Soft & Strong
Hi! I’m Hannah.
I founded Piccadilly Creative because I believe in the brilliance of women & I want to see their voices elevated and stories told… loud & clear.
Empath… Highly sensitive… Feeler… whatever you want to call it…
I’m usually the one with tears in her eyes. I wear my heart on my sleeve… and sometimes (when I’m crying) I blow my nose on said sleeve. It’s not pretty…trust me.
I spent years feeling like this “softness” was a weakness in my life. Why couldn’t I brush things off as quickly as others could? Why did I have a tendency to feel what others around me were experiencing? Why could I never, ever watch an ASPCA ad or listen to Sarah MacLachlan sing? 🙄
Does that resonate with you at all? Have you ever been told you’re too soft?
If so, I’m sorry. Your tender heart and sensitivity to others is a gift. It’s taken me time, but I’m now convinced of it.
Our world tends to champion toughness, grit and grind. We glorify the unbending and unemotional. We stuff down our emotions and perpetuate unhealthy cycles in the name of being “strong”.
Here’s the thing….I’m not talking about whining, laziness or a lack of self-discipline. Those qualities don’t serve anyone. I’m talking about compassion, empathy and sensitivity to the situations of others. A chosen tenderness in the face of difficulty. A commitment to remain open when life makes you want to put up walls. That’s the softness that breeds strength.
We all have a choice when faced with difficulties.
When tough says, “Suck it up”, soft says, “It’s ok to process and move through your feelings.”
When tough says, “Don’t let them see you cry”, soft says, “It’s ok to grieve.”
When tough says, “I was betrayed. I’ll never let my guard down again.”, soft says “I believe that the reward of vulnerability is greater than its cost”
When tough says “You hurt me, I’ll never trust you again.”, soft says, “I choose to forgive you and allow space for trust to grow again.”
Softness is not weakness. Choosing to stay soft in a world determined to harden you is a defiant act. Toughness is often mere bravado. Loud and rigid, all the while hoping no one notices the cracks forming.
The thing is, rigid and unbending things are much more breakable. It’s just a fact of life. That which does not bend will eventually break.
Softness on the other hand allows for ebb and flow. It has the ability to bend and mold rather than break.
What I’ve learned over the years is that same softness that makes you tear up at seemingly inopportune times is also the same softness that can allow you to read a room. The same sensitivity that felt like a handicap as a child can be your superpower in the boardroom. It can help you understand what people are truly saying, help you negotiate the deal, communicate better, create more authentically… the list goes on.
Your softness is a courageous act. It’s your strength on display. Your softness can be your superpower.
What might happen if you stopped telling yourself to be tough and started allowing yourself to be soft?
Cheering you on always friend.
XO, Hannah