Your Source of Real Strength
So many of us underestimate what our real strength is, myself included. We second-guess, make excuses, diminish our real innate strength because we believe we need something different, or more of something we don’t have.
Here’s the fact. We all have strengths that are uniquely are, and yes, to make them superpowers we have to work at them. But we don’t have to create them, they are already part of who we are. We just have to acknowledge them, believe in them and then figure out ways to use them each and every day.
My power now comes from knowing my strengths. Not because I’m perfect at using them or I never make mistakes, but because I know what they are and I make choices around how I can use them more and with greater impact, which increases my power.
I was asked recently what I thought it meant to be powerful. I believe power is your ability to have a positive impact on someone or something. Not power OVER something, but power FOR something. When I stand in my power (and my strengths), I know that I inspire others to do the same.
So, what is your source of real strength? What makes you feel powerful and like you are having an impact? If you don’t know, it’s totally ok, but start your journey of discovery because it will be worth it for you and for the impact you can have on others. Here are some tips to find your source of strength.
Find what lights you up. What makes your blood pump, gets you excited, talking rapidly, etc. That’s your power. You know it when you tap into it. It could be coaching a soccer team, writing a blog, helping a friend or colleague, solving a tough problem at work. What really makes you excited? Dissect what it is that creates that moment and find it in other parts of your life. If you like to coach, then figure out how you can get involved in programs like Big Brothers/Big sisters, if you like to write, start on that book you’ve always dreamt of writing. Take your power and apply it to new and different situations to magnify it.
Turn off autopilot. We all run on autopilot. We go through the motions, do the things, and get to the end of the week and collapse on the couch glad for a couple of days to recover to do it all again. Your power does not work that way, it’s always available. But you have to manage your energy and ensure you are making choices that build up your power reserves and not deplete them. None of us can have days where all we do are things we like, that’s not the focus. But we can ensure everyday that we do something that lights us up. Think of it like a battery. If we only deplete it and never charge it, things don’t work as well. Your power and your strength are the same way.
Tell someone. When you don’t know what your true power and strength is, it helps to ask those closest to you. And if you know what it is, it helps to talk about it with others to find new ways to maximize it. So, either way, you need to tell someone. Find someone who can help you not only find your power, but maximize its use for the good of you and the world around you. When we bring others into our journey, our results come faster and easier. We need a community around us to help us grow, so find that community and make sure you are part of someone else’s growth community as well.
Our greatest gift we can bring to the world is to stand in our power and create a positive ripple effect for those around us. It’s time.
