Life’s a rollercoaster of ups and downs. When we women get tested, we can sometimes reach a breaking point.
Things may get too much, and it may seem hard to cope.
You might think you’re anything but strong.
But I’m here to reassure you that you’re stronger than you realize!
Here are 12 signs you’re a stronger woman than you give yourself credit for.
1) You’re persistent (and bounce back from rejection)
Rejection is hard. When faced with it, it’s easy to allow rejection to stop you from trying again.
Whether you got your heart broken, a job application for your dream job rejected or turned down by that cute guy you fancied, you don’t let that stop you.
You’re persistent despite the setbacks you face. You won’t let a broken heart stop you from finding love. And that dream job that rejected you won’t put you off applying for other jobs. As for that cute guy that doesn’t want you? Well, there’s more where they came from!
Rejection can stop many of us from taking action, so if you can bounce back from rejection and still persist, you’re a woman with great inner strength. That deserves some credit.
2) You stay positive even when things get tough
Rejection is tough, but so is staying positive during rough periods in our lives.
It’s easy to get sucked in by negative thoughts when you’re struggling. I wouldn’t blame you if you felt defeated.
But even when your life feels like it’s in shambles, you still stay positive.
You realize there are people worse off than you, and take the time to appreciate all the good things you’ve got going for you.
You also understand that bad times pass and things get better in time.
When you can stay positive during these low points, you’re a much stronger woman than you think.
3) You take care of yourself
Another thing that can happen when we’re at a low point in life is neglect our self-care.
When you’re feeling down, it’s understandable if you want to stay in bed and wallow in self-pity.
But you understand that self-care is important. So, you’ll make an effort to go outside for walks, keep a positive mindset, exercise, eat healthily and get enough hours of sleep.
If you do your best to ensure you’re happy and healthy, even when you don’t feel like it, you should give yourself more credit.
4) You’re not afraid to ask for help
It’s all well and good doing everything yourself, but sometimes you need a helping hand.
Some may see asking for help as a sign of weakness.
But your well-being comes first, so you’ll reach out to your friends, family or partner for help because you know you can’t do everything alone.
It takes strength to admit you’re struggling and ask your loved ones for support.
5) You don’t put others down to make yourself feel better
When you’re feeling down, insecure or unhappy, it’s easy to put others down to make yourself feel better.
People who envy others may also be overly critical as it helps them better deal with their insecurities.
But no matter how you might feel about yourself, you don’t stoop as low as to make others feel bad about themselves to make yourself feel good.
Instead, you work on improving yourself mentally and physically so that you are happy and secure.
If you avoid critiquing others and focus on yourself instead, you have strength written all over you!
6) You’re respectful to others (even people who don’t deserve it)
Not only do you avoid critiquing others, but you’re also respectful, even to people who don’t deserve it!
Rude, nasty and manipulative people may test your patience. However, you take the high road and avoid stooping down to their level. You know how to say what’s on your mind or give it right back but still be respectful.
I used to work at a call centre where I encountered more than a few tricky customers. No matter who I spoke to, whether they were screaming down the phone or being rude, I’d talk to customers respectfully without raising my voice or losing my composure. And that’s not always so easy to do.
If you can stay respectful, even to people who mistreat you, mess you around and are just plain rude, then you’re a strong woman. Trust me.
7) You own up to your mistakes
You know what’s easy? Blaming others for your mistakes and not taking accountability for them.
It takes a strong person to admit to their wrongdoings, own up to their actions and apologize for them.
Taking accountability doesn’t put us in a good light, which is why some people might make excuses or blame others.
It’s also hard to reflect upon our mistakes, how to overcome them and move forward.
If you can face your mistakes and make changes for the better, that’s no easy feat.
8) You don’t compromise your standards
You have standards when it comes to how you want to be treated and the type of people you’ll allow into your life.
You won’t settle for a relationship for the sake of being with someone if they’re not treating you right. For example, if your partner doesn’t treat you respectfully or value your time.
Strong women have standards when it comes to their friendships and relationships. This is why they might only have a small group of friends or hold out on finding a partner until they find the right person.
Being able to uphold to your standards and not settle for less is a trait of strength.
9) You don’t settle for toxic relationships
Being a strong woman with standards means that you won’t settle for toxicity in your life. Friendships, family members, relationships – it doesn’t matter who it is!
Toxicity can show up in the form of:
- Manipulation
- Two-faced behavior
- Attention-seeking
- Gaslighting
It could also be someone who takes advantage of you, uses you or disrespects you time and time again.
For the sake of your mental health and self-care, you won’t hesitate to remove anyone from your life who isn’t good for you.
10) You speak up when you’re unhappy
You’ll also speak up when you’re unhappy about how someone treats you.
You don’t bury your thoughts for the sake of keeping the peace. If something bothers you, you’ll say it out loud and tell the source of the problem.
Speaking up can be difficult because you might hear something you don’t want to hear, get your feelings hurt or make things worse.
But nothing will change or get resolved if we suffer in silence.
Speaking up and standing your ground is also an excellent trait of strength.
11) You’ll walk away from a relationship if it’s not right for you
Walking away from a relationship is hard, especially if you’ve been with someone for a long time.
You may fear hurting your partner or doubt whether you’ll find someone else.
Some people may stay in an unhappy relationship because it’s easier than leaving. They’re comfortable, feel safe, or are used to being with their partner.
Leaving brings uncertainty and fear of the unknown. They may also have to deal with the pain and heartbreak that comes with the end of a relationship.
Though it can be tough to walk away, you’re willing to do so if your relationship is not working.
Because you’re a strong and resilient woman, you know you’ll be able to bounce back and come out the other side even stronger.
12) You’re not afraid to be on your own
Ultimately, you’re able to leave a relationship if it’s not working because you’re not afraid of being alone.
You might want someone in your life. But you don’t need them. And they won’t be the sole source of your happiness.
Being alone means you have extra time to work on yourself, practice self-care, and spend time with your friends and family.
So, you won’t jump from one person to another or cling to someone because you don’t want to be alone.
And when someone special does come into your life, they will only complement the full life you already have.
Final thoughts
Life can be hard to navigate, especially during tough times.
You might feel like you’re failing, but if you can persist, practice self-care and uphold to your standards and expectations, rest assured that you are a stronger woman than you think!
You need to give yourself more credit.
