You use your strengths to live yourself better …what are yours?
You have strengths.
These are your characteristics that bring you success.
You will have had many successes in your life.
A brief exercise:
Think of three successes in your life.
1.
2.
3.
Now choose one.
Take yourself there.
What did you do? Where were you? Who was there? Why was it a success?
Notice how you feel.
Your energy lifts when you focus on it.
By the way, some people struggle with this because they are looking for the really big things rather than successes in the ordinary day to day. This is the bulk of successes and wins because most steps in life are the small ones.
Look in the ordinary.
Clarifying your strengths
Make a list of your strengths.
You will have many.
You do not need to be modest!
Again, when you think of times when you are at your best, you are using your strengths.
Here are some examples:
- A good listener
- Empathetic
- Perseverance
- Courage
- Writing
- Patience
- Organised
- Caring
- Openness to learning
- Curiosity
- Determined
- Focused
- Flexible
Now you can make your list.
Again, notice how you feel. Your energy will lift by focusing on the best of you and what you offer the world.
Using your strengths to move forward
Each day you can choose a strength and practice it.
Or for a week focus on one strength.
You can do this in your own way.
Some people find it helpful to follow the 1 percent rule.
I will work on improving ________ (strength) 1 percent today.
Or, I will practice being _________ 1 percent better today.
There is no hard end to practicing your strengths.
It is a route of mastery.
As is life.
Growth and learning are part of wellness.
Overcoming chronic pain, seeking to improve your life and get better are examples of growth and learning.
It is your strengths you will use to get successes and wins. Learning to look out for your wins is a skill in itself.
Where did my idea for using strengths come from?
One of my mentors, Mike Pegg.
Mike is a pioneer of strengths based coaching.
It just made so much sense to me!
Strengths based approaches appear in different fields. I have looked at them, and applied the principles to health. Here is one example: Tom Rath. As you will see and hear, Tom used the strengths approach for business and health.
So I thought, you can use your strengths to overcome your pain and struggles.
In fact, the struggles can make you stronger.
I work with so many people who demonstrate incredible strength each day, taking steps in their chosen direction: getting more active, reconnecting with what matters, building wellness, returning to work, caring for children and much much more.
Humans have this capability.
Change is happening all the time…which direction are you going?
Step by step.
r.s.
REsources:
🚚 My daily newsletter to understand and overcome pain. Sign up for free, plus paid subscription for Skills Sessions and a collection of resources: https://open.substack.com/pub/richmondstace
📖 My book, Understand and Overcome your Chronic Pain: https://amzn.eu/d/hJm0hdG
🎥 Pain in the Person ~ two short films: https://www.youtube.com/@painintheperson/featured
🎙️ Podcast: https://youtu.be/nEa3UHb0Gos?si=QZuvP9541jzLz0UT