One thing I’ve learned from listening to women is that strength often looks quieter than people expect. It’s not always about pushing through or being tough, but about setting boundaries, choosing yourself, and continuing even when no one is cheering you on. What stands out to me is how often that kind of strength goes unseen, yet it’s incredibly consistent and resilient.
That strength can look like loving someone deeply without needing to possess them. Sometimes the best and most important thing is letting a real connection remain real without forcing it to become something it can’t be. Even when it’s not the outcome you want. Strength is going with the flow. And sometimes that flow can sweep you away so let it. 😂 And then allow it to wash over you when it’s done.
That we are strong enough to heal when our heart is broken, over and over and over again. I remember saying I’m never going to love anyone ever again after my first love. When my first puppy died of old age and I swore I’d never love another dog like him ever again. The first time I lost a close friend. The first time I was cheated on and broken up with. When I found out my sister had cancer. When I thought I couldn’t survive the pain of leaving an abusive family. When I was disfellowshipped from the only religion and community I knew my entire life.
Being a woman has shown me what an incredible thing it is, to be able to break and heal over and over, and not lose heart. It grows, people take pieces of it with them, it scars and it’s a patchwork of everything I’ve lost and gained.
And it’s taught me that grief and change and loss doesn’t mean I’ll never be happy ever again. Seeing the women in my life go through the same, my mom my sister my grandma, etc having a shared sense of sisterhood because we’ve all gone through similar types of grief and healed, and strength doesn’t look happy and cheerful all the time. Sometimes it’s quiet loyalty, a wordless tight hug when your sister is crying during chemo, kind small gestures from other women who see the pain.
Gifts and words and gestures from women mean so much more to me than from most men for that reason.
Yes, I will sincerely rejoice at the achievements and happiness of my female friends. As a woman myself, I know that the path you’ve taken to get where you are today must have been a long and bumpy one
That it doesn't come in the form I generally thought it would. That the way I develop it would be counterintuitive to my previous thoughts. Where I would find it. Generally every aspect. I found the strength has meaning and we can find it where we don't often expect.
For me, strength was honesty with myself and others I needed help. I felt weak but I had courage to say “idk if I can do this”. That was strength- choosing myself when it was a choice I was running from. I chose to battle my problems. It’s been hell. It’s not easy but I’m not choosing the easy, self sabotage way out of this..
That the definition of strength changes. It can be standing up for yourself no matter what, it can be choosing to pick your battles carefully, it can be to be angry and loud or quiet but firm, it can be to push through or say this is not for me and take a step back.
As a trans woman the strength of my cis sisters has always left me aghast. You go through things that I could never hope to survive just as part of everyday life and it's horrifying, inspiring and aspirational.
One thing that I’ve learned is that real strength is setting boundaries without overexplaining yourself all the time. You do not owe access to your emotional space, time or labor to everyone. Lesson learned the hard way but shaped me as a person.
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Strength comes from within. It’s what you decide to do when you think you just can’t do something anymore. When younger I would sometimes give up or be stubborn. Womanhood and strength to me are an internal strength.
Also, there is a bond you feel with women that is a strength. You can be complete strangers and there’s a communication that happens but is never verbalized that is a strength.
We are strong enough to solve every possible problem on our own, but what we really need is someone who will simply listen to us—so we can vent and then immediately find the strength to move forward. That is what friends are for: they listen to us.
"Strength" for me is more about good judgment and street smarts. Lots of people will try to take advantage of you (physically, emotionally, financially). You don't need to be cynical, but you do need to think critically about your interactions with people. I feel "strong" now that I've developed this mental armor.
One thing I’ve learned from listening to women is that strength often looks quieter than people expect. It’s not always about pushing through or being tough, but about setting boundaries, choosing yourself, and continuing even when no one is cheering you on. What stands out to me is how often that kind of strength goes unseen, yet it’s incredibly consistent and resilient.
That strength can look like loving someone deeply without needing to possess them. Sometimes the best and most important thing is letting a real connection remain real without forcing it to become something it can’t be. Even when it’s not the outcome you want. Strength is going with the flow. And sometimes that flow can sweep you away so let it. 😂 And then allow it to wash over you when it’s done.
Beautifully beautifully put. It's an exquisite type of pain. Hope you are doing ok x
That’s such a mature way to see it.
You are way, way more resilient than you believe.
yes
That we are strong enough to heal when our heart is broken, over and over and over again. I remember saying I’m never going to love anyone ever again after my first love. When my first puppy died of old age and I swore I’d never love another dog like him ever again. The first time I lost a close friend. The first time I was cheated on and broken up with. When I found out my sister had cancer. When I thought I couldn’t survive the pain of leaving an abusive family. When I was disfellowshipped from the only religion and community I knew my entire life.
Being a woman has shown me what an incredible thing it is, to be able to break and heal over and over, and not lose heart. It grows, people take pieces of it with them, it scars and it’s a patchwork of everything I’ve lost and gained.
And it’s taught me that grief and change and loss doesn’t mean I’ll never be happy ever again. Seeing the women in my life go through the same, my mom my sister my grandma, etc having a shared sense of sisterhood because we’ve all gone through similar types of grief and healed, and strength doesn’t look happy and cheerful all the time. Sometimes it’s quiet loyalty, a wordless tight hug when your sister is crying during chemo, kind small gestures from other women who see the pain.
Gifts and words and gestures from women mean so much more to me than from most men for that reason.
Yes, I will sincerely rejoice at the achievements and happiness of my female friends. As a woman myself, I know that the path you’ve taken to get where you are today must have been a long and bumpy one
This is so powerful.
In weightlifting women can lift up to 70-75% of their male weight counterparts and that's very impressive!
And what's the lesson from that? Women are way stronger than they think!
Facts!
Strength doesn’t find you, you find it. From within, from around you, from people.
yes
That it doesn't come in the form I generally thought it would. That the way I develop it would be counterintuitive to my previous thoughts. Where I would find it. Generally every aspect. I found the strength has meaning and we can find it where we don't often expect.
That realization itself is powerful
For me, strength was honesty with myself and others I needed help. I felt weak but I had courage to say “idk if I can do this”. That was strength- choosing myself when it was a choice I was running from. I chose to battle my problems. It’s been hell. It’s not easy but I’m not choosing the easy, self sabotage way out of this..
That honesty is real strength.
That the definition of strength changes. It can be standing up for yourself no matter what, it can be choosing to pick your battles carefully, it can be to be angry and loud or quiet but firm, it can be to push through or say this is not for me and take a step back.
Exactly.
That the female body is the strongest body, capable of dealing with extreme changes and recovering from traumatic events.
damn
As a trans woman the strength of my cis sisters has always left me aghast. You go through things that I could never hope to survive just as part of everyday life and it's horrifying, inspiring and aspirational.
One thing that I’ve learned is that real strength is setting boundaries without overexplaining yourself all the time. You do not owe access to your emotional space, time or labor to everyone. Lesson learned the hard way but shaped me as a person.
That it's not about being outspoken or loud or being obviously combative. Just keeping still and quiet and waiting are also ways of being strong.
That vulnerability ain't weakness, fr. Putting your feelings out there takes guts.
That every woman has it in her.
And that men aren't even half as strong as we are. And I'm not talking about physical strength.
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Strength comes from within. It’s what you decide to do when you think you just can’t do something anymore. When younger I would sometimes give up or be stubborn. Womanhood and strength to me are an internal strength.
Also, there is a bond you feel with women that is a strength. You can be complete strangers and there’s a communication that happens but is never verbalized that is a strength.
We are strong enough to solve every possible problem on our own, but what we really need is someone who will simply listen to us—so we can vent and then immediately find the strength to move forward. That is what friends are for: they listen to us.
I learned that being soft and being strong can be the same thing. Kindness, patience, and keeping going are real strength.
"Strength" for me is more about good judgment and street smarts. Lots of people will try to take advantage of you (physically, emotionally, financially). You don't need to be cynical, but you do need to think critically about your interactions with people. I feel "strong" now that I've developed this mental armor.