By Director of Mental Health Services Griselda Williams
Why does recognizing your strengths matter? Because when you recognize your ‘good stuff’ you can build on it.
It seems that as humans we tend to recognize the ‘bad stuff’ in ourselves and in others and say that we are being boastful or bragging, if we speak about our strengths.
I have seen this happen, especially with female clients that I have worked with over the years in human services. There is a young woman-Miss Q, in residence at Community LINC who was like that when she first came with her family. However, over the course the two months that she has been here, she has begun to recognize her strengths and now feels that it is appropriate to speak about them.
When she first came she would only do what others told her and did not feel it was appropriate to make her own choices. When she came to program group, she would sit at the end of the table by herself and would not speak. She often looked down and would not make much eye contact and she appeared sad and lost.
Much has happened in Miss Q’s life this year, most of it taxing and traumatizing. However, as Miss Q flexes her strengths muscles she is sharing a renewed sense of empowerment. She has begun setting boundaries with partner, family members and even an abusive boss.
In program group last night the topic was “strengths” and attendees were to identify 5 of their strengths and make a collage of pictures that represented those strengths. Miss Q sat in the first chair, she smiled with her head high and she freely shared her strengths as she made a collage. In addition Miss Q helped a fellow group member identify her 5 strengths when the member shared that it would be bragging to say them out loud.
Now that Miss Q recognizes her strengths and is not embarrassed or feels guilty about speaking them, I believe there is no limit to what she may accomplish. It is exciting to see what will come next for Miss Q, now that her strengths muscles are so strong.
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