We all like to think we’re strong enough to handle whatever life throws at us, but sometimes we feel anything but strong. When life hits hard—a health issue, a loss, or any setback—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. I’ve been there.
After my stroke, I felt weak, scared, and disconnected from the life I knew. I didn’t think I had the strength to get through it for a while. But I learned that strength doesn’t always look how we expect. Sometimes, it’s in the smallest victories, quietly building up over time.
You Think You Can’t Go On
There’s a moment when facing a tough situation where you feel like you’ve hit a dead end. I remember lying in my hospital bed, unable to do things that had once been second nature—like walking, eating, talking, or even lifting my own hand. I couldn’t see a way forward, and I thought, “This is it. I’ve lost everything.”
It’s in those moments, though, that strength begins to form. Not in huge, dramatic breakthroughs but in the quiet decision to keep going. Sometimes, just getting through the next hour, the next day, is an act of resilience. And that’s what I did, one small step at a time.
Small Victories Matter
During my recovery, I learned to celebrate the small wins. After a stroke, you don’t bounce back overnight, but I was making slow progress. The first time I wiggled my toes felt like climbing a mountain. Holding a spoon or standing with help felt like winning a marathon.
These small moments were building blocks, reminding me I had more strength than I realized. It’s easy to miss these wins when we focus on the big picture, but they keep us going and show us that even when we feel weak, we’re still moving forward.
Leaning On Others
I also realized the importance of leaning on others during this time. Although I had always prided myself on being independent, there were moments when I had no choice but to rely on the people around me—my family, my friends, and even the nurses who cared for me.
Letting others support you isn’t a sign of weakness. In fact, it’s a testament to your strength because it takes courage to admit you need help.
What It Means to Be Strong
We often equate strength with toughness or the ability to carry on without showing any sign of struggle. But real strength, I’ve learned, is about resilience. It’s about pushing through the pain, the doubt, and the fear, even when you don’t feel strong.
Strength is about knowing your limits and choosing to move forward anyway. It’s about having the courage to face your fears and the perseverance to keep trying, even when progress feels slow. Most of all, it’s about finding hope, even in the darkest moments. In A Stroke of Luck, my story explores how moments of weakness became the foundation for resilience, helping me find strength when I felt at my weakest.
Looking Back
Now, when I reflect on my journey, I see strength not just in the moments of triumph but in the moments when I felt like giving up—and didn’t. Strength isn’t about never feeling weak; it’s about how you respond when you do. It’s about recognizing that sometimes, resilience means simply showing up for yourself, one day at a time.
So, if you’re going through your own tough time, remember that you’re stronger than you think. Even when you feel weak, every small step forward is proof of your perseverance. And in those moments, you are building a strength that will carry you forward.
