Courage comes in many forms. We see people who sacrifice their life in acts of rescue, and people who stand up for moral and ethical beliefs despite the consequences. Though, courage also comes in the everyday garden variety.
This is the type of courage that you and I experience each day when we confront our fears, uncertainties, and struggles.
As we begin to do this we start to believe in ourselves and find the courage to reach for our dreams. Think of someone who is following their passion and reaching for their dreams. Are they able to push past fear and step out on a limb when called to do so?
Being willing to take risks and finding value within challenges is a level of courage we can all espouse. Courage comes from making a tough choice in the present and having faith things will turn out well in the future. It’s about facing fears that otherwise would limit our potential.
Courage is different for everyone and we are all at different places in our life, though we can all find the strength to be courageous and take positives strides. Here are a few areas to help you cultivate courage.
Courage to be an individual
It takes courage to discover who we really are and to follow our convictions. We are inculcated with beliefs from an early age about who we should be and the direction we should take in life. It can be scary to live on our own terms and do things differently. If we do so we may disappoint others and realize they were right all along. Don’t let this stop you.
We will all encounter resistance telling us we are wrong and foolish for believing we are meant for more. We must learn to fight off the opposing influence of others who get in the way of our life’s goals, and be willing to follow our personal vision.
Courage to make difficult decisions
We are constantly confronted with decisions that must be made despite the uncertainty and fear involved. When these decisions can have a major impact on our life it takes courage to boldly decide to move forward. Making daring decisions is how we can shape our future and reach new, exciting opportunities.
Courage opens the door to new possibilities and reveals potential we may not have previously realized. When we commit to a decision, courage helps us be emotionally prepared to deal with the outcome and stay persistent.
Courage from faith and hope
A crucial part of courage is the fact that we believe deeply in a greater power than ourselves. Faith gives us power and can help us discover greater meaning. Taking leaps of faith requires us to “let go” of some control and put our trust outside of ourselves.
Faith in a higher power can give us hope and optimism and this allows us to be bold and persevere through the process. The faith that things will work out and that we will reach our destination is a form of courage that people experience daily.
Courage to be creative
I have always really looked up to people who can connect whole heatedly with their creative nature. Taking a completely new look and exploring things that have never been done before takes courage. Not everyone can see things in a new way and fully express themselves.
When an artist paints, creates music, or writes poetry it is courage that allows this expression. They don’t limit themselves from expressing what they feel inside, and by doing so are able to inspire and have a positive impact on others.
You don’t have to be a hero to be courageous.
Everyday courage comes from embracing the moment to moment struggles and uncertainties we encounter. This type of courage can be developed and become a part of the way we live life. If we know what we want from life courage can help us be more exceptional by not holding back from what we’re capable of.
Having the courage to try and achieve our personal goals and aspirations is not only the challenge of our times but the challenge of life itself– when faced with the choice, the decision not to sit it out, but to dance. Photo credit: Claude Morcos
