"No matter how strong you have or have not felt in this season, you have always had the capacity for strength. "

You are stronger than you think.
Even in the most subtle ways
that go beyond
what you can see.
Every mountain you have climbed
and every valley
you have tread through
have all been integral parts
of how
this life has shaped you.
Never discredit yourself.
You have learned so many things.
And through the wild of where you have been,
you are stronger than you think.

_

No matter how strong you have or have not felt in this season, you have always had the capacity for strength. You have always had the ability to persevere from one day to the next, even if the only sign of this was that fact you kept on breathing, night after night, morning after morning. It might not feel like very much, but it counts. And not only does it count, but it points to your strength.

This week, I hope that you are able to be mindful of your strength. I hope that you are able to notice how, even in the moments where you do not feel the strongest, somehow, this body of yours continues to sustain its breath. Even in the moments when you’re anxious, frustrated, or busy and you feel like you might lose it...somehow, this heart of yours keeps beating. There is still movement within you.

Take a moment today to have gratitude for the fact that you are still breathing. Think about the moments in your life where breathing did not come easy. Then, think about how you eventually made it through those moments when it seemed practically impossible. Those moments were not a coincidence. You made it through those moments, one by one. And no matter how you felt afterwards, you came out stronger on the other side.

It may be tempting at times to only think of strength as it relates to our physical being, but that is only one facet of it. There are many things life that make us physically stronger, but these things should never overshadow what makes us emotionally, mentally, and spiritually stronger. These things can be harder to identify because they do not appear in the form of our physique in the mirror’s reflection, but this kind of strength is reflected in our actions, our words, and the way we choose to live.

If you do not feel strong right now, it’s okay. It’s okay if your heart feels a little tender right now. Maybe you’re still learning to breathe again after a devastating heartbreak. Maybe you’re starting to work through the feelings that you’re not good enough or equipped enough for what lies ahead. You may not feel strong, but that does not mean you are not strong. That does not mean that you will not have what it takes to make it through today, tomorrow, or the years to come. And like many things in life, this is where trust comes in. This is where you make the brave, daily decision to have the firm belief that the strength within you goes beyond what you can see.

No matter what happens from here, you are stronger than you think. You are stronger than what you are able to see.

More tomorrow…

Sincerely,
Morgan Harper Nichols