How to Thrive From a Place of Weakness

This past weekend I hosted a writing retreat at our house for Art & Joy of Words writing group founded by Meadow Merrill. We are a small niche of Christian women who write. While we may not specifically produce works for the Christian market and we come from all different denominations, we share liked minded thinking when it comes to our belief in God. So it is nice to share the joys of each other's successes and to encourage each other in our struggles as writers.

A common theme popped up all weekend that seemed to carry over from last year's retreat - struggles. In 2023 one hurdle after another hurdle plagued everyone who attended the weekend. This weekend seemed to echo the previous year also. We had physical, emotional, spacial, financial, and on and on struggles throughout the group.

That's life. The only way to be without struggles, challenges, or strife is to die. Now we don't want that do we? So we must figure out a way to live in the midst of all the turmoil. And I don't just mean exist - but to thrive.

I do not like it when I feel overwhelmed as struggles and challenges fill my calendar, take up residence in my brain, and try to steal the joy from my heart. Those things make me feel weak and worthless. In the past, I used to give authority to those feelings. But not any more. While feelings seem real, and seem to take a life of their own, I can control them. I am not talking about the feelings from, say, a broken arm or a bee sting or some other ailment. I am talking about those sensations that come from within that swell up if fed and would cause me to have a full blown panic attack. Those feelings of insecurity. Those feelings of self-loathing. Those feelings of unworthiness and self-doubt, and all those other negative joy-stealing thoughts.

For me, I have found that when I am at my weakest - caused by whatever challenges I am going through at the time, whether it is getting lost while hiking, dealing with an issue I would rather not have to, lack of sleep, an over-booked schedule, to all the other normal things life throws at me - I find my greatest strength. It is then I can either listen to that swell of negativity billowing up from within or I can starve those sensations and feed the alternative. What's the alternative you ask. Admittance. Admit what? Weakness.

When I was at my weakest point I had to admit I had a problem. And in that weakness I found just how strong I was and could be. It didn't happen overnight. It took me months to finally admit how weak I had become then it took years to build myself back up, but I did it. Without going through that low I don't think I would be thriving as well today as I am.

I made an anacronym using action words summarizing elements that I use when I feel weak. I hadn't thought much about my process of healing until I listened to my friend Meadow talk at our writing retreat about Writing From A Place of Weakness. But it is not just in writing we must work from a place of weakness. that's life in general.

Before I can move forward, I do the following. I hope it helps you when you find yourself in weakness but would rather be thriving.

ADMIT

Admit - Admit that you are weak

Before any change or growth can happen, we must admit that a change needs to take place. In other words, we must admit that we are weak and need help in whatever area it is that isn't working out.

Defy - Defy weakness

Admitting weakness doesn't mean we stay there. My Random House Dictionary defines defy as to do something deemed impossible. When we are weak, everything seems impossible. So when we feel like we have no hope, first we must admit we are weak and need help, then we defy that weakness and tell it that it has no home in our heart.

Micmic - Micmic the Messiah

This is a two-for-one. Once we have admitted our weakness and defy it, that's when things get even harder. When things get harder they are easier if we seek help. That old anacronym WWJD holds true. If we imitate Jesus we will find the strength we need to defy those things that want to break us down. The best way to find out what Jesus would do is to spend daily time in meditation on his words from the Bible.

Identify - Identify what we struggle with

It is hard to move forward and thrive if we don't know what it is that is holding us back.

Takeoff - Take off running and don't look back

Admiting we are weak, defying that weakness, seeking help from above, and identifying our struggles empowers us to thrive. That is a our freedom to take off running. Finding our strength in our deepest weakness is liberating and can give us a confidence that no one and nothing can steal from us ever again. When we find that strength we won't just take off and thrive but we will unlock a potential that will allow us to soar.

If you are at a place of weakness and can't seem to figure out what to do next - please reach out to a family member, a friend, a professional. There is always someone there to help. You never have to be alone. For life threatening thoughts and behaviors please call or text 988

2024 Art & Joy of Words Retreat Attendees