Strong Women Aren't Noble; They're Brave

I've always had mixed feelings about the word "strong", especially when seated next to the word "woman." Too often, I've seen people make strength the reason why women endure abuse, stress, anxiety, unhappy marriages, unfulfilling careers, and so on.

Notice that we never say "He's a strong man" as if it's some extraordinary feat. His maleness, in society's eyes, assumes strength but it's not a strength that cripples or burdens. On the contrary, when we call a woman strong, it is almost always in the context of her overcoming some horribly burdensome experience. Whether it's raising 6 kids on her own or working 3 jobs while going to school at night or getting out of an abusive relationship, we call her strong as if it's some sort of medal she's earned.

If that's a medal, disqualify me from the race. There is no strength in allowing others to treat you with less love, respect and honor than you deserve. There is no strength in living small so others feel big. There is no strength in taking hits to your soul, in not being able to pursue your life's purpose, in taking care of everyone else at your own expense. There is no strength in being noble if noble costs you your life.

So I say this with all honor and sincerity and faith in the spirit of women everywhere. Strong women aren't strong because they're noble. They're strong because they're brave. Strong women know what they want and who they are... or they're avidly in pursuit of finding out. They don't apologize for being themselves. They don't feel shame for making mistakes. They teach people how to treat them and they look at others with the same amount of love, respect and hope that they hold for themsleves.

Strong women say yes when they want to say yes and no when they want to say no. They are patient with themselves and others. Strong women try new things and keep around them other strong women because they know that there is more than enough for all.

Strong women know they're own souls, listen to their inner wisdom and go by what people do, not what they say. Strong women show before they tell. They love without expecting it in return but they always love themselves first.

Strong women know that their greatest achievements in life are the products of love and forgiveness. The more of each they give, the more they receive. Strong women live in the present moment because the past is gone and the future is being created now.

Above all else, strong women don't have to be strong all the time. They accept and love themselves for who they are, where they are and nothing anyone else says or does changes that. That's a strong woman in my book and she's inside every single woman in existence.

Isn't it time you called her forth?