aware of our strength, especially when we are feeling vulnerable, overwhelmed, confused, bored…and …. and…. (you know… you can fill in whatever it is that comes up for you). And then the other question that came up was …How do we continue to build our strength?
I think these are both useful and important questions to consider because first of all, they require that we recognize we are strong, and that, in and of itself, is worth doing every once in awhile, and secondly, life goes on for a bit, and I believe it’s way more interesting if we keep building!
As individuals, we have an astounding capacity to manage through this life, knowing intuitively that it is a wonderful and exhilarating marathon. Certainly there are difficult times when our strength feels fleeting or non-existent, and that’s when we need to connect back and remind ourselves that we have this amazing capacity to live, to grow and to strengthen. Old habits can be replaced with new ones (check out Charles Duhigg’s “The Power of Habits”; new learning is possible ; friends and colleagues are available for support; previous strengths can be enhanced and new competencies developed.
So…. as you gear up for 2014, do an inventory:
– What do you know you are already really good at?
– What do you love doing?
– Where do you know you are making a difference?
– Where would you like to take a leap….. be brave….. go for it….
You are strong: you are capable, creative, resourceful, complex and multi-talented!
Have a great weekend!
