Celebrating Weakness

Sometimes I don't want to be strong

Pomy Hailu

Updated 10:30 am EST, December 12, 2024

Published 01:15 am EST, December 12, 2024

Featuring Miss World Paraguay Yanina Gómez

Producer: Romina Bogado
Photography: Flávio Iryoda

Culture

Celebrating Weakness

Sometimes I don't want to be strong

Pomy Hailu

Updated 10:30 am EST, December 12, 2024

Published 01:15 am EST, December 12, 2024

Featuring Miss World Paraguay Yanina Gómez

Producer: Romina Bogado
Photography: Flávio Iryoda

Strength. It’s a word that’s meant to uplift, to inspire, but sometimes it feels like a weight I’m expected to carry. I’ve been called “strong” so many times that it almost feels like a sentence, as if the only way to be valued is to never falter, never break. We live in a world that glorifies resilience and hardship, where being “strong” is a badge of honor. But what if I don’t want that badge? What if I want to be celebrated, not for my strength, but for my weakness?

There’s a quiet freedom in admitting, “I am not always strong.” Sometimes, I long to put down my armor and embrace vulnerability, to let weakness be seen not as failure but as a part of who I am. Because in a world obsessed with strength, maybe the bravest thing we can do is celebrate the parts of ourselves that are tender, fragile, and wholly, unapologetically human.

Celebrating Weakness: I Don’t Want to be Strong, featuring Miss World Paraguay Yanina Gómez

Compliments often carry unspoken expectations. When people constantly call me “strong,” it feels as if they’re expecting me to maintain that facade indefinitely. As I embrace this “strong” persona, I set ever-higher standards for myself, and admitting to weakness becomes almost impossible. It’s like those kids who are always at the top of their class; they’re expected to excel, and when they don’t, the pressure is crushing. I wonder if I, too, am trapped by my own strength.

This obsession with strength sends a message: only those who’ve been through hell are worthy of admiration. But true strength should be about going through life’s ups and downs without letting them force us into a fortress of self-protection. It shouldn’t be about accumulating scars and traumas; it should allow room for vulnerability.

Celebrating Weakness: I Don’t Want to be Strong, featuring Miss World Paraguay Yanina Gómez

People often see strength as a quality worth admiring, but they don’t always recognize the toll it takes on those of us who live up to that label. Constantly appearing strong can feel like walking a tightrope, always striving to meet others’ expectations while hiding our vulnerabilities. Over time, this pressure can lead to burnout, emotional exhaustion, and a loss of identity. It becomes a prison that prevents us from expressing how we feel, because we’re afraid of letting down those who see us as “the strong one.”

I am not always strong. Sometimes, I am weak, and that’s a part of me that deserves to be celebrated, too. Because in my weakness, I am real; I am human, and that is something beautiful.

And that’s why I want the freedom to feel weak, to lower my guard without fear of judgment. Celebrating weakness lets us redefine what it means to be “enough” without the pressure to perform strength for others. Instead of idealizing strength, why don’t we question it? If being strong means enduring endless challenges, is that really something to glorify? Perhaps true freedom lies in embracing ease and joy without feeling the need to “prove” ourselves through suffering. Celebrating weakness might mean acknowledging that life isn’t meant to be a battle at every turn.

So, how do we celebrate weakness? Embracing vulnerability starts with a simple act of honesty, allowing ourselves to acknowledge and feel our emotions fully, without judgment. Setting boundaries is also essential; saying no when overwhelmed is one way to care for ourselves, even if it challenges others’ expectations.

Practicing self-compassion means offering ourselves the same kindness we’d give a friend, reminding ourselves that it’s okay to fail. Redefining strength by talking openly about vulnerability can help, showing others that real strength is about authenticity, not an unbreakable front. Finally, finding moments to celebrate ease and joy without feeling the need to prove ourselves through hardship allows us to experience life beyond constant struggle. Embracing these small, simple acts can help us reclaim vulnerability as a valuable part of who we are.

Celebrating Weakness: I Don’t Want to be Strong, featuring Miss World Paraguay Yanina Gómez

When we celebrate weakness, we recognize that struggle isn’t the only path to growth. We learn to honor gentleness, acceptance, and self-care as equally valuable. Strength doesn’t have to be about piling on scars; sometimes, it’s about saying no to more battles.

Here’s the truth: I am not always strong. Sometimes, I am weak, and that’s a part of me that deserves to be celebrated, too. Because in my weakness, I am real, I am human, and that is something beautiful.

Pomy Hailu

Editor, Culture | Instagram

A tireless seeker of knowledge, an ambivert, a feminist, and, coincidentally, a writer. She is a psychology graduate pursuing her writing passion by working as a communication manager in Ethiopia. Writing is a wall she built around herself to hide her other personalities, and words. When not writing, Pomy loves to sit alone and wander in her imaginative mind.

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