Why Do I Need to be Strong?
I was watching a women’s tennis match and it was apparent that both participants were in top physical form–strong, agile, athletic. But a major contributing factor to their success at making each shot was their ability to control their bodies. As with many sports, tennis is also quite a mental exercise. Professional athletes of all persuasions have personal coaches for every facet of their lives– physical, mental and emotional–and I could see that both the players were tapping into their mental strengths in order to stay focused.
Ironically, the day after receiving this week’s theme on strengths, I had no interest in getting stronger. Yep, great lethargy moved in for the day, and I just gave into it. I thought–I could approach this weak mental state with a totally different attitude: force myself to change into work-out gear and go to the gym. Or drive to the park and walk around the marina. Well, I didn’t succumb to the temptation to ‘Snap out of it!’ Just blobbed around, reading, knitting, staring at walls or the computer.
The next day I didn’t beat myself up for being so inactive for the previous 24 hours. Realizing that I can forgive myself means I can move on and not be trapped by useless negative emotions. I’ve also come to realize that just as I can’t depend on others for my happiness, I can’t become stronger just for the sake of pleasing someone else. Sure, I like to get approval for staying on track, but I need to have a deep yearning within myself in order to achieve the strength I need to:
*move without pain
*walk with confidence
*seek new adventures
*make new friends
*be positive
*stay hopeful
*solve problems
*enjoy life
