You are stronger than you think

I'm proud of you because you're strong.

But you're strong for a reason you might not consider.

A lot of the time, we think to be strong means to endure BS in life and retain our worth during it.

Yes! That definitely makes you strong.

- It takes a strong person to be rejected but still know their worth.

- It takes a strong person to fall into a bad habit, disappoint themselves, disappoint others but then turn around and create an incredible comeback story.

- It takes a strong person to establish boundaries, standards and worth... and never lose sight of them.

Yes! That is definitely strength.

BUT that’s not why I’m proud of you.

I'm proud of you because you recognize that there are both beautiful and ugly pieces to your stories and who you are... and yet you choose to define yourself by the beautiful pieces (even if the ugly ones far outweigh them).

Strength is refusing to be defined by your ugly traits and ugly experiences.

It’s easy to do that.

I’m an impatient person… That's just the way I am.

I’m a jealous person… That's just the way I am.

I’m a shy person… That's just the way I am.

I’m an insecure person, I’m an unsure person, I’m an introvert, I’m a lost person, I’m a clingy person, I’m a demanding person, I’m not easy to work with, I have no self control.

I’m a failure, nothing is working out, I’m lost, I’m hopeless, I’m falling behind.

Real strength is being aware that yes, those might be issues you wrestle with… but you have beautiful things about you.

I'm a good friend. I'm passionate. I'm reliable. I'm loyal. I'm curious. I'm disciplined. I'm compassionate. I'm empathetic.

It’s not easy to be strong.

It’s not easy to endure the things that have made you that way.

It’s not easy to face the ugly things about you BUT to not let them define you.

It’s not easy to choose the one or two beautiful things about you... and let them define you.

That’s not easy! It takes a strong person to realize that not only is the world NOT out to get you… but you're also NOT out to get yourself either.

That starts by choosing one or two beautiful things about who you are and your story and defining yourself by them instead of the ugly ones.

It takes a strong person to be at a time in their life where the bad outweighs the good, the rejection or weights the success, where the BS relationships outweigh the good ones… and to define yourself by the good.

Even if it's only one thing! THAT is what makes you strong. I'd really encourage you to consider what that thing or those things might be.

Let THAT define you right now :)

I am resilient. I am reliable I empathetic. I am passionate. I am a good friend.

Define yourself by that. One thing or two things.

Those are beautiful pieces amidst the ugly parts of your story. That is strength.