Definition

Noun: 1. An internal source of strength, resilience, or capability: An "inner resource" refers to a personal, psychological, or spiritual asset that originates from within an individual. It is a capacity of the mind or character that one can draw upon to cope with challenges, find comfort, or sustain oneself emotionally and mentally without relying solely on external factors.

Examples of Usage

• She relied on her inner resources of optimism and patience to get through the difficult recovery period.
• Meditation helped him develop strong inner resources to manage daily stress.
• The book discusses how creativity can be a powerful inner resource.
• To have an inner resource against loneliness means to possess an internal strength or activity (like imagination, faith, or self-contentment) that provides companionship or solace.

Advanced Usage

• "To draw on one's inner resources": To actively utilize one's internal strengths or capabilities to deal with a situation.
  • During the crisis, she had to draw on her deepest inner resources to remain calm and lead effectively.

Variants and Related Words

• Resourcefulness (n): The ability to find quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties. While related, "resourcefulness" is the quality of being adept at solving problems, whereas an "inner resource" is a specific internal asset one possesses.
• Internal strength (n phrase): A very close synonym, emphasizing the power and origin of the quality.
• Resilience (n): The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. This is a common type of inner resource.

Synonyms

• Fortitude
• Inner strength
• Self-reliance
• Reserves (e.g., emotional reserves)
• Internal asset

Related Phrases

• Well of strength: A metaphorical phrase suggesting a deep, replenishing inner resource.
  • Her faith was a deep well of strength.
• Inner compass: A metaphorical phrase for an inner resource that provides moral or directional guidance.
  • His strong values acted as an inner compass.

Related Idioms

• To have something to fall back on: While this idiom can refer to external things (like money), it can also describe a reliable inner resource.
  • When her friends were busy, her love of painting was something to fall back on.

Noun

1. a resource provided by the mind or one's personal capabilities
   • to have an inner resource against loneliness