[Strength]

It takes more courage to reveal insecurities than to hide them, more strength to relate to people than to dominate them, more manhood to abide by thought out principles rather than blind reflex. Toughness is in the soul and spirit, not in muscles and an immature mind - Alex Karras

There are so many people in my life that I admire, and it isn’t because they never make any mistakes, but rather because of the fighting spirit they get afterwards. However, I’ve been thinking a lot recently about what defines strength – whether it is never displaying weakness, or not being afraid to show it. As in, who is stronger, one who does not let themselves need anyone for fear of being hurt, or a person who opens up to the world, trusting that no one will let them down?

With anything, people will always have a point at which they can take no more, as in there will come a point where they stop doing or believing in something because they have failed in it too many times. Whether it is love, school or helping someone, there’s only so much that any one individual can do, and when we’ve done all that we feel is possible, it seems the logical thing is to give up. But surely it’s only weak people who stop trying. People who can’t find it in themselves to give that little bit more, or go that extra mile.

I also believe that much of the time; it actually takes a lot more power to not do something than to do it. For example when helping a friend, I think the hardest thing is to actually step back and let them make their own mistakes, and ultimately this is sometimes the best thing you can do for a person because the less you do for them, the more they have to do for themselves and thus the more responsibility they must take for their own actions. Similarly, if you want to do something, but you know it is not necessarily the right path of go down, does it show more strength of character to do what it is you want to do or what is the right thing to do? Because we all know that the easiest route isn’t always the best one.

While thinking about people just as individuals, if a person is afraid of getting close to another for fear of being hurt and so gives off airs of independence and confidence does that make them weak or strong? Because I would have thought that one who is able to live on their own two feet without needing anyone else is a strong person. On the other hand people may not always be how they appear. Someone may come across as the happiest person in the world, but in actual fact there is a lot more going on under the radar. Is someone who keeps it to themselves stronger than a person who can talk about it and face the problem? Is a person who trusts no one weaker or stronger than one who trusts everyone?

This really is something that is bothering me a lot at the moment. I seem to be zoning out increasingly often, and I think I just need some answers. I want to know what makes someone a strong person, and whether it’s ok to let people see you vulnerable at times; I’m debating whether continuing fighting something is worth it, or whether actually just listening to words of wisdom and packing it in would be the best course of action. It’s all well and truly pickled, any thoughts?