Courage is something we choose then build.
I know a woman who left a narcissistic marriage after 30 years. She courageously committed to a journey of self discovery and healing. Today, her courage is helping her break the cycle of trauma and find her magic. I know a young man who lost his wife to cancer. He courageously chose to open his heart, believe in love and seek it out. Today, he’s happily married. I know a woman in her 70’s whose husband died at their kitchen table, without warning. Now, she’s pursuing her dream of becoming a ballroom dancer. Their common denominator is a ‘courage mindset’ that is connecting them with their personal source of strength, perseverance and wisdom. Their mindset is empowering them to live their best lives. A courage mindset empowers us to step into our lives, discover possibilities and thrive.
Courage is:
- Vulnerability to go inward, be with your pain and learn from it. It’s making the choice to move forward in the face of fear and uncertainty, like the woman who left her narcissistic husband.
- Choosing to open your mind and heart to love, after you’ve experienced hurt, like the man who lost his wife to cancer.
- Being with your grief, reinventing yourself, and having the audacity to live your dreams, like the woman who’s husband died in front of her without warning.
- Allowing yourself to be seen. It’s sharing your voice at the risk of ridicule or rejection. Courage is speaking up for what you need.
- Accepting your whole self, without judgement. It’s asking yourself, “What can I learn right now that will empower me?” especially when you’re uncomfortable. Courage is questioning your beliefs, values and perceptions. It’s letting go of the things that no longer serve you, so you can live a life that does.
- Meeting criticism with curiosity and cruelty with kindness. It’s asking one more question that helps you understand.
- Trusting after you’ve been betrayed and offering unconditional forgiveness for yourself and others.
- Saying ‘f#!@k it’ to fear. It’s trusting yourself enough to free fall as you take your next unfamiliar step toward the person you want to be and the life you want to live.
Courage is a mindset. Adopting it is a choice.
I coach courageous people. Here are three questions I offer to help them deepen their courage mindset:
- When have you been powered by courage?
- How did that impact the choices you made?
- What became possible for you because you met it with a courageous mindset?
*If you’re ready to have a courageous conversation about your life, head to my contact page. Let’s talk.
