Written by: Caitlin Alfonso, LMSW
Often, we can be our own hardest critics. We can get caught up in comparing ourselves with other people. Other times, we waste precious energy thinking of how we can be better at something and not bother to recognize all the things we are actually good at!
Learning to identify our strengths is an important part of self-love. However, this “simple” task can sometimes be hard to do. The truth is that when we think of our strengths, we often limit ourselves and our talents, because we don’t think outside of the box about what can be a strength. Sometimes we hear the same types of words used to define what a strength is. We might hear, “I am resilient”, “I am a hard-worker”, or “I am a nice person”. While those are great, they only scratch the surface of what personal characteristics we each possess that are actually beautiful strengths.
For instance, maybe you are a funny person. Your sense of humor not only allows those around you to laugh, but it also often helps you to find positive things during tough times. Humor is a strength.
Maybe you enjoy putting things together, or you love to ask questions. Curiosity is a strength.
Maybe you’ve had to face a fear head-on. Bravery is a strength.
Maybe you bring people together in a way that allows people to contribute positively to a bigger vision. Teamwork is a strength.
Maybe you can give people grace and provide them with a second chance when it’s deserved. Forgiveness is a strength.
Maybe you chose optimism during tough times. Hope is a strength.
Every person has strengths. Your individual characteristics in how you naturally show up in spaces are part of defining your strengths and loving yourself. So next time, do not ask yourself “what am I good at?” but rather “who am I?”. With that slight shift in how we ask ourselves this question, we can see our true strengths that we bring to the table.
I am a person who loves deeply.
I am a leader.
I am honest.
I am creative.
I am kind.