The other night when I was talking to a friend on the phone I shared my frustrations about a big problem I was facing with the redesign of my TCP web site. After listening to me he offered no solution but only said this, “You’ll solve the problem. You’re stubborn.”

Stubborn! Who – me?  I wanted to deny it but suddenly I wasn’t so sure about that. Seems there may be value in this often-frowned-upon character trait.

You may be thinking that no matter how I put it you’re not going to claim stubbornness as a characteristic of yours. But what if I called it “determination” or “perseverance” or even what Sabrina called it in a post at Sandi’s recently; being a rebel?

It’s all in the words we choose. The other day on a Hangout we were talking about the personality trait of “fickleness”. No one wanted to claim that one either until we came to recognize that it’s not that black and white. There are positive connotations of being, say “changeable” or even better; “dynamic”. No one wants to be viewed as  “fickle” but we’d all readily accept the label of “dynamic”.

I decided to own that “stubbornness” is part of my character. Stubbornness will ensure I overcome any problem I encounter. I will find a way, I will always be alright. You can paint a gloomy picture of life, but I don’t have to accept it. You can try to discourage me about my mammoth dreams, but your words will fall on deaf ears. You can even give up on yourself but I won’t. I’m stubborn.

I don’t know how a person comes to be stubborn. Is one born this way? I don’t care – I’ll take “stubborn” nonetheless and be grateful that it is a part of who I am. There is power in this word!

Are you stubborn? Has it served you to be stubborn in the past? Would you choose a different word to describe yourself?

It does not escape my notice that this is my 200th article – and it’s about stubbornness. What a coincidence!

Photo credit: Denise Chan