Last week, in the final group session of my goup counseling class, the group closed with having each person tell each person what they saw as their strengths. I was surprised what they said my strengths were, because I either didn't think I had those qualities or I didn't think they were strengths. Here are some of the things they said:

One person said that I was resilient. I never thought of myself as resilient because I take life really hard and feel beaten up by it all the time, and the stuff that gets to me isn't always even very big. They also said that I was willing to deal with my problems (and also to be open about my problems). I don't hide much from that group (although I don't really want them to know how much is still current), and I think I was more open than some were.

They keep saying that I'm a "walking dictionary." I haven't been sure how to take that, and hoped that it didn't mean I was too much of a know-it-all. I really have been working on not correcting people though (that's been an issue for me, as well as being a know-it-all - one professor kept awarding points to Griffindor every time i answered a question, like I must have come across like Hermione Granger). They explained that they meant that in a good way, that they thought I was well-read and had broad interests, and knew something about almost everything. They use me as a resource, and ask me questions when they don't understand something or don't know how to do something.

Another comment was that I'm not afraid to be different, and to wear colors that stand out. But sometimes I wear a lot of brown and tan, and sometimes I feel like being invisible and dress that way, but not always I guess. I really just wear what I'm comfortable in. Usually that's a little different because I hardly ever wear t-shirts (I get too cold), and I think dresses are more comfortable than jeans, especially if I'm driving a lot. And the socks that I make are all quite loud. Right now I have long socks on that are black, red, yellow, medium green, purple, light green, blue, and dark green striped. They are warm, and nobody else has anything like them.

The other one I can remember was connection with my past and heritage, and my Scandinavian culture. Sometimes I question that too, because sometimes it seems like it's not good to be too European-American, but I am proud of my heritage. I guess that just about anything could be a strength or a liability, depending on how you look at it and what you do with it.