The following post is from our Recovery-Centered Clinical System (RCCS) Tidbit of the Month series. Each month, the RCCS Steering Committee creates practices to support our recovery culture within our programs and among staff. Click here to learn more about the RCCS.

Our Strengths

A Component of the Reducing Harm Conversation of the RCCS

Currently, we are all living through a massive, involuntary, collective LifeQuake — an event that disrupts our lives in small and large ways. What’s unique about this LifeQuake is that we all are going through it together and at the same time. The question is — what will we learn about ourselves in this life transition that is now evolving. How will our life story change?

While many of us have found ourselves tired and exhausted during these months, we are all proving to be strong and resilient — but, like our clients and members, we may not always recognize our own strengths.

Recognizing Our Strengths

We may not be as strong as a superhero, but we all have strengths. Yours are the talents and abilities acquired throughout your life — the things you picked up along the way that brought you here, now. We often don’t recognize our own strengths because we take them for granted, but everyone has strengths. You use them frequently, sometimes without even knowing.

Some of your strengths are your talents — the things you know you can do well. You may wish to further develop these strengths — or cultivate new ones. Either way, it is important for you to identify your strengths now, because you can rely on them as you move forward in your recovery journey.

Sometimes we develop strength following a difficult time in our lives — this is called resilience. As we develop our resilience, being kind to ourselves is an important priority not to overlook. We continue to develop strength even in times of struggle and heartache. This is a process: we are learning about ourselves presently, and how to take better care of ourselves in the future.

In this month’s RCCS Tidbit practice, identify and grow your strengths within yourself using the tools below. It’s also important to remember our strengths grow by being available to others and offering a helping hand. We learn self-compassion as we learn how to treat a friend who needs assistance.

Practice

Review the RCCS Conversation Guide: My Strengths That Could Help Others
What are your top three strengths?
What strengths would you like to develop and grow?
Share these with a trusted friend or staff and discuss:
1. How do you use the strengths in your life?
2. How did you develop these?
3. How might you be able to use your current strengths to help others?