by Cynthia Encinas-Concordia
We think of weakness and strength as opposites. To be strong is good and means to be without weakness. To be weak is bad and means to be without strength. Most of us want to be thought of as strong. We are concerned that people won’t think highly enough of us if we show our weakness.
We all have weaknesses—that's just a part of being human. But your capacity to recognize a weakness and work toward improvement can actually be a strength. The key to talking about your weaknesses is to pair self-awareness with an action and a result:
• What's the weakness?
• What have you been doing to improve?
• How has that improvement had a positive impact on your work?
I will admit that my biggest weakness before was my lack of self-worth which led me to be a victim of domestic abuse. I got stuck in my dark bubble for 6 years. However, when I realized that I was not happy, that made me decide to make the shift. I still have my children and they deserve to live the life they love.
That was the time I took that uncomfortable action so change may take place. I started working on my health and well-being, which led to building deeper and more meaningful relationships with family and friends and even got new connections. This actually boosted my self-confidence hence I was able to perform at my best so I may be able to manifest my dreams despite the limited resources.
I can say that I became a light warrior when I chose light despite the doubts and worries which I have nurtured in my thoughts. It was through those dark moments I saw the beauty of the light, which I truly value. You won’t be able to appreciate light if you have not gone through darkness.
It was my weakness that made me the person I am right now. But what I appreciate from what I have gone through in life is that:
I interrupted the history of domestic abuse within my family and I am now leaving a legacy not only to my children and grandchildren but to the people we meet on a daily basis.Â
I am now a stronger, smarter, creative, resilient, assertive, resourceful, and compassionate because I am spreading love.Â
Now, I’m committed to living my purpose to be a blessing for somebody.
Now, I’m committed to helping others be the best version of themselves.
Now, I’m committed and passionate about teaching people that they have the true power within them to live the life they love.Â
Having an area of weakness doesn't have to be a bad thing. It could be something you struggle with, but it could also be something you haven't spent the time to develop yet. And by turning a weakness into a strength, you build other important skills like growth mindset.
If your area of weakness is gratitude. You just haven't spent a lot of time thinking about gratitude because you were focusing on other areas of strength. But now you've decided to improve your gratitude and engage in a bunch of activities that help you turn gratitude into an area of strength. Hey, now you've got one more area of strength!
Steps on how you turn your weakness into strength.
1. Recognize your areas of strength and weakness. This increases self-awareness. Exploring any aspect of yourself helps you get to know yourself better.
2. Come up with a strategic plan. Once you know your strength and weakness, you can easily take the right steps to achieve your goals. Come up with a plan on how to utilize your strength and improve your weakness so you will evolve.Â
3. Take action. Taking that uncomfortable action is the first step to success. You may experience challenges along the way. Fears, doubts and worries will come up. Don’t give up. Look at them as opportunities for you to grow. Remember, opportunities are actually at the borderline of your comfort zone.Â
Knowing your personal areas of strength and weakness is not always easy. It takes self-awareness and self-reflection. So, ask yourself, what are you good at? Or ask someone you trust to tell you what your areas of strength and weakness are.
You may grow your areas of strength slowly or quickly, but as long as you're taking actions, you'll build more areas of strength and lessen areas of weakness. Whatever your goals are, try to take an action today that helps you take advantage of your strengths and manifest your dreams.
For those who are facing big challenges today, yes stay strong, but allow your weak and tired soul to admit it’s weakness, and to feel your need—and then ask for the true, lasting strength that can ONLY be found in God!Â
So how do you perceive weakness? Do you see them as a struggle or an opportunity for you to become better than before?
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