Something I hate about myself - with a twist.

Sofia has a post titled Something I (also) hate about myself, which she followed from another blogger.  It got me thinking.  We all have something we hate about ourselves.  In fact far too often we will concentrate on what we hate rather than what we love.  In our culture it seems more common to focus on improving weaknesses than building on our existing strengths.  Movies proliferate mainstream with the down and out conquering their challenges and overcoming.  We don't seem to accept people telling us what they're good at.  Self deprecating talk is the norm.  We love to laugh at ourselves and downplay our accomplishments in order to make others feel better.

What if...

What if we started believing we were made to do great things.  That in each of us we are capable of performing miracles.  What if we believed that our strengths and weaknesses made us special and unique.  What if we believed that about other people too.  What if we concentrated on showcasing our strengths.  What if we tried to discover what they are in the first place?  What if we started commenting on others strengths when we noticed them?

My strength is peace.  I am a peace maker.  I'm not a conflict avoider, but I don't see the purpose in prolonging resolution even if it means I resolve it myself, in my own head.  What I mean by this, is some will  continue the fight long after it has any direct meaning to the original issue.  I make peace in my head with the fighter even though they may still be fighting.  Being a peace maker doesn't mean I'm a saint, it does mean that my relationships are either vitally healthy or they take a very distant backseat to my life.  There are battles worth fighting, but always with the goal of getting through what I call the tunnel of discontent.  Some love to hover at the entrance and will from time to time venture in for a brief stint and then end up at the entrance again.  If I enter the tunnel it's to come out the other side.  If the other person/team/organization is unwilling to do anything but hover there,  I will disengage.  Not in anger, not in spite, sometimes in bafflement, but never with drama.  This strength allows me to live easily with myself and with very few regrets.

What are your strengths?