One of the worst feelings in the world is weakness. Nobody wants to feel like a pansy, nobody likes to cry in front of someone else, and nobody wants to be the one who can’t handle whatever life throws at them. Personally, one of my biggest pet peeves is when someone is told that they’re weak, especially by someone who doesn’t even know them. You have absolutely no clue what people have been through, you don’t know what they can handle, and you definitely don’t have any idea of what they’re capable of. We, as humans, all have different perspectives of what “strength” is, but I think I have a pretty solid idea.

Strength can be measured in all sorts of ways. Whether you’re able to squat 500 pounds, bench press double your body weight, or deadlift a horse, your physical strength can easily be proven, but what about your mental, spiritual, and emotional strength? What about the strength that can only be seen behind closed doors? What about the strength that you’ve built up on your own that you don’t boast about? What about the strength that nobody can see just by looking at you? Often times, you see people posting gym and weight room pictures online, but you hardly ever see anyone post about their emotional strength; There’s a reason for that.

Strength is keeping the biggest smile on your face, even when all you want to do is cry.

Strength is walking away from the person who treats you like the dried up bug on the corner of their windshield.

Strength is burying a parent, especially at a terribly young age.

Strength is raising yourself because you weren’t blessed with the gift of a parent.

Strength is accepting an apology that you never received.

Strength is being a parent to your sibling(s) when your actual parent isn’t around.

Strength is hearing something that shatters your heart, but pretending like you’re not impacted at all.

Strength is getting up after you fall.

Strength is standing up for yourself, even when it’s the hardest thing to do.

Strength is realizing that life is only as hard as you make it.

Strength is being bounced around from house to house with no real image of what a home is.

Strength is saying goodbye to someone that you want to hold onto forever.

Strength is finding one reason to get up every morning, even when you have a million reasons to stay in bed.

Strength is looking in the mirror and choosing to see beauty.

Strength is being there for people, even on the days when you’re the one who needs a shoulder to lean on.

Strength is giving someone your all, even when you hardly have anything left to give.

Strength is being at peace with your past and understanding that it doesn’t have to define your future.

Strength is praying for others, even when you’re the one who needs prayers sent your way.

Strength is holding your best friend as she cries over a traumatic, unavoidable event that happened to her.

Strength is looking into the eyes of a tired soul who needs nothing more than a hug and a bit of encouragement.

Strength is wrapping your arms around someone who lost everything.

Strength is losing everything and still finding a reason to keep living.

Strength is choosing to focus on others when you’re the one who needs attention.

Strength is understanding why people feel the way they feel and choosing to help them versus ridicule them.

Strength is never letting someone else negatively impact your character, even when it seems like the easier route.

Strength is realizing that we live in a harsh world, but choosing to stay here anyway.

Strength is looking into your best friend’s eyes at the age of 10 and having to explain to her that her mother is now her guardian angel.

Strength is attempting to comprehend at the age of 9 that your mother is now your guardian angel.

Strength is battling an illness that leaves you feeling weak and hopeless.

Strength is surviving trauma.

Strength is having a miscarriage when all you want in life is to be a parent.

Strength is watching someone you love love someone else.

Strength is living with a mental illness that is constantly trying to take over your life.

Strength is being the bigger person, always.

Strength is knowing who you are and refusing to change for anybody or anything.

Strength is leading by example.

Strength is accepting the fact that life is fair because it’s unfair to everyone.

Strength is sitting on your bathroom floor as you bawl your eyes out, just wishing someone could see how much you’re hurting.

Strength is taking the fall for someone who may not even deserve it.

Strength is choosing to focus on the positives versus the negatives, no matter how hard it is to do so.

Strength is pulling yourself out of the darkness when you’re too stubborn to ask for help.

Strength is being selfless when being selfless is the last thing you want to be.

Strength is fighting the constant battle between your head and your heart.

Strength is walking away from a toxic situation.

Strength is choosing life.

The weight room isn’t the only place where strength is earned; Don’t you dare let anybody talk you into believing that you aren’t strong, because you’re here, aren’t you?

If someone questions your strength, you don't have to prove yourself. Why? Because there is also strength in silence.