Strengths, Trust, and Confidence
Our strengths are a big part of our character. They can develop from the way we were raised, the way we respond to challenges, the values we hold dear, and the things that interest us the most. They represent the areas where we excel, and they are building blocks for our self-esteem.
Yet for many people, and especially caregivers, identifying strengths can be hard. When we are immersed in the daily responsibilities of caregiving, we may lose sight of the many abilities and strengths we use every day. The good news is that it only takes a few minutes of self-reflection to realize that we are always using our strengths to meet challenges, support others, try new things, and advance our personal growth.
Self-confidence is also linked to our ability to identify our strengths. By trusting our own strengths, abilities, qualities, and judgment, we feel more confident in ourselves. We become more willing to make positive lifestyle choices, develop healthy relationships, try new experiences, and commit time and energy to tasks that are important to us.
So here are five simple tools to help you identify and cultivate your strengths:
NOTICE: Identify your strengths, name them, and own them!
REFLECT: Take a few minutes every day to reflect on what strengths you used today. Also, what could you have done differently?
DON'T COMPARE: Don’t compare yourself to others, but do approach people who inspire you or challenge you for your own growth.
ASK FOR FEEDBACK: As part of your practice, ask people whose opinions you trust to give you feedback on where your strengths are and how you might improve.
PRACTICE SELF-CONFIDENCE: Believe in yourself! If you can believe it, you can achieve it!
Another tool is this VIA character strengths survey, which takes only a few minutes to complete. (You have to register to take the assessment, but you can opt out of emails, and you can get a free version of the results.) My top five strengths turn out to be: Love, Creativity, Curiosity, Kindness, and Bravery. I love that LOVE is my top strength!
And here's VIA’s February 2023 Daily Strengths Tips calendar focused on learning more about your character strengths each day of the month. This might be a great companion to your Courage to Caregivers Micro-Challenges Calendar.
By identifying your strengths, you not only find areas where you excel, but you can also find areas in need of improvement – opportunities for growth that can benefit you in so many ways. You may even find strengths within you that you had not discovered ... YET!
Your strengths are a big part of what makes you special. Be confident in who YOU are and what your strengths can help YOU do!