- John Wayne
"It takes courage to grow up and to become who you really are"
- E. E. Cummings
What is Courage?
What does it mean to be courageous.... in your opinion?
I think a lot of us think of a courageous person as someone that will run into a burning building to save someone...or maybe save someone from drowning, by risking their own life.
Maybe skydiving or bungee jumping is being courageous, to you?
Yes.....these are very courageous acts and I also believe a lot of people are being courageous every day by taking small actions in their own lives.
So what exactly is courage?
It is an internal muscle that we are all equipped with and that we can use at any time of the day and any day.
Since it is a muscle you can make it stronger by using it more often. It is very much like a bicep muscle....The more you use it the stronger it gets.
Unfortunately a lot of us have stopped using this particular muscle. The muscle has gotten flabby.
Think back to when you were younger, you probably didn´t mind trying some new things...right?
Well, a lot of times trying new things is the only way to learn.
As a kid we tried all kings of things and we were not scared of trying.
And if it didn´t work with tried something different.
But I believe as we got older we have gone through a lot of things in our lives that didn´t work out and we become afraid to try new things.
Sometimes it is because we don´t want to look stupid and we don´t want to feel like failures.
Or maybe we got hurt while trying something and we don´t ever want to experience that kind of pain ever again.
We stop taking risks.
We stop getting out of our comfort zones to expand our views.... and eventually it will lead us to feeling stuck and unfulfilled in our lives.
The more you get out of your comfort zone and dare to be courageous the more alive you will feel.
It doesn´t have to be big acts of courage. You can start small and work your way up.
The important thing is that you start using your courage muscle more often.
Like any muscle...it will increase with usage.
Being courageous doesn´t mean that you are not feeling scared. No... it means that you are feeling scared but you will do it anyway.... despite feeling fear.
Being courageous doesn´t mean that you have to rescue someone from a burning building, or rescue someone from drowning....... before you can become a courageous person.
It can be things like.....
Courage to tell someone that you love them....for the first time
Courage to pursue a new hobby or interest
Courage to start a new career that you believe in ....even if you feel like no none will support you
Courage to follow your dreams
Courage to leave a relationship that you have outgrown
Courage to move to a new city or country
Courage to leave your old job for a new one
Courage to start speaking up for yourself and to set boundaries
Courage to start asking for what you want in a relationship
Courage to start dating after being single for many years
Courage to ask for help
Courage to walk away from a toxic relationship
Courage to hire a mentor or a coach, because you know that you can´t do it alone
Courage to start saying no to others when you have always been a yes-person
Courage to show your vulnerability to others
Courage to show your invisible scars to the world
Courage to say....I have had enough...I am not doing this anymore
Courage to believe that what is in front of you is more powerful that what is behind you
Courage to believe that you can learn as you go. Knowing that answers will come to you
Courage to believe that brighter days are coming
Courage to lift you head up a little higher and see a new vision for your life
Courage to change direction in life
Courage to walk a new path, even if no one has walked it before you
So... what is courage to you?
Is it time for you to start building your "Courage Muscle" on a daily base?
Courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to move beyond fear.
Just remember...... if you don´t use it...you will loose it.
I will close this blog with one of my favorite quotes by ......May Ann Radmacher
"Courage doesn´t always roar.
Sometimes it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying,
`I will try again tomorrow`."
Karin Glannstam - Personal Success Coach
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