Open any self-help book and you’ll find advice on finding your inner strength. But wait! You don’t have to travel to Barnes and Noble or your local library. If you have Google, just ask: “Hey Google, how do I find my inner strength?”
Google response: Here are ten ways to find inner strength……. (My Google nest gave me a list, along with a headache.)
Okay, I guess asking wasn’t a good idea. Let’s try typing the question into Google AI.
“How do I find inner strength?”
Google AI response: You find inner strength by cultivating your internal psychological and emotional resources through intentional, daily habits. True inner resilience—encompassing traits like patience, grit, and emotional intelligence—is built over time, similar to developing physical muscle.
OMG! What?
Google AI’s Advice for Finding Inner Strength
Because your brain naturally defaults to a negativity bias, you must actively “hardwire” positive traits into your mind. The most effective, expert-backed strategies to tap into and grow your inner strength include: 1. Hardwire your positive experiences, 2. Practice healthy emotional processing, 3. Cultivate self-refuge, 4. Identify and track your hidden resources, 5. Sit with your feelings, 6. List your micro-skills…….
What the heck is a micro-skill?
Seriously. A micro-skill? Does brushing my teeth count? I can feel my inner strength waning just reading the list. This all seems way too hard. Isn’t there an easy way to channel my inner warrior, reach my goals, and conquer the day without earning a degree in psychology first?
I mean, seriously, all these actions imply that I need to act like a phoenix rising fiercely from the flames. But let’s be real about the mythology here. People always equate the phoenix to some majestic, fierce creature with flames beautifully licking its outstretched wings. The reality is quite the opposite. When the phoenix is on fire, it is dying! D Y I N G! And from the pile of ash you’re left with a small, pathetic, weak hatchling.
Not exactly warrior territory.
Being a Warrior When Life is Tiring
Look, I love a good phoenix transformation as much as the next person, but can we be honest for a second? Some days, my inner warrior doesn’t want to conquer a single thing. I’m talking about the days when life is just too damn tiring; when starting over or digging deep for resilience feels like moving a boulder up a mountain.
Inner Warrior Starter Pack
Over the years I’ve come to accept that true strength doesn’t need to turn us into a solar flare. Sometimes, that strength bubbles up quietly, like a comforting pot of soup simmering on the stove. Or visit with Ben & Jerry. (They have never once offered a negative comment on my flannel pajamas.)
If you are just too plain tired to burst into flames today, you don’t need a psychology textbook. You just need a softer approach. Here is my unofficial Inner Warrior Starter Pack. Guarunteed to work and you won’t need to go back to college.
- Hug your pet. If you don’t have a pet, go outside and hug a tree. (The tree won’t look at you weirdly, promise).
- Inhale the comfort. Make yourself a warm cup of tea or coffee, and actively breathe in the aroma before you even take that first sip.
- Acknowledge your magic. Write down one thing you have done in your life that is truly amazing. Once you see it on paper, challenge yourself to write down four more.
- Take a five-minute pause. Sit quietly for just five minutes and focus entirely on your breathing. Feel the air moving in and out of your lungs. Now thank your lungs.
- Take a nap. Preferably with a cozy blanket and a cat purring on your lap.
True resilience isn’t about being a superhero every hour of the day. Sometimes, the most warrior-like thing you can do is admit you are spent, and you will try again tomorrow.
Over to you:
What does your inner warrior want to do today? Leave a comment below.
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