Stress and pressure
These two things are inseparable because when pressure is applied to anything or anyone, it can cause stress. For adults, stress is a real paradox. Incidences that place our minds and body under stress, up to a manageable point, and from which we have the time and circumstances to resolve from and recover, are beneficial. They are an essential part of our capability building and personal growth.
The problem is that when there are too few recovery periods or even worse, no recovery periods, the body stays in a state of stress. This is chronic stress, and it is very destructive to your health on many levels. That being the case, is there a way you can avoid it? If not, how do you prepare yourself for it? These are the two keys to effective stress control – avoidance and management.
Fortunately, there is an inner strength within you that can be tapped so you can deal with inevitable stressors. Better still, this strength can be further developed with practice and it can be available whenever you need it.
Inner strength can be likened to the hormone adrenaline, which in times of danger, the body releases to provide extra strength so you can either fight or escape from the situation. The only difference is that inner strength doesn’t provide an option to flee. Instead, it helps you face and cope with the stressors and other life adversities.
Some think that having inner strength is innate and that it is a matter of personality, but it’s not the case. Every time you use your inner strength, you make it stronger for the next time, enabling you to trust and draw upon it when you need it.
Here are 6 ways to develop your inner strength to help you overcome burnout and achieve your goals.
1. Take ownership of your goals and dreams
Many long for the opportunity to improve their situation, e.g., an increase in their financial wealth, better position, improved health, happy family, etc. However, not everyone is willing to accept the responsibility and effort that comes with it. To improve in any given area, you need to accomplish tasks and be accountable for their advancement. If you simply ‘want’ things but are not prepared to work toward them, you are wishing your life away.
You might hesitate to act if you feel incapable of improving any situation. In this case, you are dismissing your own abilities and gifting the goal to external influences. This means your inner strength is unlikely to be used and you’re unlikely to build any self-belief in your abilities. Inner strength is a muscle. Use it! With practice, your inner strength will help you move forward on your goals, step-by–step. As you complete the step, the next step will unfold.
You don’t have to be good to start… you just have to start to be good!” Joe Sabah
2. Use what you have
It is everybody’s dream to be in an ideal environment, with all of the tools and resources at hand to make your tasks easier. Do you really need the best tools to start that graphic art project or prepare a delicious meal or have that robust conversation?
What if you don’t have access to all of the best tools and resources? Can you still proceed with your plan? Of course, you can. How will you do it? This is where your inner strength will give you the tenacity and persistence to progress despite limitations, to start using what you have available to you. As you progress, you will find different solutions to the resources you need, most often, in a creative way.
Remember that many great inventions happened while trying to fill gaps in the existing technology.
3. Put your gold in the furnace
Gold, when unearthed by miners, is full of impurities. It has to be under fire several times until the precious mineral comes out in its purest form. Much better than its initial state. In the same way, as you allow yourself to go through the transformation process of purification, it will refine and add to your inner strength.
When you find yourself with difficult, even painful experiences, face them as best you can and do not try to shy away from them as these are the occasions where you can toughen your character and become stronger.
4. Reflect on your past achievements
No matter how tough you thought your past days, weeks or years were, you would be exaggerating if you said there was nothing nice that happened to you along the way. It might not have been as great as you expected or wanted it to be, but surely, there are still achievements to remember, insignificant as you think they may be. Don’t look to deflect them rather draw strength on how you overcame difficulties to earn those small wins.
You can draw on your inner strength as you remember what you achieved in spite of everything and, you can do it again. Avoid comparing your previous victories with others. Take comfort that you can achieve with your present challenge, it may just look different to what you planned or hoped. Success breeds success. Focus on the fact that you have the inner strength to achieve. The level of challenge is a matter of scale that you can adapt to.
5. Beat your real obstacle
There isn’t a worse enemy of inner strength than fear. It makes your predicament harder than it really is and is often the real obstacle in your path. Is it really unbeatable? What can you do to overcome it? This is when you need to decide to face your fear. Decide on how best to approach the situation and as you do, give yourself the opportunity to display courage and consequently, for your inner strength to work for you.
6. Prove it to yourself
It is often said that inner strength presents itself when problems arise. It comes forward when you need it most. However, it cannot readily demonstrate its real potential in your life itself unless you exercise it. Accept your responsibilities with excitement and anticipation, utilize the available resources available to you now, do not hide when the going gets tough, celebrate your victories, and face your fears.
These are some of the ways to deploy and strengthen the inner strength that is raring to help you in any way you need it. There’s no need to worry about proving yourself to others, that will come naturally. Show yourself how strong you really are.
If you have identified that you need to strengthen your inner strength, then book a confidential call with me and we can explore together strategies on how you can develop your inner strength so that you can protect yourself from burnout.
