Empower Yourself: 5 Things Women Should Do For Strength
Life doesn't get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.
I am sure most of us relate to this quote on various levels, be it emotionally, mentally or physically. Afterall strength is not just the iron you pump in the gym, or the number of shopping bags you are able to cart at a time, but also an indicator of how resilient we are, to adversities, to our mood or to the ever changing fabric of modern day living, where change is the name of the game.
Women are often perceived as the weaker sex, and so forced to take a backseat. This is largely due to the patriarchal mindset that is so deep rooted in our culture, which is a fallacy in its own!
But let's begin with the most common understanding of strength- Physical. With a plethora of workouts, it can be confusing on which one to pick as your form of fitness, and not to mention the myths that come alongside it, especially around weight training for women. Strength training is probably one of the most superior forms of workout with a number of benefits, and one that enormously can add to physical strength, lean muscle mass and improve overall body composition. As a beginner focusing on compound movements like pushups, deadlifts, weighted squats can be a great place to start. Compound movements recruit multiple muscle groups at the same time, really giving you maximum benefit for your workout. With consistency, as your strength improves, ramp up your workouts with progressive overload or you can move to isolate muscles and work them to their limit.
I personally believe that having a routine, a disciplined schedule and adding movement to your day goes a long way in building mental resilience and strength. But we often need to train our mind to be stronger than our emotions, and that is where the practice of mindfulness, prioritizing our day and journaling comes in. Each of these habits leave us feeling empowered, balanced and alot more self aware. A calm mind brings inner strength, self confidence and self acceptance that are key aspects to feeling mentally strong to be able to take on the world. These micro habits are power packed and use them to your advantage to build a steely resolve.
Some might say that strength doesn't come from physical capacity, it comes from indomitable will. But just how do we build this will? Well in a social space like ours, it's easy to feel emotionally and socially stretched. Often without even realizing it, we have turned into people pleasers & knowing when to say NO can leave us feeling emotionally depleted, stressed and even anxious. We all struggle with over committing, feeling pulled into things we don't much care for, and each of these is often at the cost of our own down time, time to connect to self and recharge our own batteries.
Spending all of your energy and mental resources to make sure that others are happy makes us less likely to have the resolve and willpower to tackle our own goals. Setting clear boundaries, and prioritising some down time for yourself, allowing yourself some time before committing to others, are small steps in the right direction to build that emotional muscle.
(The article is authored by Malika Singh, a certified Integrative Nutritionist and Health Coach from her viewpoint)
