Are you a strong woman or a woman of strength? Generally, we don’t think of a woman as being classed as strong, unless you are discussing women like China’s Hou Zhihui, India’s Saikhom Mirabi Chanu, and Indonesian Windy Cantika Aisah. The three medal winners in the women’s weightlifting at the 2020 olympics.
So, let’s look at the characteristics of a strong woman or a woman of strength and see what the differences are.
Characteristics of a Strong Woman
A strong woman works out every day and keeps her body in shape, while her self-care and well-being are her top proprieties. She is confident in her own ability, opinions and decisions. She knows her self-worth and won’t let others bring her down or get the better of her. She won’t be bound by societal limitations or what many claim to be a man’s world.
A strong woman knows there are times life will put her ‘on the ropes’ but she has the will and determination to bounce right back onto her feet. This may take a while in some circumstances, but she simply refuses to lie down and quit.
A Strong Woman and Mistakes
Like the rest of us there are times when a strong woman makes mistakes, but she vows to never make the same mistake twice. She also sees setbacks as simply another challenge.
Achieving success requires her to work hard and never quits on her goals, showing determination and persistence. A strong woman is self-sufficient and doesn’t rely on others to take care of her.
Responsibility in a Strong Woman
A strong woman makes her own decisions and takes responsibility for her actions. She is not afraid to speak her mind and stand up for what she believes in. It requires courage to take risks and face and overcome fears, but she is confident she can handle whatever life’s journey throws at her mentally or physically.
Having looked at the qualities that depict a strong woman, let us look at a woman of strength.
A Woman of Strength
A woman of strength knows she needs to not only keep her body in shape but her soul and spirit as well. Frequently, she is a woman of strong faith and not afraid to build relationships. However, she knows how to deal with difficult relationships and is fully aware of the signs of abuse. She chooses to not allow herself to become a victim.
A woman of strength will always give of her best, though others may not understand her actions, but that does not deter her. She does not strive to be the ‘tallest poppy’, though others may misunderstand and see it that way.
This woman displays courage in the face of fear, such as when a child is desperately ill. She has a strong sense of empathy and can mentally put herself in others’ shoes. Her empathy tells her, ‘There but for the grace of God, go I’.
We all look at life through our own experiences and understanding, but a woman of strength is compassionate enough to understand other people’s perspective. It is not a matter of accepting what others think, but giving others the freedom to have their own mind on things.
A Woman of Strength sees Blessings in Adversity
A woman of strength takes time out to see that mistakes have a lesson to teach her and she can grow and capitalize on her mistakes. Adversity can be seen as a glass either half full, or half empty. The woman of strength will always call it half full.
She has learned not to dwell on the mistakes of the past, but knows how to move on from when life throws the inevitable tragedy her way. She has learned how to deal with the many faces of grief.
A woman of strength operates out of a deep sense of love for others, besides a deep appreciation of nature. She celebrates the small success of her life, and also what others achieve. This woman does not waste her energy on being envious of what others accomplish, but will concentrate on her own challenges.
A Woman of Strength Takes Time Out
A woman of strength ensures there are times in her life to recharge her own battery. She highly values the gift of creativity in its many forms and is not afraid to tackle new challenges. It’s a big world out there with much to be explored. She also knows the value of the healing hand of laughter.
A woman of strength knows there are limitations to her abilities, but is not defined by them. She prefers to show a face of grace, rather than being over-confident that can so quickly turn to arrogance. This makes her less judgmental of others as well as herself.
She has learnt to forgive and knows the art of apologizing, but does not forget. A woman of strength knows there is no point to self-recrimination, regrets, or dwelling on yesterday. There is always the promise and hope of tomorrow, while making the most of today.
A Woman of Strength Enjoys who she Is
A woman of strength enjoys who she is, warts and all. She has faith she will successfully make it through the journey we call life. That does not mean all her decisions are correct, but she is prepared to take responsibility for the consequences of her actions.
There are times in life when she feels she is bungling along, but she has the courage to keep going and dares to keep dreaming. Standing still, or quitting is not an option for her and entertaining the black dog of depression and self-pity are ‘no exit’ streets.
Conclusion
A strong woman and a woman of strength both have admirable qualities. The successful woman will be a blend of being strong, while exhibiting strength. At the end of the day, all you can do is to give of your best in the knowledge you have at the time. Each day is a new challenge, like turning an unmarked page. Yes, it is influenced by the things of yesterday, but there is strength to cope whatever comes your way. You have a unique voice, use it to good.
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