My Personal Strength
I went on a solo retreat last fall in search of some quiet and solitude. My life was in a huge transition and I wanted to let go of the past and move into what was next.
I had a tarot reading by this incredible woman and I was totally skeptical ~ yes me.
She said many things that resonated for me but the one thing that stuck with me was that the strength card was pulled 3 times in the session. (She was pulling from more than 1 deck.)
At the time I appreciated the validation that I was strong, as I had just come through a challenging time and had some big decisions on my plate. Seeing the strength card pulled 3 times gave me comfort that no matter what, my strength would help me weather any storm.
I had no idea what 2020 was about to bring.
Building Strength
The thing to know about strength, is that it’s not the same thing as resilience. Strength is about withstanding the discomfort while we are in it. Resilience is about how easily we are able to bounce back afterwards. They are both important for our growth, but play different roles.
And because we are still in this dumpster fire of a year, conjuring up our strength is really important. Here are some ways you can do that.
Break down time
Whatever you are going through, chances are when you think too far in the future overwhelm and anxiety can set in. Scale back how far ahead you look. You might try just keeping your thoughts in the next 24 hours. If thats too much, try the next hour. Check in with yourself, where are you at? What do you need? I promise it will be more manageable.
Feel your feelings:
A tough situation is bound to bring up feelings. Try to find ways that you can let them run their course. You might write about them, or share them with a trusted friend. If they feel too overwhelming you might consider getting professional help. The good news is, feelings are fleeting and when they are allowed to move, they do eventually pass.
Practice acceptance:
Specifically practice acceptance that some things are beyond your control. It is important to be in touch with the reality of the situation so you can begin to process it and keep moving. Talking with others might help give you the support you need and it could help your reality sink in a little easier.
Moving Through
Strength is buildable. And the more life we experience, the more of it we get. As we pass the 9 month mark into this pandemic, I find peace in knowing it’s our collective strength that is carrying us through. I am inspired by so many people in this time and that gives me a little wind under my wings each day. Somedays are better than others, but all in all, I think we are doing a pretty good job.