Tenacity at its Finest

Tenacious. Sometimes I prefer that word to "stubborn" even though they can be synonymous. Tenacious just has a different kind of ring to it. And even though its very much like stubbornness, for some reason, tenacity has always had a different feel to me. I visualize a bulldog who has latched on to something. With his jaw locked in place and his teeth sunk into the object (whether it be a bone or someone's arm), he refuses to let go. Rather than simple stubbornness, there is endurance involved. Resolve. Stamina. 

I've been called stubborn more than once in my lifetime. Actually, it's happened an embarrassingly high number of times. And rightly so. I am admittedly a very stubborn individual. Once I've made up my mind, it's quite difficult getting me to change directions. But synonyms for stubborn include things like "pig-headed" or "difficult." I prefer to think of myself as tenacious - "steadfast" and "resolute." 

It's all semantics, really. Generally, when someone calls me stubborn (at least since I've been an adult), it has been meant as a compliment. Or, at the very least, not an insult. (Did you know the American Sign Language sign for "stubborn" is similar to the sign for "donkey"? A rather humorous tidbit there.) I feel very strongly about certain things, and while I'm willing to compromise on many occasions, rarely is my mind actually changed. Stubborn? Tenacious? Either way, I stand firm. 

One could view this as a very negative trait. And to be honest, there have been times where I've beaten myself up for being as stubborn as I am. But if I look back over my life, I can see clearly the circumstances in which my stubbornness - or tenacity - played a vital role in my survival. Had I not been so stubborn, I would have been broken. More than once. Had I not clung so tightly to what I knew was right, I would have compromised my very being, which would have left me with a fading identity. Had I not remained steadfast in my beliefs, I would have slid down more than one slippery slope towards an untimely demise. 

Call me tenacious. Call me stubborn. Call me pig-headed if you like. I won't take offense. I refuse to. Because my strong-willed nature is a part of who I am and a part of who God has made me to be. I've learned to temper my determination with softness of word and respectful actions. But my core remains like that of a bulldog. Or a donkey. And I've leaned that isn't bad. It's simply...me.

I love hearing from you! Feel free to leave a comment. Do you tend to be stubborn?