Strength misinterpreted...

One morning as I was travelling to work and I happened to have a conversation with my travelling mates with whom I always hold fruitful and fun conversations. One thing that left me appalled after that morning's conversation is how being strong is misunderstood in our society. I expressed how hard and stressful it is to juggle work and studies with your personal craft on the other side, I further explained that I’m still finding ways to balance that and still remain sane. One mate harshly said “No Yaone what’s wrong with you, what has gotten into you?!” It took me a little while to follow and he went on to say “Yaone you are a strong woman, you’ve always been now don't be weak.”

That hurt a bit though I knew he meant well and I acknowledged that, however it was the disappointment in his face that I couldn’t stomach. He was disappointed that his strong friend actually gets tired, he was shocked at how can I be struggling when he knows me to be a strong individual; well he just didn't get it.

I felt like my heart was bludgeoned, I felt sick in my stomach instantly. It took me a little longer to reply due to a lump that stuck in my throat; the only words I could utter were “You don’t understand Jack”.

I am a strong woman indeed Jack was right, not in a million years that I will ever doubt that; not even in my deep sleep. What he didn't understand is the fact that I go through things and not around things, I go through these life dynamics to feel and experience them for what they are. I am a strong woman that is also human and it is in human nature to go through inclinations and to experience physical constraints. Far too often we are expected to pretend as though we are not feeling our emotions and expected not to struggle because we are “strong”.

I get overwhelmed, I get scared, I worry, I cry, I doubt myself at times and don’t want to be strong anymore but I still remain a strong woman. Being strong doesn’t necessarily mean you have to conceal your everyday turmoil but it is how you overcome and find your strength to carry on. I think part of being strong is to acknowledge that at times you will not have it easy and divulge when you encounter obstacles. Going through all these emotions doesn’t make one less of a strong woman nor a human, it actually makes us stronger with more open mind to learn through them.

We grow through what we go through and we acquire more strength in the process💪💪