For long, women have been seen as weak, frail and having nothing much to contribute in certain fields. The strength of the woman was typically attributed to her biological productivity and ability to condone and endure pain. When the story changed, and women were found thriving in things that were assumed to be beyond them, the definition also had to change. So who is a strong woman?

According to Wikipedia, a strong woman is a woman who performs hard and dangerous stunts, especially in the circus. This definition attributes physical strength to the strong woman, so a woman that is agile, hard, daring and has the ability and capacity to do dangerous things is Strong.

Some also postulate that women lack physical strength and for this, they are compensated with psychological and mental strength. Here, the woman can endure pain and conceal hurts no matter what, and she probably expresses this strength in tears.

However, it is common to hear people casually brag, “I have never seen a man cry”, which to them is a show of strength. So a woman crying is weakness and not strength.

Others even claim that a strong woman is one who can stand up for herself. She is confident, passionate and has great leadership qualities. These ones may or may not have physical strength, but she sure is mentally and psychologically stable. She has everything figured out so she never cries.

Now, the definition of a strong woman is uncertain. Is she the physically strong one? The emotional one? The mentally stable one? Or the confident one?

In answering this question, let me clearly state: Dear woman, your strength is more than a show in physic and sealing up of hurt. Yes, you cry and may not be able to lift the bed without assistance but that is not a definition of where your strength lies. We have women who are blessed with physical strength, some who have strong emotions and those who have both. All of us are strong! Either or neither is a full definition of where your strength lies.

Are you still unsure about it? Here’s a question for you:

DO YOU WAKE UP EVERY DAY AND GET OUT OF BED?

Getting out of bed is hard. A woman who does this every day to make ends meet definitely has a lot of strength. Waking up to the duties that come your way, rising up to make breakfast even on days your body wants to sleep in, not out of laziness but of mental exhaustion is strength.

Great strength is required to execute your biological duties as a mother, societal duties as a wife and sister, career duties, role model and mentorship duties. This strength is unrivalled on earth.

Rising to face the many challenges and limitations the society sets to frustrate you is a show of strength. It takes a lot of strength to be the only woman in a male-dominated career. Strength is shown in not just being there but doing well, oftentimes more than the male counterparts.

Strength is shown in standing for what you believe in, even when no one seems to stand with you. A strong woman knows her value and is willing to uphold them even if the system would criticize her. That lady that has refused to sleep her way up the ladder or compromise her virtue for a job offer, you are strong.

It takes a strong woman to change even her own habits and lifestyle. Many people make plans and resolutions but the strength to carry on is often lacking. A strong woman desires and works on the change she seeks in her health, career or finance.

While society would always try to keep the woman in a mould, it is the duty of the woman to mark out who she is and what she can do. This is in no way comparable with the opposite gender or another woman. No two women are the same so nobody should make you feel less than you are. Therefore, do not define your strength from any standard.  

Dear woman, you are stronger than you even know yet. Your strength is peculiar to you because only you can do the things you do the way you do them. You are strong by being true to yourself!