As I sit with a warm cup of coffee this Sunday morning, looking back on the past week, one word rises to the surface: grateful.
Not because the week was easy. But because it was full. Full of reflection, full of connection, and most importantly, full of action.
This was Week 1 of our Power of Self series, and if there’s one truth I’ve come back to again and again, it’s this:
Real strength doesn’t always roar. Sometimes, it whispers, “I’m still here.”
That quote stayed with me all week, because I’ve lived it. And this week, I saw it lived out in so many ways—in the lives of our students, in conversations with our team, and in quiet moments of my own.
Let me walk you through what we explored and built together.
We began with belief.
The mindset for Week 1 was simple, but powerful: “I’ve Got the Power of SELF.”
We declared that strength isn’t something we wait for. It’s something we already have, something we train, something we choose to activate.
And we broke it down into four powerful tools:
- Self-Control – the ability to pause, breathe, and respond instead of react.
- Self-Discipline – doing what’s right, even when it’s hard.
- Self-Respect – honoring your own worth and carrying yourself accordingly.
- Self-Awareness – being honest about where you are and choosing to grow.
These are not just ideas. They are life skills. They are the foundation of character. And this week, we didn’t just talk about them. We lived them.
Monday was about pausing before reacting—learning the strength of self-control in a world that pushes us to move fast and react even faster.
Tuesday brought us into self-discipline. I shared how discipline saved my life—from the dance studio to the stage to the mat. Discipline isn’t loud. It’s consistent.
Wednesday took us into a deeper place: self-respect. I opened up about a time in my life when I couldn’t even look in the mirror—and how self-respect began when I chose to break the cycle that took hold of my family, including my mother, who lived with covered mirrors until the day she died. That will not be my fate. And I hope it won’t be yours, either.
Thursday highlighted self-awareness, the foundation beneath it all. To know yourself, to acknowledge your emotions, to catch your habits in the moment—that’s where change begins. Awareness is the light we turn on before we take the next step.
Friday was about integrating these values—realizing that strength isn’t a one-time thing, but a practice. Strength from the inside out. The kind you live, breathe, and build.
And Saturday? Saturday wasn’t about slowing down. It was a day to put it all together. From early morning walks to training on the mat, to mentoring students, to meaningful conversations over coffee with leaders and friends—it was about showing up fully. In service. In presence. In joy.
Today, on this quiet Sunday, I’m not closing the book on Week 1.
Because this kind of work never really ends.
What we started this week—it continues. In you. In your family. In our community. In the choices we make when no one’s watching.
So my encouragement to you is this:
Don’t let this be a week you just read about. Let it be the week something shifted. Let it be the week you decided to live from the inside out.
Because you do have the Power of Self. You can build strength that lasts.
And together, we can keep Living Strong.
See you next week,
—Peter
