12WBT blogging challenge: My greatest strengths

Last post I started responding to a blogging challenge issued by another blogger participating in the 12 week body transformation program.  Kath’s week 2 challenge focussed on our greatest strengths.

Week 2 – My greatest strengths

Tell me about your STRENGTHS:

• I WANT to know about your physical strengths.
• I WANT to know about your mental strengths.
• I WANT to know about the habits you have that make you strong.
• I WANT to know what it is about you that makes you the fighter that is inside.
• Tell me what prepares you to fight these 12 weeks now to make you extraordinary.
• What is deep inside you that means you are going to succeed?
• And how are you going to use those strengths?

Inspire me.

In her post, Kath says, if you try to give a woman a compliment she will accept it with a ‘Yes, but…’

This is certainly true for me. In fact I’m finding it really hard to come up with ‘strengths’ without feeling like I am being full of myself. I am so accustomed to being self-effacing that it’s hard to turn that around. Whether I’m talking about myself, or the world in general, I’m a bit of a glass-half-empty type. And I tend to be cynical or pessimistic; because that way I won’t be disappointed. As a result of all of that, this particular blogging challenge has proven quite challenging for me.

Physically, I was once quite fit and athletic and think some of that must remain (all of these calories, kilograms and years later). Given my sporting history I am still pretty coordinated and am able to pick things up quickly. I am tall and can be strong (when I’ve been working at it).

Mentally I can be quite resolute when I need to be. In recent times, this has failed me when it has come to diet and exercise; but given that I was once a 45kg anorexic, it must be lurking in there somewhere. Bring on the bloody-mindedness! I say.

I was once a high-achiever. I am, and always have been, extremely competitive. I hate failing and that sometimes is a weakness as much as a strength. I’d prefer to ‘not try’ than lose or fail. But my competitive nature also means that I don’t like ‘not succeeding’. In recent times I have been known to ‘give up’ when I shouldn’t, but it grates against my competitive nature. It is this competitive streak that I hope will see me through this 12 week program. It’s what I need to keep me going until I start to see results.

It is a combination of all of these things (and the support, which we will come to next) which I am very much hoping, will see me succeed on this weight loss attempt. My mental determination and competitive nature will mean that I won’t want to fail. Again. I aspire to a fitter and healthier body so I can again feel energetic and athletic. And proud. Most of all, I want to feel pride in myself, rather than shame.