Motivation Mondays: STRENGTH
“Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” Mattie Stepanek
Motivation Mondays: STRENGTH – Sacred Lotus
Motivation Mondays: STRENGTH – Fire Ants
I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death. Leonardo da Vinci
What does strength mean to you? What does it have to do with motivation and starting the week with a get-up-and-go attitude? Strength is more than our ability to work like an Ox and punch like a heavyweight champion. Strength comes in many forms and to achieve our goals in life, we need both inner and outer strength. The Sacred Lotus plant looks delicate and pretty, yet it is a tenacious, long-living plant that thrives in the murkiest of waters and rises above the crap of daily existence. According to a research report, the lotus can regulate the temperature of its flowers just like humans and warm-blooded animals do. “An individual lotus can live for over a thousand years and has the rare ability to revive into activity after stasis. In 1994, a seed from a sacred lotus, dated at roughly 1,300 years old ± 270 years, was successfully germinated (Wikipedia).” So this delicate plant can teach us about the power of inner strength; tenacity is strength.
Why is the tiny ant seemingly invincible? The tiny ant performs huge feats on a daily basis and it does so because it knows the power of numbers and the strength that comes from working in unison to accomplish a goal. When a colony of fire ants is accidentally encountered, they will attack as fiercely as a lion. They are fast, with a giant bite that leaves angry lesions that hurt for days. When ants need to move a “problem” (a huge piece of food), they gather together and create a chain of power. We can apply the same strategy in our lives. We all need mentors, supporters, and cheerleaders in our corner of this place we call earth. Without the support of others, our goals might remain a dream; unity is strength
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” Khalil Gibran
Motivation Mondays: STRENGTH – Bamboo grass
INNER STRENGTH – Motivational Video
“Wherever you see happy, peaceful individuals; wherever you see children endowed with noble qualities and good dispositions; wherever you see men who have immense strength when faced with failure and adverse situations; wherever you see people who possess a great measure of understanding, sympathy, love, and compassion towards the suffering, and who give of themselves to others—you will usually find a great mother who has inspired them to become what they are.” – Amma
Did you know that the Bamboo plant is a form of grass? Yes, this elegant, strong plant that spends years underground developing its roots and nurturing its armor is grass. Then one day, out of the blue, it shoots up to almost 3 feet and keeps growing. It is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world because of its unique rhizome-dependent system. “Certain species of bamboo can grow 35 inches within a 24-hour period, at a rate of 0.00003 km/h (a growth of approximately 1 millimeter (or 0.02 inches) every 2 minutes) as a tribe of flowering perennial evergreen plants in the grass family Poaceae, Bamboo has a higher compressive strength than wood, brick or concrete and a tensile strength that rivals steel (Wikipedia).” It provides much help to those who use it to build homes, containers, household furniture, and even to make food. Imagine for a moment that a type of grass has such strength that it rivals steel. It takes all that underground heavy lifting work to build the Bamboo and train it until it is ready to show its true strength; focus/commitment is strength.
What fuels a Mother’s strength? What motivates our parents and loved ones to support us? A mother’s strength is built in the fire of motherhood, in birthing and maintaining an undying love for her offspring. Just like the Bamboo, a mother carries her offspring, unseen, for a certain period of time. If she were in the wild, she might build a nest or dig deep into the ground or hibernate for a long or short period of time. When the time comes, she uses all of her reserves to birth life and then to nurture that life till it’s ready to venture out on its own; A Mother’s Love is Strength. The point here is that strength manifests in different forms and through different channels. One thing they share in common is tenacity; the determination to see a plan from its genesis to the point of completion. So the idea of building strength takes great inner reserve, preparation, focus, love, and commitment. = tenacity. What are you tenacious about? What’s the difference between your perception of your inner and outer strength and what impact has it had on your life? Think about it; love is strength.
The Story of The River Goddess: Have you heard another version?
Selekana and The River Goddess (redacted)
Selekana was a good-natured girl, always ready to help others. That is why people loved her so and gave her little gifts like a necklace or a bracelet made from multi-colored beadwork. Of course, other girls in the village envied her ornaments, not realizing that she had earned them.
One afternoon, Selekana was on her way to the river, when old mother Seleka asked her to help. Mother Seleka was a disabled person and Selekana often assisted her with work in her house. The old woman gave her a small bracelet made of an elephant’s tail hair, saying: “There, take this, it is of no more use to me now as I am old, you may wear it. Thank you for helping me. Now hurry and get your water before it is dark.” Happy and grateful, Selekana ran with her pot down to the riverside. There she found all the girls of the village waiting for her with smiles on their faces. She noticed that none of them wore any ornaments.
The leading girl said: “Selekana, you are late, we have just finished our ceremony, we decided to appease the river goddess with a ritual of offerings we had not performed in a long time. So we all sacrificed our ornaments and threw them in the river. I am sure you would like to do the same, otherwise, the river goddess might come out and catch you and drag you down to your death one day after dark.” Selekana knew that the ceremony of offerings to the river goddess was performed every year, but she had never heard that the girls organized it for themselves; on the contrary, it was something that the village chief usually announced so that the whole village took part in it, and the offerings were animals. Anyway, she was quite willing to contribute to the sacrifice in order to secure the goodwill of the river goddess for another year.
So, in good faith, Selekana took off her long necklace, her oblong breast ornament, her armrings, and bracelets and threw them into the river one by one, calling on the river goddess each time to please accept them as a token of her gratitude for the water. When all her ornaments had disappeared into the water, Selekana, absorbed in her prayers, suddenly heard loud laughter behind her, and there were all the girls with their ornaments on, which they had quickly taken from their hiding places. It was all a plot: the girls had conspired to make Selekana throw her ornaments away so she would have none left to make them jealous.
Selekana burst into tears when she realized that she had foolishly parted with all her precious beadwork for nothing, and for good, as nobody would ever dare fish them up for her from the river bottom. The girls laughed like jackals: “Hee, hee, that silly girl believed that we would throw all our jewelry into the river just like that, and that is what she did! What did you learn since you were a baby, idiot!” When they were tired of laughing, the girls put their water jars on their heads and walked back to the village, leaving poor Selekana alone with her grief.
“River, river, give me back all the jewels I gave you for nothing!” She cried again and again. Suddenly she heard a voice from downstream: “Come here, child, follow me!” Selekana walked along the riverbank until she came to a bend where the current had formed a wide and deep pool. Selekana was frightened and called again: “River, please give me my beads back, I was deceived by my fellow girls” She repeated her plea three times, and again she heard the voice, much nearer now, coming right from the center of the river: “Come down, child, and join me, I will give you your jewels!” Selekana walked into the river, desperate to get her beads back, as soon as the water rose over her knees, the river pulled her down and she sank into the deep pool.
After a long time, her feet touched the bottom at last, and in front of her, she saw a light. She walked towards it slowly. She finally stood in the doorway of an underground cave where she could see a thousand precious stones flashing and sparkling so that the whole cave was brightly illuminated by their light. When Selekana’s eyes had adjusted to the light, she saw a woman coming towards her walking on only one leg—or was it a fishtail? The woman had only one hand with which she took Selekana firmly by the elbow. She guided her to another room where she had prepared a meal for her. “Eat first, my child, I will reward you for your offerings,” said the River goddess.
The food was delicious, and when Selekana had finished, the River goddess said: “Now you must clean everything in this room, all the pots and pans, sweep the floor and when it is all done I will come back.” She left and Selekana quickly washed all the pots and dishes, tidied the floor, and as soon as she was ready, the River goddess came in again and said: “Come with me, I will give you your jewels now.”
She took the girl back to the jewel room and gave her a choice of precious stones. Confused and delighted, Selekana pointed at some of the most brightly colored stones, and the River goddess just plucked them from the wall. There were breast ornaments and necklaces, bracelets, and earrings in all the shiniest colors of the rainbow. In addition, the River goddess gave her clothes of the finest calf leather and rare silks.
Suddenly, they heard a loud splashing noise as if a rainstorm were approaching. “Quick, child, that is Kwena, the River god, he will eat you if he finds you here,” said the River goddess, and she pushed Selekana out of the door and up towards the surface. While she rose up, Selekana saw a glimpse of the River god: he was an enormous crocodile! Soon, lucky Selekana had her head above the surface of the water, and quickly she swam towards the shore. It was a miracle that the river let her go and did not drag her down!
When Selekana walked along the familiar path back to the village, she met her sister who looked at her with amazement, and when at last she recognized her, she exclaimed: “Why it is Selekana! Where have you been?” Selekana told her story, and soon the whole village talked of nothing else, they all came to visit Selekana and admire her new treasures.
Meanwhile, the leader of the girls thought that she had a right to own such riches, therefore she went to the river and plunged into the deep pool. She was received by the River goddess in the brightly lit jewel room and given a big meal. But when it came to washing the dishes, the haughty girl said: “Do you think I have nothing better to do? I am here to collect the same jewels that you gave Selekana. After all, I deserve them for I am the leader of the girls.”
The River goddess left and came back later, but the girl had not done any work, so she left again. After some time, a loud splashing noise was heard like a rainstorm approaching. You can guess who was coming, and you know that the haughty girl would not escape the big crocodile. She was never seen again in the village, and Selekana became the leader of the girls. Humility/Generosity is Strenght
“Selekena and the River God.” Knappert, Jan. Myths and Legends of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. Leiden: E. J. Brill, ©1985. pp. 79-83.
Used with the permission of Brill NV. http://www.brill.nl
The details for Motivation Mondays are below. Join in! The themes for March are:
03/02 – READ
03/09 – Patience
03/16 – Responsibility
03/23 – Health
03/30 – Strength
More Below!
“Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go.” Hermann Hesse
Motivation Mondays: STRENGTH – Sea Swell
Motivation Mondays: STRENGTH – Atlantic Ocean
Embracing The World: Rebuilding the Future in the Philippines: Classrooms and Hope for Students Who Want to Be Teachers
It doesn’t take a lot of strength to hang on. It takes a lot of strength to let go.
J. C. Watts
Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
Mahatma Gandhi
Which is stronger – Water or Fire? If you recall the Tsunami in Japan in 2011 and the devastating Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013, you already know that the Ocean is a powerful force to contend with. On a calm day, it looks steady and still like a Zen Master and like the Atlantic Ocean picture above. However, when the ocean is roiled, it can destroy everything in its path. Some people ask the question: Which is stronger – water or fire? Think about it. Unlike the other examples shared above, water flows freely and can seep through almost anything. Over time, it destroys steel and absorbs everything into its depth. Water even puts out fire. Water is powerful in many ways; we need it for sustenance, to grow food and to cleanse ourselves. Yet, in a moment’s notice, it can sweep away everything and wreak havoc on our lives; Water/energy is strength
Why is there strength in letting go? As the saying goes, still waters run deep. Why? When we take time to meditate and reflect on our inner core skills and instincts; when we dig deep within, we gradually come to the understanding that what is in us is greater than what is in front of us. Letting go and going with the flow is also a sign of great strength because it gives us an opportunity to step back and let the energy flow. When we let go of being in control, our instincts are sharpened and clarity descends on us. That clarity helps us make clearer and calmer decisions and it doesn’t mislead us. When we let go of fighting the tides of life, we can get carried back to safe ground; Letting go is strength.
Positive Motivation Tip: Begin by honoring the loving, caring strength that motivates you daily to get up and go. Then honor the same in others.
Motivation Mondays is open to anyone who wishes to share a motivational quote, photo, personal challenge or a post that encourages others to start the week on an upbeat note.
Basic Instructions: Each week, I will have a motivation word to help us create a response. (See listed words for end of November and all of December below)
Email address: You may email or share your post as a comment and I will add it to the round-up of related posts. email it to: contact(@)mirthandmotivation(.)com
Category tag: – Share your post using Motivation Mondays
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Dedicated Page: There is a dedicated page for Motivation Mondays. It has the same instructions and will include other helpful tools and a link to the round-up
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Badge: – I created a fun badge using PicMonkey’s free photo editing tools. You can create your own, use WordPress’ integrated tool on your blog or you are welcome to use mine. (see dedicated page)
Tag: – Motivation Mondays
Hashtag: – #MotvnM
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PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos: Sacred Lotus, Bamboo grass, Atlantic Ocean, Fire ants, via Wikipedia
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
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There are many forms of strength. Strength of family, strength of oneself, strength of community. They are all important. Great post.
When I think of strength I think of mental strength versus physical. Some people have so much on their plates to juggle.
You have some very deep thoughts here. I love having bamboo in my home. I actually have a lucky bamboo plant in my bathroom.
Same here!
I especially liked what you said about strength in letting go. Sometimes letting go makes us stronger. And the story of the bamboo plant and it’s strong roots reminds me that even though we can’t see the roots and when the bamboo plant is seemingly doing nothing, those roots are growing stronger and stronger.
I can’t begin to tell you how much I needed to read this today. Thank you so much for sharing it! Couldn’t agree more that there is definitely strength in letting go…
Sometimes I feel like I don’t have the strength needed for tasks but somehow I always manage. Thanks for sharing your motivation. The next time I need strength, I’ll meditate and dig deep until I find it.
This is beautiful motivation. I agree that we all need mentors, supporters and cheerleaders to keep us moving forward and to help us stay on course. Strength indeed comes in many forms.
Strength is something I really need to work on for myself. Letting go is another one I need to work on too.
We can derived strength from our peers, from our loved ones, and from our faith. We need strength to survive and do things our Creator wants us to.
Wow thanks for sharing. I never thought of a Lotus and how its in the murky waters but is so beautiful. Its amazing that it can revive itself & regulate temperature.
I’m currently dealing with fire ants in my own lawn and it’s the numbers that make them impossible. Alone they’re not nearly as scary.
That bamboo is a great shot for this post. Strength is a great word for the week
I really like your comparison of how ants have a sense of community and the benefits of it’s strength and how we could find a similair place.
Great post! Ants have always amazed me in what they could accomplish!
Ants are amazing. I would most certainly agree that they have strength. I think water is stronger, A mom has many strengths and Letting go is a very hard thing to do. This is such a great post. I love all of your posts.
I absolutely love this theme!
Wow! I had no idea about the lotus! I never knew all that!
I have always been fascinated while watching little ants. What I have noticed is that no matter what struggles they are faced with they never give up. I remember once I saw one crawling up a wall with a piece of food in its mouth that was so big the ant keep losing it. No matter what he kept returning to retrieve his meal and then would attempt to crawl up the wall over and over again. Such great motivation!
such a positive tip!
Beautiful! I liked the mother part.
I like that saying ‘unity is strength’. We were presented with a plaque at work for our great teamwork efforts that had this saying on it.
There are so many invisible examples of strength that I’ve seen all through my life. Appearances are deceiving, and it’s not until you really get to know a person that you realize just how strong they really are!
I couldn’t have worded it better. As always, thank you for the inspirational post!
Thank you! 🙂
Very good post. Working together makes us stronger.
Thank you for the motivation 🙂 Sometimes it’s hard and I see the beauty in everyday thanks to your posts.
So true, a mother’s love is as formidable as the strongest bamboo. Also, that’s a very lovely photo of the lotus. 🙂
It is… Thank you! 🙂
Wow great info. I had no idea bamboo was a form of grass, that is cool. Am I the only one who instantly got itchy at the sight of those fire ants? Eeee!
Those pictures are gorgeous! I am always in the need for a little more motivation on a Monday!
Thank you. Your feedback is appreciated!
amazing photos. i love how ants work together. they really are some of the best teamwork creatures out there.
You are so right about unity and strength, Nice post!
This is an inspiring post. It is so amazing to watch ants move food. They use teamwork to accomplish something that would be next to impossible for one ant to do.
What wonderful ways of showing strength. I love the ants and the bamboo! What a great post!
I really don’t know how you do this every week, it must takes hours. you are such a generous soul my dear, thank you!
Thank you Gilly! The sentiments are mutual. Did you get my email? Your book is on the way. Yippee!
So many wonderful examples of strength through images and quotes. That lotus is stunning. When I thing of strength, I think of mothers doing the day to day, conducting small everyday miracles.
True. A mother’s love is strength. TY! 🙂
Ants have always amazed. It is awesome that you were able to capture them in action.
I had no clue that bamboo was a form of grass. And, I have always been in awe in the strength of ants.
Same. It’s a fascinating observation.
Strength comes in so many forms and ways. It’s really amazing to see how diverse strength really is.
Indeed. Thank you! 🙂
This is exactly what I needed to read today, I need so much strength right now as we go through a health scare. I’m letting go of all the insignificant bickering and stresses, all I want now is serenity and peace.
Sending you and your loved ones prayers, blessings and healing light. Thanks for your willingness to share this.
Very powerful words. I never thought about all the strength it took me to carry my children.
My goodness – what a beautiful post and so enjoyed you sharing the videos – I agree life is a challenge – otherwise we’d be bored and strength is unity – Big hugs 🙂
Hugs and thanks too! 🙂
Great addition to your motivation Mondays. Great quotes and pictures. Love the bamboo!
I always love these posts. They make me feel so optimistic about the busy week ahead!
Thank you! Kristal, you put a smile on my face.
Thank you for this post!! It’s inspiring AND motivating!
I loved your positive motivation tip – so true!
These are inspirational pictures indeed. They show strength in many thingsand in numbers to me anyway. Thanks for sharing the beauty of life things.
Fantastic post. I love this.
So inspiring. Strength is not always what we envision it. I love your comments about letting go and finding the strength in that. Thank you!
truly inspiring…and I love all the photos! I learned something today about the bamboo.
Isnt it amazing how strong tiny ants are? I used to be strong. I have had bad things happen to me and have had to push through life after years of abuse. People think this makes me strong. What makes me strong is choosing get out of bed every day.
Amen to that!
This is a very motivational post! I need to work on letting go a little bit more and working with others… I tend to like doing everything myself.
I’ve not heard of the sacred lotus until today – it’s interesting what it symbolizes. Thought you’d like to know that the bamboo is very much attributed to the resiliency of the Filipino people because they say that like the bamboo, the Filipino spirit is indomitable that no struggle, challenge, or problem can weather this spirit.
That makes sense to me. People in the Philippines have survived a lot of dramatic changes over the years.
It can be in various of ways.. there is so much to the meaning of strength that is for sure. Love this kind of… reminders each time.
What a beautiful post. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on strength. I have been finding my strength in my adult years, and it often comes out of admitting my areas of weakness first. Thanks!
United we stand. Most people want the same things for themselves and their families, it’s a shame that the differences so often divide us instead of the shared desires uniting us.
So true! I love your thoughts on strength!
Great outlooks on life and ways to lead a positive life! I try to keep it positive too, though it does get tough at times. I find strength in my physical and mental capabilities knowing I am CAPABLE of making things happen. And of course I find strength in my family and friends.
Thank you for including that video of my home country, the Philippines. It’s heartbreaking to see what my country had gone through, but it is also heartwarming to see all those people who helped our country.
Ahhhhh strength!!!! Strength is so very important physically and mentally! Really enjoyed this post :):) such a great read!
The ant provides such a good analogy for so many things, doesn’t it? There are def. characteristics we could all do well to replicate.
I’ve always been amazed with fire ants, which best explain, strength in unity. They do it when they’re being attacked, when they gather food, and even during floods. As a colony, they gather as one and that they’d tend to float, more like a raft. It’s amazing. And, as simple as the ant stories usually sound, I think there are a lot of lessons that we can learn from them.
A mother’s love is certainly full of strength. I didn’t fully understand that until I had my own babies.
Exactly my sentiments…. and it grows with the years. <3
I was going to say how your “Love is Strength” quote reminded me of Harry Potter, where his mother’s love protected him till he’s of age. Then I see your “Letting go is strength”. It’s only then that I realized I had difficulty letting go of the past. I feel weak and small suddenly 🙁
Stop it Tiffany. You are one of the strongest people I know. I see you more like the Sacred Lotus; delicate yet tough and rising above the murk. 😉
I totally agree with this: “Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” One simply can’t work alone all the time.
Strength certainly gets us raring to go with the Monday morning blues! Such fantastic, well placed images as always. Ants are such interesting creatures – great analogy! Sim x
The strength of ants comes from their unity. Human can learn from this. Being a individual, I believe resilence that help a person overcome any obstacles.
A very well-put and motivating post. I really felt encouraged after reading and seeing how one can draw strength by just observing what nature has to offer.
Thank you so much… that was very beautifully said. 🙂
I liked the comparison about the lotus and the bamboo. Never knew that bamboo could grow so fast in such a short time!
The power of numbers can do amazing things and I’ve always been truly amazed by the strength and tenacity of the ant colonies.
Same here. I have great admiration for those very tiny insects. 🙂
Self discipline and unity are two important things that I feel are very important to be successful in life. Thanks for sharing the inspiring bamboo story Liz.
Really great post. It was neat to read your propestive with the ants never looked at it that way before.
There’s strength in unity. I always remember how a wire can be so brittle alone but practically unbreakable when coiled together with other wires.
Beautiful and true!
A beautiful read! When I saw the pictures of the ants, I was thinking that strength isn’t just about how strong a person is physically, but mentally. Then I had carried on reading and you have hit the nail on the head
I admired the cooperation and the strength ants have. They are all united—together they stand..divided they fall. But in every fall they help each other to stand up and be strong as always.
great message. i wish our government will start to unite and be strong esp those government officials. work together together with the whole nation
No man is an island, as my late father keeps reminding us. And true indeed, even on the dance floor , it takes two to Tango. That said, I believe having one by your side, just her mere presence gives you strength.
Lotus is really one of the most elegant flowers in the world. Your photo shows it in a different angle, so beautiful. For these plants like lotus and bamboo to symbolize strength and resiliency is so apt. I admire your courage to even go near fire ants to take their photo!- Fred
Team work is important. So powerful than single strength.
For me strength is the power to surmount the obstacles and endure the hardships without giving up. Be like a willow-bend but do not break. Nothing can break me down. I’ve gone through so much and I am ready to go through the next challenge in life. I am stronger now.
Thanks for the great motivation pep talk. I needed this.
i had seen that video before in class. awesome post. your posts always inspire me. keep writing.
Beautifully written, enlightening and empowering! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
You always have some deep thoughts. Great motivation.