Recently I used some of my birthday gift money to buy myself a couple more bracelets to add to my wrist. (I was going to write “to add to my collection,” but that doesn’t feel right. These bracelets don’t just sit on display, like the glass hearts I have in my writing room. These bracelets are worn on my right wrist every day.) 

I have written about these bracelets before, two years ago, when one of my closest friends gave me my first four bracelets. (In case you missed it, or just want a reminder, click here to read “The Power of Little Words,” written in May 2024.)

This week, I’d like to share with you one of the bracelets I bought from the Little Words Project. (I also bought myself one custom bracelet, which I’ll write about another time.)

The bracelet reads: STRONG AF.

Now, I don’t curse a whole lot. I think it’s because I’ve always either worked with kids or the public and cursing on the job was never an option. As a result, the “F word” doesn’t leave my lips very often.

So, why did I buy myself a bracelet that means, “Strong As F*ck”? 

For a couple of reasons. 

First, my mom’s initials are AF. Wearing this bracelet is a tribute to her, and a way of carrying our love with me all the time. 

Secondly, my mom is a strong woman. Even when she doesn’t think so. Even when she’s frustrated that her 81-year-old body doesn’t always move or feel the way it used to. (Though, her hair is still brown and no one believes my mom is her age. People always guess younger.)

I understand those feelings of frustration. I deal with them all the time. Sometimes I move beyond frustration, and I go down that slippery path of feeling weak and/or incompetent. 

Because the reality is, my body isn’t always reliable. I can’t always depend on it to behave the way I want it to, to be able to do the things I want to do. And that makes me sad. And scared. And worried about the future. 

My mom is dealing with these feelings now, in her early 80s. 

What will it be like for me by the time I’m that age? I turned 50 this year. (I’m still not used to writing that/saying that/knowing that.) I have a handicap placard in my car’s glove compartment and a wheelchair in our downstairs closet. And if I need these things now (and the truth is, I started using these things in my late 30s), I’m scared of what my body will be like by the time I’m in my senior years, when things are expected to slow down and function differently.

That’s where “Strong As F*ck” comes in. 

Because I am continuing to learn that strength takes many forms. It’s a lesson I’ve been working on for many years, in fact. But sometimes students need reminders. 

Strong AF is my reminder. 

What’s yours? I’d love to know. Do you have a word, a phrase, a mantra that helps you when you’re feeling down, when your body refuses to cooperate, when your mind plays tricks on you? If you feel comfortable, please share in the comments.