Over the past five weeks I shared a series inspired by the the book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, a compilation of the stories of longtime caregiver to the dying, Bronnie Ware.
I really love this series— if you missed it go back and read the last five blogs, in no particular order.
I learned and reflected on so much in the process of listening to this book and writing the blog series. One last thing I want to acknowledge (for now), is that I couldn’t help but notice that in two of the five regrets, Ware uses the word courage.
Courage. According to the Oxford Dictionary, courage is defined as:
the ability to do something that frightens one, or strength in the face of pain or grief.
It takes courage to be human. To show up in this world. To be vulnerable. To have relationships. It doesn’t have to look bold, grandiose, or dramatic. It is utilized in micro to massive moments, and everything in between.
Do you know that you ARE courageous?
Understanding, nurturing, and developing your courageous side involves many things I believe we all can work on (and I talk about a lot in my messages already): acknowledge your fears; reflect on them; embrace discomfort; take risks; form new positive habits; practice mindfulness; surround yourself with courageous people; accept failure; note where you are courageous already.
Simply put: make yourself aware, gather tools, and practice.
I believe that you are incredibly courageous. And while bringing it to the surface is never as easy as flipping a switch, you do have it in you. Studies show that one way to start strengthening your courage muscle is to define yourself as courageous. So, if you are lacking in courage— look in the mirror, and say this out loud:
I AM COURAGEOUS.
Use this simple tool often. It is important, and not only because setting and actualizing goals takes (both of these definitions of) courage. Believing you have courage is not only important for those climbing professional ladders, conquering amazing physical feats, or making major life decisions. We all need it daily to live an authentic life.
Find it. Nurture it. Practice using it.
You ARE courageous. Let’s see what you do with it.
Cheers,
MB
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