Lately I've been thinking about what it means to be a strong woman. I like to think that I am one, but I don't think it's the first thing people think when they meet me. It could be the exclamation point use on social media or the bright color palette I wear or the tone of the books that I write or my generally positive disposition. Or it could be my shoes. Who knows?
Being a work-in-progress, I can admit that I'm only strong part of the time. There are difficult conversations that I don't broach and battles I hesitate to fight. There are times when I'm fine fading into the background and letting things be the way they are. But there are other times when I do feel strong, and I strive to embrace that more in my everyday life.
Being strong implies that we just are, that we don't need to know that other people see us that way. Strength is getting something done. It's drive. It's providing encouragement and setting a good example and recognizing our flaws and faults but not letting them hold us back. It's knowing we don't know everything and not pretending that we do, because we know there's power in admitting we have room for improvement. Strength is publicly asking for help. It's seeking out guidance from mentors. It's taking action vs. accepting the status quo. It's sharing for the sake of sharing. It's helping other people with no expectation of payback or public thank you. It's carrying a slightly heavier burden because even when other people doubt us, we believe in what we can accomplish.
Strength is silent but that doesn't mean it's not powerful.