What this article covers
- The top 5 qualities a strong woman shows every day
- Why being with, or being, someone like this only ever improves you
- A reminder that anxiety can bury these qualities, but it doesn't erase them
What qualifies as a strong woman? Her strength lies deep inside her, built from struggles, past pain and sacrifices, and it may have wavered at times but it has never gone. A strong woman takes a hit and keeps going. She'll show you exactly who she is, including both her strengths and her vulnerabilities. She has fought her battles and still remains self-sufficient, independent and, above all, loving.
If this sounds like you, or you're in a relationship with someone like this, you can consider yourself privileged. The most attractive quality in the world is strength, and not being afraid to show it. But it's easy to forget all of this when we give in to that crippling emotion we call anxiety, which has a way of bringing even the strongest of us to our knees. At that point we forget everything and focus only on the emotion.
Don't. Remember everything below, and never lose sight of how strong you've been, and will be again — because a strong woman never gives up. Here are the top 5 qualities a strong woman possesses.
- She doesn't need anyone to fight for her. Here's something partners often won't say out loud: they need to feel wanted, and to know they're fighting for lasting love and affection. A strong woman will show that just as much as anyone — but she can also manage her own battles, and you'll find she'll fight her partner's battles alongside them too. When a problem comes up, she goes straight in and deals with it: no victim cards played, and no relying on someone else to sort it out for her.
- She knows exactly what she wants. A strong woman isn't a child in a sweet shop, weighing up options with no plan — she has her life mapped out and knows exactly what she wants and how she's going to get it. She doesn't rely on a partner to make choices for her, or look to them when options are in front of her. She makes decisions based on where her life is going and what her long-term plan is. That doesn't mean she ignores her partner's feelings — she's considerate of them too, and factors them in without losing sight of her own direction. Strong women don't hurt others simply because they can. If anything, they hold themselves to a higher standard than that.
- She'll see through lies. If you're with a strong woman, here's the number one rule for life: don't lie to her. She has a strong sense for it and won't stand for it in any form — she'll call it out straight away and hold you accountable. Why does it matter so much? Because above all, a strong woman is extremely honest, and she'll expect the same in return. That's what having high standards means, and honesty sits right at the top of the list. She's lived enough of life and heard enough lies to have no patience left for them, because a lie (verbal or otherwise) takes away respect and breaks trust. A strong woman won't stay in a relationship where the trust has been broken.
- She isn't afraid of love and intimacy. Thinking back to those same high standards, love is one of the most amazing feelings in the world, and she'll embrace it with everything she has — intimacy goes hand in hand with it, and she fears neither. A strong woman is comfortable with her own femininity and open to every part of love and intimacy. But don't become complacent or take it for granted, because she also knows her own worth (what she wants, needs and deserves) and won't be afraid to open up the conversation if what she has falls short.
- She's consistently consistent. She doesn't falter, no matter how hard her day, week or month has been. Her standards stay high and never drop — she doesn't suffer fools gladly, and she won't stay somewhere that doesn't add to her life or return the love, respect and compassion she gives out. She loves unconditionally, and she's able to bring the best out of the people in her life while expecting the same in return. The word "weak" isn't in her vocabulary, and she's every bit as content single as she is in a relationship. She won't wait around or hold back from telling you when something's going wrong, and she'll usually have a solution ready before the problem has even fully arrived.
So as you read this, do you recognise these qualities in yourself, or has anxiety started to eat away at them until you've lost sight of who you are? Don't worry if it has. Close your eyes, remember who you are, and wake to a new day and go again.
Mullins Therapy is a multi-award winning relationship and anxiety practice with offices in Central Scotland and Dubai, UAE.
