As I’ve aged—and especially now, in what I refer to as the autumn of my life—I’ve noticed changes in my physical strength. Muscles tire more quickly, daily tasks require more energy, and my body no longer responds quite the way it once did.
Caregiving, of course, magnifies these shifts. It asks more of us—physically and emotionally—than we often imagined possible.
But there’s another kind of strength I’ve come to recognize. It’s quieter, less visible, and perhaps even more vital. It’s a strength I needed during my caregiving years but didn’t yet have a name for.
I call it emotional endurance.
This kind of strength doesn’t roar. It doesn’t rush. It doesn’t lift heavy things or move quickly. It stays. It breathes. It gets up again and again and again.
Three Centers of Wisdom
Science shows us that we process life through three interconnected centers of intelligence. Each offers a different kind of wisdom—and when they work together, they support our capacity to stay grounded, connected, and whole.
🧠 Head – The Thinking Brain
Our head analyzes, plans, and makes meaning of what happens to us. It helps us endure by reframing challenges, finding perspective, and guiding decisions. Researchers have found that the thinking part of our brain plays a key role in regulating emotion and solving problems under stress.
❤️ Heart – The Feeling Brain
Our heart feels deeply. It connects us to others, carries grief and love, and sustains compassion. The heart has its own network of neurons that communicate directly with the brain, influencing how we process stress and how we stay emotionally connected. And emotional connection, we know, is essential to endurance.
🧭 Gut – The Intuitive Brain
Our gut senses safety and danger. It guides our next step when logic falls short and gives us courage when we face uncertainty. The gut’s nervous system—with over one hundred million neurons—sends powerful messages to the brain, shaping our intuition and emotional responses.
When our thoughts, feelings, and inner knowing are allowed to inform one another with compassion, we gain access to a deeper steadiness. A quiet resilience. A kind of strength that doesn’t require us to be “strong” in the traditional sense, but helps us stay present and rooted, even in difficulty.
A Few Questions for Reflection
- When you look back on a difficult time, what helped you through it?
- What gave you the stamina to keep going?
- Can you sense the different ways your head, heart, and gut supported you?
- Have you leaned on one more than the others?
Join Us in the September Journaling Circle
This month, with a new season on the horizon and the light beginning to soften, we’ll explore the idea of emotional endurance—how we build it, how we sustain it, and how it carries us through life’s changing seasons.
Bring your reflections, your questions, and your heart. We’ll hold space for one another as we continue learning how to be strong… in the softest, most enduring ways.
From my heart to yours,
Cindy