“Courage…don’t you dare fail me now.”
~ Celine Dion

Would you call yourself brave?

We can easily recognize that trait in our favorite heroes and heroines in the movies, and even in those around us, but for some reason, it’s harder to see it in ourselves. This is probably because others’ actions are plainly visible to us, but we aren’t privy to all the deliberations that go on in their heads. That makes it easy to assume they’re braver than us.

Thankfully, many of us have people who encourage us, but in the end, the best they can do is inspire us to take the necessary next steps in our lives.

We are the ones who have to actually do it.

This Psychology Today article defines six different types of courage and provides some exercises you can do to call upon more courage for yourself.

“There are times in our life that we over-identify with that part of us that is really scared,” says the author of this beautiful blog on life lessons From The Wizard of Oz. We see ourselves like the Cowardly Lion, hiding out and shaking at every twist and turn in the road.

As Dorothy and her friends learn at the end of the movie, while we often look to others for guidance, we all have a brain (intelligence), a heart (compassion), and courage inside of us. We do so many things without realizing or acknowledging how intrepid we are, forgetting that:

It takes courage to give a big presentation in front of a crowd.

It takes courage to start a new blog, a new book, or a new business.

It takes courage to pack up and move to a new home, a new town, or a new country.

It takes courage to take a solo trip across country or to a foreign land.

It takes courage to send your little one off to kindergarten, or your almost-grown one off to college.

It takes courage to face a difficult diagnosis, and decide to live every day to the fullest.

It takes courage to sit by a parent’s side as they are dying, not knowing which day or which hour will be their last.

It takes courage to reveal that you’re struggling with your mood.

It takes courage to admit you are wrong, or that you need help.

It takes courage to set a boundary with someone who is pressuring you.

It takes courage to leave a relationship that is not working, knowing it will cause pain to someone else.

It takes courage to leave a group even when you know it’s time.

It takes courage to reveal painful life experiences in the interest of standing up for and supporting others.

It takes courage to open your heart up to love, especially after experiencing heartbreak.

And lately, sometimes it takes courage just to leave the house and venture out into the world, knowing the health risk.

In a recent post we talked about change, and how it feels when you just know it’s time to move forward. That internal nudge that says “you can do this” is courage, although we usually only see that in retrospect.

I’ve seen so many of you take brave steps of late. You are “feeling your fear and doing it anyway,” as Susan Jeffers advises in her classic self-empowerment book.

Just as we often see others as fearless, they see us as courageous, too, and are equally inspired by us.

Take some time to acknowledge and honor your internal strength.

Affectionately,

Elaine