STRENGTH™ in Motion (SiM 10-05-2026)
One pillar, One practice, and One week in motion
October 5th - October 11th
Welcome to our 10/05/2026 edition of STRENGTH™ in Motion, a weekly space where we will explore one STRENGTH™ pillar, one STRENGTH™ practice, share what is happening behind the scenes, & invite you into upcoming opportunities
One STRENGTH Pillar
Examine: Reflect honestly so you can grow intentionally
Examine is the practice of looking inward with honesty, curiosity, and intention. It invites us to pause and take a closer look at our thoughts, choices, habits, relationships, and experiences. Examining ourselves is not about criticism or judgment. It is about becoming more aware of what is working, what may need to change, and what our experiences are teaching us.
This pillar invites us to reflect on the patterns we have created in our lives. Sometimes we move so quickly from one responsibility, challenge, or accomplishment to the next that we do not give ourselves time to process what happened or how it affected us. When we make space to examine our experiences, we can recognize patterns, celebrate progress, identify areas for growth, and make more intentional choices moving forward.
To live with examination is to be willing to ask ourselves meaningful questions and remain open to the answers. We can examine what we are carrying, what we are avoiding, what we have learned, and what no longer serves us. Honest reflection gives us an opportunity to adjust without shame, grow from our experiences, and move forward with greater clarity and purpose.
Examine reminds us that reflection is not about dwelling on the past, it is about using what we discover to shape how we move forward. When we understand ourselves more deeply, we are better equipped to make choices that align with who we are becoming.
"Awareness opens the door to wisdom"
Stephanie Toney
Take a moment to examine where you are right now, not where you expected to be, but where you actually are. Explore your current season through three areas:
Patterns: What thoughts, habits, or situations seems to keep showing up in your life?
Progress: Where have you grown in ways you may not have stopped to recognize?
Alignment: What feels aligned with the person you are becoming, and what may need to shift?
Choose one area that stands out to you and explore it with curiosity rather than judgement. What is it reveling to you
Choose one insight to act on this week
Examination becomes meaningful when what we notice begins to inform what we do. You do not have to change everything at once. Choose one insight from your reflection and decide what it is asking of you.
Maybe it is time to repeat something that is working, approach something differently, have a conversation you have been avoiding, or release a habit that no longer fits where you are headed.
Let your next step come from what you have learned about yourself, not from pressure to have everything figured out.
"Awareness gives us the clarity to notice what deserves our attention"
Stephanie Toney
Behind the STRENGTH™
Examine looks like creating intentional space to reflect on experiences, decisions, and patterns before moving forward. Examination provides an opportunity to slow down long enough to notice what an experience revealed, what worked well, and what may need to shift.
Reflection can happen through several areas: patterns, progress, choices, and lessons learned. Examining patterns helps identify what continues to show up. Recognizing progress makes space to acknowledge growth that can easily go unnoticed. Looking at choices creates an opportunity to consider whether actions are aligned with values and intentions.
Examine is also about taking what is discovered through reflection and putting it to use. A lesson may lead to a different decision, a stronger boundary, a continued practice, or simply greater awareness moving forward.
Growth does not require having every answer. Sometimes it begins with being willing to look closely, acknowledge what is there, and allow that awareness to inform what comes next.
“What we are willing to notice can become an invitation to live more intentionally”
Stephanie Toney
One Week Ago & In Upcoming Weeks
Sabbatical STRENGTH™ is a 28-day devotional created to help you surrender, rest, reflect, grow stronger, and return renewed.
Whether you are preparing for a sabbatical, recovering from a demanding season, or simply recognizing that you need more room to breathe, this journey is an invitation to make space for God and for renewal.
Join us for the journey every Friday for weekly reading
Get your digital copy and request your physical copy, TODAY
https://bit.ly/Sabbatical-Strength
Prefer to simply read the devotional at your own pace? You can.
Sabbatical STRENGTH™ was designed to stand on its own as a 28 day journey of Scripture, reflection, prayer and practical application. The weekly live readings and recordings are optional resources you can enjoy whenever you want a little extra encouragement, reflection or connection.
"Examine invites me to notice what a place is teaching me while I am still in it" Stephanie Toney
My time in Culpeper gave me space to look around, slow down, and pay attention to the details I might normally pass by.
The LOVE sign, the welcome into town, and the view of the mountains each became part of the reflection.
These photos remind me that examination can happen in ordinary moments. When I pause long enough to notice what I am seeing, feeling, and experiencing, I often discover something about what matters to me, what is restoring me, and what I want to carry forward.
Happening in the Community
We are so excited to share how CHW cooperatives can create opportunities for ownership and sustainable funding!
Join us at APHA 2026 on Monday, November 2, from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. CST at the Henry B. González Convention Center, Room 304A.
Add our session to your calendar: https://www.chwstrength.com/blogs
Let’s explore what becomes possible when CHWs help own and shape the future of our work!
Text Valerie at 804-878-8061 with "YES" if you can attend on Saturday 10/10/2026 at 3pm EST
Join us on 10/21/2026 as NACHW's Workforce Development Committee (WDC) offers a FREE and engaging learning series
Join the 2026 Public Health Learning Forum, hosted by the Public Health Foundation, November 16–19, 2026! This FREE virtual event brings public health professionals together to share ideas, build connections, and explore practical strategies to strengthen the public health workforce.
Email Us
If you would like us to consider featuring something in an upcoming edition of our Strength in Motion (SiM), email us at info@chwstrength.com
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