Well, hello there. My name is Morgan Harper-Nichols. I'm an artist and a writer, and this is a space

where I share words that I hope can make a little room for you to slow down and take a few deep breaths

as you prepare for whatever lies ahead. Thanks for being here today. And now on to today's episode.

Today's episode is for those of us who feel like we have to be the strong one all the time. As we grow, strength becomes such a powerful word

because in one way or another, life will require us to be strong.

Because there are so many different ideas about what strength can be,

I want to take a moment to push into what strength can look like on a daily basis.

Here's something I've written and shared in my storyteller app that digs into the truth about finding strength.

You are stronger than you think, but you don't have to be strong all of the time.

You are allowed to be gentle with yourself as you move through different stages of life.

And you are allowed to seek out moments of

peace and rest, even when you don't feel like you deserve it. Being strong is just one part of you,

and there are so many other parts of you worth getting to know. At times you may feel like your main

role in life is to keep up with the program and make sure everyone else gets what they need. But it's

never too late to start thinking about your life in a different way. It's never too late to wake up and say, I am so much more than where I have

been. I am so much more than my endurance and my strength. I am free to welcome gentleness and tenderness

and tenderness in my life, even on days like this. Some days it will be easier to find this balance,

but on the days where you find yourself struggling, repeat these words or write them in your journal.

I'm going to read them now and you're free to repeat them after me as I read.

I am recognizing that softness does not make me weak.

For softness is a part of being a human being.

I am welcoming practices into my life that encourage me to slow down and be in the moment.

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