Inner Strength is one of the qualities that help to define
us as a person. So often we describe people as having a strong or weak
character which usually comes about because of the way we see them handle
different situations in life.
Quite often people who are bullied are considered ‘weak
characters’ because they appear unable to stand up for themselves. As a general
rule this is true although there is one group of people who attract negative
energy because of their strengths and these are people who hold firm beliefs
and refuse to adapt to pressure from others. Religious fanatics, politicians
and people with a cause tend to fit into this category of strong people who are
under attack from the media or individuals.
The ‘bully’ is not operating from a place of controlled
inner strength. The bully is failing to tackle his/her weaknesses and
compensates by using physical or emotional abuse towards others to create a
sense of personal strength and control. Bullying is an outward display of their
weakness.
How do we develop
inner strength?- Some suggestions:
Ø
Know and love yourself. We need to
take time to understand ourselves, accept who we are and love ourselves
unconditionally. Initially this is extremely difficult and we may question
whether we are loveable: we need to accept that we are and believe it. Loving
yourself is an ongoing and life-long process- the sooner we begin the better.
Here are some very simple questions to help you get started- Where am I right
now? What do I like about myself? What needs to change? How will I go about
making those changes?
Ø
Look at your weaknesses and decide how to
start making changes. Once you have identified your weaknesses you need
to decide how to go about making changes. What do you want to tackle first?
This can be a characteristic such as patience, being consistent, doing a
thorough instead of a rushed job. It may be that we need to be positive,
encourage others instead of criticising or spend more time with our families.
Start with realistic targets so that you can see gradual improvements and
congratulate yourself on your achievements.
Ø
Identify your core values. It really
helps us to know what we believe and why as this is central to inner strength.
Once you have a set of solid core values you know who you are and how to
operate. Your conscience is an excellent guide and works far better with a set
of rules to adhere to. People do lose their way in life at times and core
values can become blurred. Very often people reach a point where they naturally
re-evaluate their beliefs, often making changes as they enter adulthood. We
might change religions, careers or relationships as we realign ourselves in
order to create a code we can live happily by.
Ø
Identify your true friends. It’s
very important to have the right people in our lives that have our best
interests at heart. These are the people who help us to keep focused and
actively encourage us to be strong when they can see us wavering in difficult
situations. They encourage us to hold on, or keep trying when we feel like
giving up. They will also help us to identify potential change when we are set
in our ways. If we have confident, motivated people around us who do not
exhibit traits of jealousy or envy, we can really benefit both from their
example and advice.
Ø
Develop the habit of encouraging yourself. When
developing inner strength we need patience. You will not become a new person
overnight but will make strides and learn new lessons. We need to keep
progressing and re-evaluating ourselves whilst appreciating our achievements.
The aim is to become a better version of ourselves in the same way that
products are upgraded. We don’t have to be radically different however we need
to question who we are and how things affect us in light of the changes within
society, our families, our workplaces and so forth.
It is inner strength that helps
us through the most difficult times of our lives and inner strength that gives
us the determination to climb mountains! It is an amazing quality and well
worth taking the time to cultivate.
Jaz McKenzie
Contact me for your
CV’s, bio’s, articles, interviews and web content: itsbraap@live.co.uk
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