Thank you so much for visiting my blog. As a competitor for Ms. Health & Fitness 2022, each day I will share something I have learned on my journey to wellness. If I inspire and motivate you on your journey please take a moment to vote. It's quick, it's easy and best of all, it's free. Then come back each day to read more.
Recognize your weaknesses
"The greatest strength any human being can have is to recognize his or her own weaknesses. When you identify your weaknesses, you can begin to remedy them - or at least figure out how to work around them."
Whether we like to admit it or not we are all strong in some way. But we also all have our weaknesses. Sometimes it's hard to recognize a weakness or admit that they exist because that would mean facing what can be viewed as a negative part of ourselves.
But what if we looked at weaknesses as catalysts for improvement?
When we recognize what we are weak at we can begin to work on improving that part of our being. And that is what a wellness journey is all about...self improvement. In order to improve ourselves (and there is always room for improvement) we need to be able to recognize and admit to our weaknesses. Because in the end, our weaknesses boil down to our fears and our fears hold us back from our true potential. So take some time to sit down and recognize your weaknesses but honor your strengths too.
In order to identify our weaknesses and turn them into strengths we need to be self-aware and be honest with ourselves. Our weaknesses can make it more difficult for us to fulfill our goals and reach our true potential. These weaknesses can be mental, physical, and emotional. When we are are self-aware we know ourselves and our environment and begin to see a new perspective and act with compassion towards ourselves and others. Becoming self-aware isn't just knowing ourselves but our environment and how it impacts us mentally, physically and emotionally. When I started to look inward I found that making small changes to the way I not only act but react impacted my mental and emotional well-being.
Part of self-awareness when it comes to our environment is in our relationships; personal, professional and social. It's hard to admit weaknesses when it comes to relationships because we are human with emotions. One of my weaknesses is also one of my greatest strengths. When it comes to relationships I go hard. I care hard. I love hard. I commit to the relationship with all my heart. This makes me a great friend, wife, co-worker but also leaves me vulnerable to negativity and being taken advantage of. It may sound harsh but I care so much to the point that I forget to put my own well-being first. It took a long time for me to learn this about myself. I didn't know how to say no. Now I've recognized that this sometimes can backfire when the relationship is impacting my mental and emotional well-being in a negative way. It's for this reason that it took me 20 years to step up and leave a tumultuous relationship that turned into an abusive marriage because I cared so hard and was so loyal I didn't want to give up even after it became abusive.
"I tear my heart open. I sew myself shut. My weakness is that I care too much..." ~ Papa Roach, 'Scars'
If you really want to take a close look at where your weakness lie get a coach. It can be a personal trainer, life coach, health coach or mentor. No one is more brutally honest with where we need to improve than a good coach. I've had a few great trainers at the gym where I train. Each of them have taught me something about myself. Its their job to help us overcome our weaknesses but we need to be coachable. In other words, be prepared to take the criticism and use it to improve. Be real with a coach and they will be real back. And when the relationship between coach and client is real then progress is inevitable. A coach acts as a guide on our journey through life by helping us focus on our personal strengths while also addressing our weaknesses proactively.
One thing that I have done on my journey is keep a journal of my progress. On my weight loss journey I have taken lots of pictures and blogged about the ups and downs, successes and setbacks. (visit my Instagram or original blog to see) This makes it easy to see where my weaknesses have improved and what I still need to work on. Keeping a journal of your progress, your thoughts and actions along the way to self improvement is a great way to see that progress. Track what's working and what's not in your life. Your coach and others you are close to and trust can not only give feedback on how you’re doing but also provide support for you when you are struggling during your journey.
Test your strengths and weaknesses
"Understanding who you are as a person and the strength and weaknesses you possess can make it easier for you to identify the areas you need to work on to become a more effective leader." ~ Forbes
Want to evaluate your weaknesses but don't know where to start? Check out some of the best tests to help you understand your strengths and weaknesses. This collection was compiled by Forbes magazine. View the list here.
Come back tomorrow for more inspiration
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