What’s the True Definition of Inner Strength?
When we go actively searching for ways to beef up our inner strength, it’s because we’re in a state of
helplessness – almost like we’re hanging on by a thread and feel like if we don’t get a stronger hold on
our emotions and confidence, we could lose everything.
Inner strength is defined by each person uniquely. You might see it as simply being able to say no when
you want to, while another person might consider it living life in a way where every action and emotion
you have is geared toward your happiness.
We’re All Born With Inner Strength
When we’re first born, we are void of excuses - of negative thought patterns about ourselves or life in
general. There’s nothing we can’t do. You’ve seen babies and toddlers move about – they do it with no
fear. They attempt things without thinking of consequences.
Of course that kind of carelessness can have a negative impact on you as well, so there’s definitely a
health balance between not caring and caring so much that outside factors cripple or paralyze you.
We Allow Events and People to Chip Away at Our Inner Strength
It doesn’t just dissipate like steam rising from a boiling pot. Inner strength is envied by others, and ignored
by tragedies that we go through. In order for this to occur we have to hand over a certain amount of
permission allowing it to happen.
As children, we’re taught that other people have power over us to some degree – teachers, parents – any
and all authority figures. We’re taught to play nice and cave in to some activities and elements of life we
may not enjoy just to be polite.
It’s hard to grow out of that mindset, but kids usually take a path when they reach the teen years – and it
continues on throughout adulthood. As a teen, you either were labeled headstrong (which translates into
inner strength), or not labeled at all – because people without inner strength are barely noticeable. They
go along with whatever expectations people have of them.
Sometimes even if someone starts out on the right path – of having ample inner strength – they can lose
it as they let their defenses down and allow other people to deeply influence them. Or, they go through a
series of situations that bring them to their knees and with every encounter, they’re a little less strong.
Inner Strength Can Always Be Replenished
No matter how often you feel like you’ve been knocked down or that you’re unable to face a situation, you
will always have a spark of inner strength ignited in your soul. Sometimes it will be a large flame and
sometimes you’ll wonder if it’s gone for good.
But it’s in there. You simply have to fan the flames and focus on it to get it back. Like a muscle that’s
atrophied, your inner strength has to be flexed for it to work again. It has to be used on a regular basis tested so that it becomes a force that’s able to protect you from harm and lift you to heights you never
knew were possible.
Inner Strength and Outer Beauty
The concept of inner strength affecting out outer beauty is like a vicious cycle. Without outer beauty, we
feel like we have very little inner strength. And without inner strength, it’s hard to have outer beauty.
A person’s confidence can greatly affect another person’s perception of them. Even a physically beautiful
woman can be looked at differently if she doesn’t believe in herself. Likewise, a physically imperfect
person can win us over with their confident attitude and outlook.
Once Upon a Time You Believed You Were Beautiful
What happened to that little girl who didn’t nitpick herself in the mirror? The one who wasn’t concerned
with how big her waist was or whether or not her nose had the right shape?
Your inner beauty as a child knew no boundaries. It was unstoppable. As you grew up, you opened the
door to allow influences to weaken your inner strength and confidence. Magazine layouts, peers, and
perceptions of what was perfect and what wasn’t invaded your thoughts.
Somewhere along the line you began trying to fix yourself. You wanted to conform to that perfect
perception, and when you couldn’t, you stuck a big label on yourself that described you as faulty.
No one else can hand you back a clean slate where you believe you’re enough – beautiful enough, thin
enough, young enough, etc. It has to be rebuilt from within – you have to start taking back control over
those thoughts.
Use Your Power to Fix What You Can Control
No one is perfect, and sometimes yes – there are things you will want to, or even should, make better
about your outer self. But only if you say it should be fixed and you’re not relying on the opinions of
others.
Some things you can control. If you hate how much you weigh, then you can control that with proper
nutrition and exercise. If you nitpick your wrinkles, then you can adopt a better skincare regimen and drink
more water to reduce fine lines.
If you feel slovenly and lazy, then you can get up each morning and tap into your inner strength to make
things better for yourself. You can make small changes day by day that add up to a whole new you if you
want to.
The key in using your inner strength to improve your outer beauty is to be proud of who you are right in
this moment. Be proud that you read this and looked for a way to better yourself because many people
just don’t care.
As you start to define yourself according to what you’re capable of – according to your inner strength
supplies – you’ll notice that your outer beauty automatically takes a turn for the better because you feel
empowered and strong – and you’ll take care of yourself more to reflect that mindset.
Building Inner Strength to Improve Your Relationships
When it comes to interacting with other people – our friends and family, co-workers and those closest to
us – it can be a catch-22 to spend time with them. On one hand, we need camaraderie and
companionship. On the other, they can be toxic or damaging if we let them.
If you’re low on plenty of inner strength, then you may find each encounter to be something you dread,
botch or feel worse after. Socialization with others should have this effect on you. It should lift you up.
Relationships With Family Members
Family relations are the first ones we remember growing up. We form patterns of back and forth behavior
that are hard to reverse. But it’s not impossible. You might have a mother who nags you and strong arms
you into doing what she wishes.
Instead of turning family relationships into a fight, which isn’t what you want, you have to tap into your
inner strength and lovingly and firmly disagree. No matter how much of a fuss they put up, you should
stand solid, listen to what they have to say, and make a decision that’s in your best interest. No one else
is living your life, so why let them make decisions for it?
Relationships With Friends
Even though friends are optional (compared to family members), we still sometimes have to pull from the
stores of our inner strength to deal with them. Friendships that are worth having will be tested.
There will be disagreements and obstacles that you have to navigate together. You have to decide right
here and now that sometimes your decisions (which were made thoughtfully based on what you know to
be best for yourself) won’t gel with what someone else wants – and that friendship could end.
If this happens, it’s okay to grieve the loss, but don’t second guess yourself and try to make yourself
regret that you didn’t acquiesce to someone else’s demands and preferences.
Relationships That Are Romantic in Nature
Whether you’re married or in a relationship, it can be hard meeting the needs of another person while
trying to maintain a sense of identity for yourself. You have to compromise certain things, but there comes
a point in time when you’ve compromised yourself instead of individual concepts.
Compromising yourself means that you’re the only one making sacrifices and changing things for the
good of the relationship. You might start doing things because you’re trying to please the other person,
but eventually it becomes something you do because you feel like you have to.
Tap into your inner strength and get yourself back on track. It doesn’t have to arise from an argument.
You can lovingly explain what your needs are and how you’re going to meet them without coming off as
abrasive. But if you need to showcase your strength, then go for it. Put it on display so that everyone
(including you) knows that you’re living your best life.
Relationships With Your Children
Kids have an ability to fill our hearts and break them all at the same time. You might be dealing with some
troubling times with your child right now, wishing you had extra stores of inner strength to draw upon.
At any time you can reset your relationship with your children. You can tone things down if you’ve been
too hard on them or strengthen your power if you’ve been too lax. Kids respond best to honesty, and
when you can sit down and talk to them about what you need and how things will change. It can make
things better for all of you.
Can Inner Strength Have a Direct Impact on Your Outer Strength?
Just as your inner strength can affect your outer beauty through confidence, it can also affect your outer
strength. There are different types of strength, of course – mental confidence and physical power.
With both of these, your inner stores of strength and confidence will play an important role. How you
present yourself to others and what you’re able to physically achieve can be determined by your belief in
yourself.
When things happen that are outside your control – a car wreck, a pink slip at work – it’s your inner
strength that can help you deal with these outside factors. You have two ways that you react to whatever
happens.
There’s the inner you – which can have private thoughts and emotions based on what’s happened. And
there’s the public you which can project a calm, cool and collected person that’s in control of the situation.
Take the scenario of the car wreck – a fender bender. The inner strength you possess is what will affect
the outer self who has to deal with the other driver. A lack of inner strength would mean you jump out of
the car and either yell or cry during the situation.
A full tank of inner strength means you calmly ask for the other driver’s insurance, make the appropriate
calls, and get through the situation with ease. You’re making life easier on yourself (and others) because
of that inner strength you possess.
How can you achieve inner strength so that you can deal with situations like these? Part of the key to
your success lies in learning stress relief measures. This keeps your inner strength stores filled at all
times.
Aside from the mental outer strength you need to portray, you have physical outer strength to build up.
That can also be achieved through the process of tapping into your inner strength.
When you’re in the gym trying to achieve a better physique – one that provides health and beauty for you
– you have to call on your inner strength to get through the routines you’re doing.
Whenever there’s one last set to get through, it can be hard. Your physical stamina isn’t what will help
you complete it. It’s the inner strength you possess that reminds you that you do have it in you to
complete the process.
Think of all of your strength as something that burns from the inside-out. It starts deep within you and as
you need it in life, it leaks out, encasing you like a protective covering. Just know that even though it’s
there waiting for you, you have to actually put it to use and call upon it for it to work.
Building Inner Strength to Improve Your Relationships
When it comes to interacting with other people – our friends and family, co-workers and those closest to
us – it can be a catch-22 to spend time with them. On one hand, we need camaraderie and
companionship. On the other, they can be toxic or damaging if we let them.
If you’re low on plenty of inner strength, then you may find each encounter to be something you dread,
botch or feel worse after. Socialization with others should have this effect on you. It should lift you up.
Relationships With Family Members
Family relations are the first ones we remember growing up. We form patterns of back and forth behavior
that are hard to reverse. But it’s not impossible. You might have a mother who nags you and strong arms
you into doing what she wishes.
Instead of turning family relationships into a fight, which isn’t what you want, you have to tap into your
inner strength and lovingly and firmly disagree. No matter how much of a fuss they put up, you should
stand solid, listen to what they have to say, and make a decision that’s in your best interest. No one else
is living your life, so why let them make decisions for it?
Relationships With Friends
Even though friends are optional (compared to family members), we still sometimes have to pull from the
stores of our inner strength to deal with them. Friendships that are worth having will be tested.
There will be disagreements and obstacles that you have to navigate together. You have to decide right
here and now that sometimes your decisions (which were made thoughtfully based on what you know to
be best for yourself) won’t gel with what someone else wants – and that friendship could end.
If this happens, it’s okay to grieve the loss, but don’t second guess yourself and try to make yourself
regret that you didn’t acquiesce to someone else’s demands and preferences.
Relationships That Are Romantic in Nature
Whether you’re married or in a relationship, it can be hard meeting the needs of another person while
trying to maintain a sense of identity for yourself. You have to compromise certain things, but there comes
a point in time when you’ve compromised yourself instead of individual concepts.
Compromising yourself means that you’re the only one making sacrifices and changing things for the
good of the relationship. You might start doing things because you’re trying to please the other person,
but eventually it becomes something you do because you feel like you have to.
Tap into your inner strength and get yourself back on track. It doesn’t have to arise from an argument.
You can lovingly explain what your needs are and how you’re going to meet them without coming off as
abrasive. But if you need to showcase your strength, then go for it. Put it on display so that everyone
(including you) knows that you’re living your best life.
Relationships With Your Children
Kids have an ability to fill our hearts and break them all at the same time. You might be dealing with some
troubling times with your child right now, wishing you had extra stores of inner strength to draw upon.
At any time you can reset your relationship with your children. You can tone things down if you’ve been
too hard on them or strengthen your power if you’ve been too lax. Kids respond best to honesty, and
when you can sit down and talk to them about what you need and how things will change. It can make
things better for all of you.