What Is Your Strength?

[gracer]

Hi guys! In our daily lives trying to fight things and issues within ourselves, there's always something that helps us get through each and every struggle. We each have our own sources of strength that we look up and hold on to whenever the going gets tough. I for one consider my love for my family especially for my only child as my driving force in motivating myself to get up from my slumber and try to survive another day. Whenever I feel like everything is just too heavy to handle, I just look at him and his smile gives me the strength I need.


I'm just wondering what also keeps you going through each day despite all the pain and heaviness of each passing minute. What is your source of strength?

 

[pwarbi]

Personally what keeps me going is my sheer determination and will to survive. I refuse to be beaten and when it comes to trying to deal with things like anxiety and depression, it's even more so important to make sure that you don't give up.


A lot of people will say that they find their strength in their family and friends, or in their work, whatever it is that holds them together as a person, but take away all of those things and you have to carry on for yourself, and even though you might find the strength in others, you have to also make sure that you find strength in yourself more so as you never know when that person might not be around to give you that reason to fight and that confidence to continue.

 

[gracer]

Those are really very inspiring words pwarbi. Loving oneself is indeed the greatest love of all as mentioned in a song by Whitney Houston. I get inspired whenever I hear that song. A lot of times, loving oneself could be harder than loving others. I don't know why it's harder to value oneself over others but it does happen with a lot of people including me. This is one thing I should learn to do if I really want to feel comfortable and happy with my life.

 

[John Snort]

I'm an optimist. That's what keeps me going. I did hit rock bottom a few years back. The worst that could happen I've endured. That gives me the strength to weather any storm. When I feel like things aren't going my way or I've failed at something, all I do is look back and remind myself that nothing can be as bad as what I've faced (and overcome) in the past.

 

[shcoo]

My dogs keep me going. Knowing that they depend on me and are so happy to see me when I come home is a source of strength for me.


I also like to participate in art and fashion, and share opinions on them with other people both in person and online. I draw strength from the compliments people give me regarding those topics (my own artwork or clothing), and I also feel fulfilled when I get to compliment someone else and tell them how their work is appreciated and unique. I'm not very good with words or with social interaction, so when I can express myself visually through art or clothing and someone tells me they like it, I feel like I have been "seen" for who I truly am.

 

[Laneorexorcist]

I think that my family/friends/pets are a big motivation for me, it's always really heart warming to know that there's someone who worries about you and that they'll be waiting for you and looking up for you in general.


But I think that it's also the idea of things getting better, you know? I'm going through hard times right now, but I really hope that at the end of the day it'll worth all the pain and waiting, I think that the idea of feeling stable and just accomplish my medium term goals, it'sreally motivating for me, I can't wait to feel that liberation, I think that the simple fact I think that the simply fact of thinking about it it's really motivating for me.

 

[pwarbi]

My dogs keep me going. Knowing that they depend on me and are so happy to see me when I come home is a source of strength for me.
I also like to participate in art and fashion, and share opinions on them with other people both in person and online. I draw strength from the compliments people give me regarding those topics (my own artwork or clothing), and I also feel fulfilled when I get to compliment someone else and tell them how their work is appreciated and unique. I'm not very good with words or with social interaction, so when I can express myself visually through art or clothing and someone tells me they like it, I feel like I have been "seen" for who I truly am.

Pets can give a person going through depression and anxiety something to focus on, and a lot of the time that's all a person needs to be able to maintain a daily routine. As you say, it gives you something to focus on and just knowing that you have something that relies on you can give you a massive boost to your self confidence, as well as giving you that reason to carry on.


With a lot of mental health issues, it's all too easy to get caught up in your own problems and you get to a point where it's all you think about. Having a pet to care for and look after stops you thinking about yourself for a while and lets you focus on their needs and sometimes that comes as a welcome break from thinking and obsessing about your own problems.

 

[justsayyes]

I have many things i want to do and experience and these are constantly in my head as a reminder to keep going. Also my family are my motivator to not give up. Life is tough and it gets tougher as you go along but there are also the good times. When things are bad, i just remind myself of the things i still have to live for, it's not easy but so far, I've managed.

 

[Robilas]

Whenever I'm feeling down or unmotivated, I look up to my parents. They are my role model: they both started from scraps and now are succesful people, with a good job, lots of friends, a nice house and live an overall happy life. When I'm depressed or anxious I think about them, their struggles and their success, so I stand up and try to be as positive and energic as possible.They are almost a leading light in my life!

 

[ProNine]

Honestly, my biggest strength is that while I might lack the motivation to do anything and might be nervous about stuff. I'm still blunt in my own sense. I might be worried about what might happen if I do something, and would even lack the motivation to do it, however, once I get started, I'll keep doing it to the end and will do anything necessary to achieve the goal. Another good thing is that I've slowly grown to not dwell on anything too much. It helped me ease up about things in life in general and become more open to myself. As for my parents, as much as I love them, I don't see them as strong pillars of support anymore.

 

[fuzyon]

What keeps me going when things are hard? That's hard to say, really. I've been struggling with anxiety for so long that I think I got accustomed to it, but whenever I'm sad or depressed I remember that I have to pull through the dark times to get to the brighter ones. I have goals and aspirations that I can't just let go to waste because of my illnesses, so I try to ignore what my brain tries to say because I need to work really hard to get to a position that I will be comfortable in. I guess I have an idea that if I reach my goals my depression is going to go away as well and that keeps me going everyday.

 

[amy88]

My daughter definitely drives me to battle my anxiety too. I think it's that I want to be better for her - I don't want her to experience my anxiety and then possibly develop it herself. I think to a degree a lot of my anxiety was learned from my parents and trying to unlearn it can also be hard. I want her to be confident and I don't want her having these little things in life causing her stress and weighing her down.


It's for that reason that I try every day to be better, and to learn more about my anxiety so that I can tackle it more effectively.

 

[AnnaHasATaco]

Honestly, what keeps me going is my imagination. I feel like, unless I'm too anxious, I can "dream-day myself" out of any bad situation and that's how I've been coping ever since I was a little girl. Unfortunately, sometimes, I think this strength as a weakness...

 

[kelden]

My previous experiences allowed me to grow stoic, I can handle my emotions far better than in my younger years. I feel that people now trust me better than before, since I'm beginning to get things done.

 

[gracer]

shcoo I also think that having a pet especially for someone who is depressed is very helpful in giving him/her a sense of responsibility and the feeling that someone needs him/her. Pets can also provide a kind of love that is so trusting and unconditional. They give you love no matter who you are and no matter what you've been through.

 

[Panic57]

I'm the product of a Scottish woman and a Japanese man, so my stubbornness is infinite. Regardless if I'm tired, in the throws of depression, or really anxious I still stubbornly want to chase my dreams and get things done. So out of sheer stubbornness I will trudge through my moodiness and do the things I know need to be done. I'll sit and cry in front of my computer or bounce around and fidget around a painting. So my ultimate power is my stubbornness that I inherited from my parents.

 

[djordjem87]

I am very persistent and constant in all the things I do. I am also thorough and patient and well organised which helps me a lot when I have some of the issues that I sometimes have. OCD, panic attacks, anxiety, introvert behaviour ... Even depression sometimes but not so frequent. What can I say, I need help sometimes but I help myself. Discipline is very important ( I forgot insomnia) with this problems and without it I would be lost. I might look sometimes out of it but I am always holding everything under control as much as possible.

 

[Corzhens]

I was born and raised in a city apartment in a dense neighborhood where children are always in competition - boys would have fistfights and girls would be quarreling. Maybe that orientation had made me a fighter of sorts such that I am always relying on hope. By the way, I am also the youngest in a brood of 12 but that didn't make me a spoiled brat. In fact, the effect on me was to be an achiever for I persevered to finish my college studies to get a good job. For now, I am employed in a good position with a good salary although there are pressures at work sometimes. But that doesn't let me down for I always count my blessings and rely on my hope that tomorrow everything will be all right. When I am feeling good, positive thinking is my forte.

 

[thecorinthian]

My strength? Perhaps it's my hope that a more positive future is just around the corner. Hope keeps me alive, even though I'm having a bad today I know tomorrow will be different. My family also keeps me happy and grounded and I'm very thankful for that. I'm thankful that I'm never alone and always supported by people I love.

 

[NormaD]

My daughter and my work keep me going. Those are the two things I have in my life that I absolutely love with all my heart. My daughter obviously comes first, then my work. I love spending time with her everyday, She is the light of my life and my reason for living, cliche as that sounds. A few years ago I made the transition from a corporate job that made me totally miserable to creating an online business based around my passion.