Strength

When was the last time we acknowledged someone who has helped instilled strength within us?  Parents, coaches, teachers, mentors, friends, and pets could have all contributed to the strength we possess today - whether it be the strength to get through a situation, pick ourselves up after we make a mistake, or to deal with a tough emotion or person.  

When we find there is a little more depth to us that we may have realized, we can turn to external factors that created an internal decision to be strong - whatever that means to us. To me strength is, and certainly isn't limited to: 

knowing when to speak up and when to act

knowing when silence matters and when allowing flows

going within rather than lashing out

releasing responsibility that is not your own

realizing an illusion

including self-care

communicating needs and desires

celebrating self

celebrating other's progress and successes

expressing kindness in the midst of discord

being grateful 

Who would you say has helped cultivate your inner strength? Know that strength takes lots of different forms, each uniquely beautiful. 

I appreciate the strength it took you to bring you where you are today.  

 

Beauty Within

I love the Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast. Aside from its surface love story and endearing characters, there is a wonderful deeper meaning to it all.

Many of us struggle to keep our more unwanted features and aspects of ourselves hidden from others, and many times even from ourselves. It's normal to initially look upon these characteristics and qualities with disdain, frustration, and anger. Yet behind all those discordant emotions, there lies a depth of beauty - an opportunity to learn and to grow right there within ourselves. 

In the animation movie, Bell saw beyond the physical appearance of what she initially perceived as a ghastly being. She learned that the Beast was more than what he portrayed on the outside - that he had great beauty within  as well.

As we experience life, we sometimes find our patience wearing thin when dealing with ourselves, coworkers, family members, and neighbors. It is in those times that it's helpful to try and step back and see beyond what's shown to us on the surface. Feel what is going on beneath the actions and words. 

Beauty and the Beast can be likened to our own human struggle for self-acceptance, with all our perceived flaws. As we learn to love our flaws, they seem to dissipate into something more beautiful than we had originally imagined.

What perceived Beasts will you look beyond to find the true jewel and Beauty within?