Although not many of us enjoy hearing the blatant truth, sometimes life isn’t easy. We often see people finding themselves in less than ideal situations where they succumb to their problems instead of finding the strength to fight. However, strength isn’t something that can be found overnight. It also isn’t something that just comes and goes. Strength is all about experiences. Cold, painful, raw experiences that you sometimes wish you could permanently erase from your mind. Yet, without those dreadful memories is the absence for growth, and the understanding of what it means to have strength. Living with a terminal illness has really helped me to grasp, what I feel, is the true meaning behind this word, and this is what I’ve learned.

Strength is knowing what suffering feels like and learning to rise above it. It’s about being kicked down over and over again and having absolutely no idea how you’re going to get yourself back up, but somehow always do. It’s about believing in yourself. Believing in yourself so passionately that you’re not afraid of facing the situation at hand. Strength is telling yourself that you are good enough, brave enough, and strong enough to overcome that obstacle. Because you can. It’s realizing that you are capable of whatever you set your mind to.

Strength is persevering.

Strength is about being a fighter. It’s about continuing to fight even though you know you’re losing the battle. It’s about losing, but then coming out stronger. It’s the little voice inside of your head telling you that you always have to be willing to fight, and fight hard. Strength is having the power and goal-oriented mindset to chase your dreams. Because, honestly, you’ll never know unless you try. It’s about not letting your adversities and setbacks hold you down, but rather understanding that you are in control of your own destiny and happiness.

Strength is having hope where hope was once lost and holding onto faith even through the darkest of times. It’s about finding the strength to move forward and leave your past behind, but never forgetting how you got to where you are in this moment in time. It’s about taking each experience, the good and the bad, and learning a valuable lesson from it. It’s about being able to accept the circumstances we cannot humanly change. And, most importantly, strength is about the ability to find the beauty in every little perfect and imperfect aspect of your life.