{"id":4907,"date":"2025-09-09T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ontdekjeheiligegraal.com\/what-is-your-strength\/"},"modified":"2026-06-12T14:59:22","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T12:59:22","slug":"what-is-your-strength","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ontdekjeheiligegraal.com\/en\/what-is-your-strength\/","title":{"rendered":"What is your strength?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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In the interviews I\u2019ve given over the past few years, I\u2019m often asked if I\u2019m grateful<\/strong> for what I\u2019ve been through. My answer is always the same: no. I\u2019m not grateful for the lack of safety at home. Not for the sexual abuse. Not for the rape. Nor am I grateful for the toxic relationship I was in, or the bullying and exclusion I endured day in and day out for years. I am genuinely not grateful for any of it. In fact, in my view, gratitude for trauma and pain can be a defense mechanism. By being grateful for the pain you\u2019ve experienced, you can cover the sharp edges with a layer of light and love<\/em>. It can be a \u201cspiritual bypass.\u201d<\/span> <\/p>\n

GRATEFUL FOR THE LESSONS<\/h5>\n

So I\u2019m not grateful<\/strong> for my painful experiences. However, I am very grateful for what this has strengthened and revealed within me: my strength<\/strong>. I have discovered that I have been able to free myself from the victim mentality, so that I am no longer weighed down by the consequences of the sexual abuse. I have learned to set boundaries, which prevents me from getting into toxic relationships or perpetuating unhealthy patterns. I have learned to rise above gossip and exclusion and to treat the people who engage in this behavior with kindness, but also with respect for myself. I can handle setbacks and even prolonged discomfort because I have resilience and allow my feelings (even the unpleasant ones) to be present in the moment. <\/p>\n

SMALL VICTORIES<\/h5>\n

So, through my traumas<\/a>, I\u2019ve discovered <\/strong>my strength <\/strong>. And the great thing is: you can too! By taking the time to reflect on your fears, pain, beliefs, and traumas, and working through them\u2014 together with people who are further along in their journey than you are<\/a>. This way, you can discover your strength step by step. How? <\/p>\n