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The Myth of the “Strong” Person

In managing our relationship with ourselves and our relationships with other people, it is important to recognize what character traits, emotions, and behaviors hurt us more than they help. What we see in ourselves and others has a strong impact on how we view both ourselves and others. The idea of the “strong” person can be problematic in this context because there is often inaccuracy in how we label “strength” which can then impact the qualities that we admire in ourselves and others. Common traits identified as “strong” are grandiosity, contempt, rigidity, stubbornness, aggressiveness, and the desire to control others. These traits are often confused with “strength” because of their association with “power.”