The other day the Greek yogurt Oikos tagline, “Feed My Strength” caught my attention. At first, the phrase struck me as counter to the usual human modus operandi. Most often, inner dialogue tends to center more around shortcomings, vulnerabilities, and areas for enrichment. This tagline advocates for a completely different approach. Instead of being overly conscious of my weaker suits, why not put greater attention on my strong suit?
It made me pause and wonder:
What if my personal strengths also deserve my attention?
What might happen if I shifted even slightly how I saw myself?
What if my strong, capable, and consistent parts need just as much attention and nourishment as the parts I'm trying to strengthen?
The more I reflected, the more sense it made. Recognizing my strengths is not about being boastful. It's about finding equilibrium, recognizing and embracing my whole self, not focusing only on what needs improvement.
“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t. ”
I then recalled a personal experience. Years ago, I took part in a summer leadership training program. In a particular class, the presenter wrote down and discussed all the internal skills that come into play before a single word is uttered. Skills like determining a purpose, forming ideas, understanding one’s audience, choosing one’s words, and constructing the message.
Formally, I often found myself shying away from speaking in public and feeling quite incapable of doing so. That day, to my surprise ranking myself on those inner speaking abilities, my score was quite respectable. I realized that I had never really valued those abilities before. Suddenly, I discovered I had been overlooking my strengths. I acknowledged that I had a good start in delivering an oral message. That shift in perspective made a significant difference. I became more confident. Not because I was suddenly “better,” but because I was finally recognizing and nurturing what was already strong within me.
““The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.””
Of course, I am still mindful of areas for improvement. However, I am becoming more fully aware that my strengths and weaknesses are partners. All my personal traits deserve my attention. Thank you, Oikos, for the reminder that our strengths are worth feeding too.
Here’s a question worth asking: What strength in you is quietly waiting to be fed?
-Sister Nancy Wales, CSJ
IMAGE: Vicky Sim/ @speckfechta | Unsplash