The latest science of stress and resilience gives us new understanding of what it takes for humans to be strong enough to face life’s challenges and thrive.
Creating a stress-free life is not the goal!
Creating a fit mind, body, and spirit to meet life with your full power, grace, and humanity is.
True, there are many. many ways to reduce your “stress load”—much more about that later. But even optimizing what you can control, life will throw you curve balls; it’s part of the human existence. The good news is that the stronger you get, the more you are able to shift things out of the “Ugh! or Yikes!” categories and into the “I’ve got this!” column, freeing up energy to find more joy and thrive.
–Lindsay Vonn, Olympic champion skier
(who just happens to be gorgeous, too!)
We are taught so litte about strength outside of physical and sometimes mental capacities, but the research of human thriving shows us that STRONG comes in many forms. What makes us whole, makes us stronger. What makes us more connected to people, community, and purpose makes us stronger. When you focus on strengths and make thought and behavior choices to support strength of mind, body and spirit, you build resilience, health, and happiness.
Let’s start to broaden our definition of strong. Think of all the ways STRONG has already shown up in your life and in the lives of people you admire. Brainstorm what STRONG means to you… add on to my list, please!
STRONG is:
- Awake/aware
- Present
- Knowing your needs
- Meeting your needs so you can meet those of others
- Fit in mind, body, spirit with active recharging practices
- Calm
- Clear
- Creative
- Curious
- Compassionate
- Courageous- courage to speak up and speak truth
- Grateful (my 5 C’s and a G)
- Focused on what matters
- Aligned with values
- Kind
- Loving
- Gentle—even with self
- Tough when needed
- Respectful
- Able to find and hold broader perspectives
- Playful
- Able to use humor to find the light
- Able to set healthy boundaries
- Flexible
- Not always right
- Willing to fail
- Able to focus at will
- Vulnerable
- Able to turn off
- Able to sit with hard emotions
- Willing to risk comfort for values
- Able to hold conflict
- Authentic
- Growth oriented
- A “stress-antidote!”
- __________
- __________
- __________
- __________
What’s ahead in a year of focusing on strength?
- Ways to assess strengths
- Ways to call them up when you need them
- How to make choices to grow strengths
- How to bring more ease and joy into life—it’s not all about striving!
- New workshops, new talks, new adventures, and…
- Introducing the perspective of my daughter, Katherine Tarleton, a marriage and family therapist who has already met some really tough challenges with grace and strength.
