I Didn't Know My Own Strength Novels & Stories

God, I was envious of their strength. I absolutely loathed feeling weak, and that was all I felt for the past two years. Every single day, I felt weak and felt like a failure. Each day served to break me apart further until I didn’t even recognize myself any longer. Fuck. I never wanted to feel that way again. Perhaps I could find someone to guide me and help me get stronger for myself and for Daphne. A woman made her way over to us and gave me a bright smile.

"You know you would have; those are only the negative voices in your head talking; they are only telling you lies. I think that you have learned a lot about yourself." She is right. I know that I might have gotten frustrated so many times; I felt weak and down, but I learned how to find the strength inside of me that I thought I did not have. I reminded myself of my strengths and to stop beating myself up over my weaknesses. Everyone has weaknesses. Your weaknesses aren't worse; they are just different. I am a Marine, I have those strengths inside, but I guess that life, real life, just knocks you over and takes you on a completely different ride.

I inhaled deeply to regain my composure. I had found the silent strength I was looking for. Not in the past. not within him. It was within me. I wasnt weak. I wasnt lost. I remained here still engaged in combat. I had been wondering for a long time if I was good enough. Would I be deserving of love happiness and all that seemed so far away? But I no longer required validation from others. I didnt require Liams blessing. No ones approval was necessary for me. I needed my own motivation to keep going my own anchor. For myself. For my child.

She stood over me, victorious, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. "Always remember you're no match for me." She said I let out a weak laugh, my body aching all over. "Maybe not," I conceded. "But now I know what I'm capable of, and I won't back down from you or anyone else." I spat confidently, and I became surprised and began to wonder how I suddenly built up this confidence. As I lay on the cold floor, battered and bruised, I was surprised about something... The fact I had discovered something valuable – a hidden strength which I have never found out before, made me excited.

But maybe strength was knowing when to walk away. So I did, even if it broke me.

“I couldn’t have been more wrong about anything in my life.” She was already crying. Quietly. “You had already started saving yourself,” I said. “You just didn’t know it yet. And watching you build everything that came next, watching you stand in rooms where people used to make you feel small and take up every inch of space you deserved, watching you become exactly who you were supposed to be, taught me something I genuinely didn’t know I needed to learn.” I took her hand. “Real strength isn’t about never falling,” I said. “It’s about standing back up every single time. And you are the most genuinely strong person I have ever known, and I want you to know that I know that.”

Never apologize for taking your place. I looked away from the page and my eyes became blurry. I sniffed then continued reading. You will spend years underestimating yourself. I know this because I did the same thing. Strength is rarely loud. Most of the time it looks like getting up every morning and continuing anyway. The paper trembled slightly between my fingers. I adjusted my grip. You were born stronger than you realize. One day you will sit where I once sat. When that day comes, do not shrink yourself for anyone.

My pulse roared in my ears. “Aren’t you going to open it?” he asked. I hesitated. Then slowly, carefully, I tore the flap and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. Inside were five words. > “You are stronger than you think.” I blinked, the words blurring. That was it? No revelation, no secret, no brutal truth to shatter me? Just five simple words? “That’s it?” I whispered. His stepbrother tilted his head. “That is truth enough. You chose yourself. You chose to believe that your strength matters. Remember that. Because strength unclaimed is weakness.”

“You're always trying to make yourself small. Don't do that anymore.” I stared at him in awe. No one had ever told me that before, but he was very much correct. I had been beaten down so much back in Oceanpearl, that trying to stand on my own had become difficult. I almost didn't recognise what inner strength was until I came here.

I breathed out tears falling down my cheek “You have been showing up for yourself in ways most people wouldn’t even understand and try to undermine. And the fact that you are still here, still trying to make sense of it all, still talking about it, that shows strength. Even when you don’t feel strong, you are anything but weak Nova I want you to know that” She closed her more notepad as she spoke not taking anything down