Where did you find the strength?
"Where did you find the strength?" someone asked me recently. Oh, my love, I didn't have to find it. It found me.
There’s something almost magical about the strength that lives within us as women. It’s not always obvious. Sometimes it’s quiet, lurking in the background, waiting for the right moment to emerge. Other times, it comes roaring out of us when we least expect it, carrying us through the hardest days and toughest nights. And as I sit here, in this space of doing “the work,” I realize: the strength finds me. It’s been there all along, just waiting for me to let it in.
### Surrendering to Our Own Power
The truth is, I spent years looking for strength outside myself. I thought I had to earn it, build it, or maybe even find it in other people. But now, I see it’s different—it’s about learning to surrender and trust the strength within. When I stop trying to control everything and just let myself be, the strength is there, showing up in ways I never thought possible.
If you’re on a similar journey, here’s a secret: You don’t need to look for strength anywhere else. As women, it’s within us, always has been, and always will be. Sometimes, all we need to do is step back and let it rise to the surface.
### Why Strength Finds Us, Not the Other Way Around
You might be wondering, "Why does strength have to find us? Why can't we just summon it?" Here’s the thing—strength is less like a suit of armor and more like a current of water. It flows, adapts, and rises when it’s needed. Our lives are full of ups and downs, and each challenge shows us a new kind of resilience. But that strength isn’t something we force; it’s something we grow into, something that finds us when we’re ready to embrace it.
### Embracing the “Work”
I know what it’s like to feel exhausted, overwhelmed, like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. The “work” of life—whether it’s healing, growing, loving, or learning to forgive ourselves—isn’t easy. There are days when it feels like an uphill climb, but here’s the beauty in it: every step, every stumble, every setback is building our strength.
The work teaches us to surrender, to let go of the need to control every outcome. And in that surrender, the strength finds us, filling in the cracks, helping us stand a little taller and love a little deeper. It’s a reminder that we are enough, just as we are.
### Tips for Letting Strength Find You
If you’re looking to connect with that inner strength (or let it find you), here are a few practices that have helped me along the way:
1. **Pause and Breathe:** In moments of stress or self-doubt, take a deep breath. Let yourself feel grounded and remember that you don’t have to have all the answers right now. Just breathe, and trust that your strength will guide you through.
2. **Celebrate the Little Wins:** Strength doesn’t always show up in grand gestures. Sometimes, it’s just making it through the day. Recognize and celebrate those small victories, because each one is a step toward becoming the powerful person you already are.
3. **Find Your Support System:** Strength finds us, but so does love and support. Surround yourself with people who lift you up, who remind you of your worth, and who help you see your own resilience when you can’t. We’re stronger together.
4. **Embrace Self-Compassion:** Often, the hardest person to be kind to is ourselves. When things get tough, practice self-compassion. Talk to yourself the way you would to someone you love. It’s amazing how much strength comes from simply treating ourselves with a little kindness.
5. **Let Go of Perfection:** Strength isn’t about being perfect. It’s about showing up, flaws and all, and letting life unfold. When we stop trying to be perfect, we open ourselves to a kind of strength that’s rooted in authenticity.
### The Power of Being a Woman
I can’t help but feel a certain awe at the power of being a woman. Our strength isn’t just physical—it’s emotional, spiritual, and it’s woven into the very fabric of who we are. We have this remarkable ability to weather storms, to hold space for others, and to keep going, even when we don’t think we can. It’s something uniquely ours, a gift that’s passed down through generations of resilient women who have come before us.
So the next time someone asks, “Where did you find the strength?” remember this: You didn’t find it; it found you. It’s been within you all along, just waiting for you to recognize it. We’re women, honey—the strength finds us. Always.
### Moving Forward Together
Let’s continue lifting each other up, supporting one another through the hard days, and celebrating the incredible resilience that lives within each of us. We don’t have to do it alone; strength is something we share, something that grows stronger when we connect with others who understand. We are a part of something powerful, something unbreakable, something that reminds us that strength isn’t just what we do—it’s who we are.
To all the women out there in the middle of their own “work,” finding their own strength, know that you are not alone. We’re in this together, and no matter how tough it gets, remember: the strength is already within you, and it’s more powerful than you could ever imagine.
