You Can Be Strong And Soft

Hey friends!

I wanted to share a little about this month’s pep talk, which came from something deeply personal I've been working through.

For the longest time, I used to cringe when people would call me "strong" after hearing about my experiences growing up with my brother who has severe disabilities. It felt patronizing, like they were glossing over how hard things actually were.

But I've done a lot of reframing work around this idea, and that's what this pep talk is all about. I realized that two truths can exist at once: I can honor the struggles that knocked me flat on my ass WHILE also acknowledging that yes, I am actually quite strong and capable because of what I've been through.

In this short talk, I invite you to put down what I call the "backpack of shame" many of us carry about how we survived difficult times. Being seen as capable and dependable isn't a burden—it's actually a remarkable form of respect you've earned.

If you've ever felt uncomfortable being the "strong one" or resented the skills you had to develop to cope with hardship, this message might be exactly what you need to hear right now.

As a paid subscriber of Nuance Needed you will get two pep talks every month in addition to…

• Monthly bonus podcast episode with us

• Weekly episode cheat sheets — we are taking you deeper into the episode with homework, self reflection questions and guides on how you can take these concepts and use them to improve your life now.

• Be part of a community that cares about nuanced mental health, not quick fixes

• Ability to ask Sam and Amanda questions.. including giving suggestions for episode topics and pep talks!

See you next week!
Sam