What does it mean to be strong?
In the Merriam Webster Dictionary, the three top definitions of the word are:
Having or marked by great physical
Having moral, intellectual, or mental power
Having great resources (as wealth or talent)
My definition of being strong tries to encapsulate all three:
A strong person has great capability at facing challenges. Being strong means having the resources, the mental skills, and the physical capabilities to confront difficulties of all kinds.
But how exactly are we going to be strong?
We can’t rely on physical strength only but what we really need is to build inner strength
“Do you admire and respect strong individuals, who have overcome obstacles and difficulties and reached far, because of the inner strength they possessed?”
Inner strength simply means our ability to stand by our decisions.
Inner strength consists of willpower, self discipline, self control, persistence, detachment, the ability to concentrate and peace of mind
We will focus on two of the ingredients, willpower and self discipline.
These skills are important and essential tools for success in all areas of life. They can be learned and developed like any other skill
Willpower is the inner strength to make decisions, take action, and handle and execute any aim or task, regardless of inner and outer resistance, discomfort or difficulties.
It manifests as the ability to overcomes laziness, temptations and negative habits, and to carry out actions, even if they require effort
Self discipline can be interpreted in difference ways but the key to self discipline is
to train oneself to take actions that will enhance one life despite of obstacles or hindrances which could range from laziness, procrastination, inner resistance, bad habits, temptations, intrusive thoughts, esteem problems, fear, instance gratification and many more.
Whist some of us are born with a strong will,
Some of us have to learn and train ourselves like a body builder who keeps pumping iron in spite of the pain.
Some of us have to learn and train ourselves like a body builder who keeps pumping iron in spite of the pain.
The “Resistance” to pain together with focus itself is the inner strength.
There a few steps to develop and attain inner strength
- The first step is identifying your natural strengths All of us are born with unique capabilities and skills, and the way to build one's strength is to focus on these specific skills and grow them. Some people run fast, others are flexible, some can lift significant weight. First identify what your natural strengths are, and then start working to enhance them further. Don't focus on what you know you are just not good at.
- Attend and defy your limiting beliefs, for instance some people may belief there are only good at one thing where there have not explored other avenues.
- Visit your thoughts as often as you can, question and consistently challenge those that are not working for you!
- Start working on your unconscious; there are various ways from visualization, prayers to mediation can be very powerful self improvement tools.
- · Once you have looked into YOU it’s time to start reshuffling your life into the direction you want it to be. It could be to lose weight, stop smoking, starting a new business, improving health or anything else which will improve the quality of your life and give you a sense of well being.
- · Action, once you have gone through the above steps it’s time to take action. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”~ Walt Disney.
- Start with baby steps if needed and build on that.
- Keep the momentum; we can easily fall back to our old ways.
- Repeat, repeat and spread your new found inner strength skills to other areas of your life.
Few tips that helps you to obtain inner strength
- Overcoming inner resistance you develop inner power and strength.
- Strength is the opposite of aggression: People act aggressively out of defense. When one feels like they are not strong enough to resolve a situation, violence and aggression come in handy as a means to deter and fend off others, thus avoiding real confrontation of a conflict. Think about people you know and consider being strong. Strong individuals do not need to act aggressively because they feel that they have the power and skills to take over the details of a situation and bring it to a close. Aggression is a means of covering weakness.
- Mental and physical strength cannot be separated: Physical and mental strength work in synergy and feed each other to form a strong individual, and the opposite is also true: being physically inactive and out of shape can make one sink down and vice versa. Several recent studies have shown that physical exercise is an effective way for treating clinical depression and the medical community is now starting to treat stress from both physical and mental perspectives. To build inner strength you must build both physical endurance and mental muscle.
- Mental strength is harder to track: It's easy to notice changes in physical strength: weight is lost, muscles are toned, and breathing becomes easier after running a short distance. It's much harder to notice differences in mental strength, and sometimes it simply helps to take notes: have you been losing your temper less often? Are you noticing a change in the way people respond to you? How do you feel when you open your eyes in the morning?
- Refusing and rejecting useless, harmful or unnecessary desires and actions, and sometimes intentionally acting contrary to your habits, you sharpen and strengthen your inner strength.
- You get stronger through constant practice, just like exercising your muscles at a gym makes your muscles stronger. In both cases, when you need inner power or physical strength, they are available and are at your disposal.
