Weaknesses: Your Strengths in Disguise

I recently listened to a podcast by Jody Moore, a certified life coach, in which she discussed weaknesses. She talked about how weaknesses we see in ourselves—things we often fault ourselves for or even hate ourselves for—are almost always our strengths overused. Something that you identify as a flaw in your character is actually just something else that you are TOO good at!

Are you a bit confused? Let me explain with an example.

One of our clients struggles with food addiction. She is entirely reliant on sugar in particular, and has a very hard time saying no. She is a perfectionist and copes with challenges by binge eating and takes comfort in food when she struggles. This has led to heavy weight gain over the past few years and she is now diabetic, struggling with her confidence, and severely out of shape. 

You might say that there is no strength in this situation. This is a challenge and simply that: something to overcome. However, with a little introspection, we can discover how this client is actually stronger than she knows.

First, she developed her dependence on food after cooking delicious meals for her family for years. That shows a great aptitude for service to others. It also shows that she learned how to cook tasty meals, which means it will be easy for her to learn to adapt recipes in healthy ways once she knows how. As a perfectionist, she also has an eye for detail and is a great planner. Binge eating and relying on food means that she recognizes when she needs a release and doesn’t just hide her emotions, even though her current coping mechanisms might be harmful. Finally, her lack of self confidence signifies that she understands her potential greatness and has a desire to achieve it. 

This is just a simple example, but the strengths-in-disguise method can be helpful for you as you strive to reach optimal health. In moments when your weaknesses seem insurmountable, try to see how they really make you incredible.