"Your softness is your strength"

I am an introvert, rather soft-spoken. Not shy and not a pushover, just quieter. I love my friends and family, but I have a great need for alone time, to think and reflect and process. I'd rather read a book than go to a party; I'd rather have a good heart-to-heart with one good friend than make small talk at a party, a particularly exhausting task.

Because of this, I have often felt overwhelmed by people who are loud and aggressive and opinionated. At times, I've felt completely steamrolled by these personalities.

Just to keep my head above water around them, I've felt I should push myself to be more out there, stronger, more aggressive, louder, more vocal in expressing my opinions . . . just more something . . .

But, not too long ago, someone told me, "your softness is your strength."

It was something of a watershed moment, and I have thought of it often since.

It's a relief to know I don't have to "compete" with stronger personalities. That they aren't going to swallow me up. That there is a dignity and strength in quietness and rest.

A quiet answer, a listening ear, a well-considered, thoughtful opinion is just as important, maybe more important, than the loud, attention-grabbing headlines that make the news.

It doesn't mean I'm a doormat.

And knowing this has helped me to better quietly, and without the drama I've felt I needed to "compete," express an unpopular opinion or belief, without apology.

Softness is strength, too.