I can’t think of specific recent examples. In my work life I’ve made a point of speaking up when others stay silent, to ask questions about whose perspective isn’t represented in the discussion and who will be most harmed by a decision. That isn’t necessarily a popular question at times but it’s an essential one in my work in transportation safety. Where we have data demonstrating clearly that some neighborhoods have been disinvested from and have disproportionate harm as a result, I say the quiet part out loud. I’m fortunate to work in an agency where leadership has encouraged this but they’re not necessarily in the virtual room when I do it and it can feel challenging to some of the people who most need to hear it. I try to give space and grace for their learning to grow, but I don’t stay quiet out of fear of their reaction.
I have had 2 experiences where it has taken courage to act.
I was co-planner for a class HS/ college group. There were 12 who participated and 3 from out of state. We have met several times before but the facility was new to us. It turned out better than planned and they want to return next year.
The second was after a month and a half I had not heard a report from a CT scan. After many inquiries I was at the clinic for another reason. I asked to speak to the imaging supervisor and or the patient advocate. By the end of the day I got my results.
“Feed your brain, not your brand” has become my slogan. Moving away from business ventures to nourish the soul takes courage. I don’t know of anyone who has come out of there clean on the other side. Cleaning up takes time and patience.
Courage
is different for everyone . . .
not the feeling perhaps,
but the circumstances and the triggers.
There is dramatic,
heart pounding courage
of racing into a fire
to save a life,
just as there is bravery
in facing the fear of people,
or the fear of failure.
Sometimes
it takes courage
just to get out of bed in the morning,
and sometimes it’s courageous to say ‘no’.
It’s an act of courage
to live a life that is true and real
in the face of the artificial standards of others.
Courage
tastes like blood in the mouth . . .
I felt it,
warm and coppery
when I allowed Sophie to die
peacefully,
I hope,
at home.
For four days
I swallowed the feeling,
swallowed the fear.
I did not want to feel the grief that would follow,
and although I don’t feel redeemed or brave,
I feel relieved of the process.
It takes courage
for me to let things go . . .
to say good bye.
After all these years
I think I should be used to it,
but with each single loss
all the losses before it
rise up.
I turn my courage now
to facing life with loss,
still finding things to wake up for in the morning,
and a delicious freshness in the sky
after the rain.
“Feed your brain, not your brand” is my slogan. Moving away from business ventures to feed the soul takes courage. I don’t know of anyone who has come out of the other side clean. Cleaning up takes time and patience.
To risk taking a wrong decision in order to stay true to myself. Only that I was not aware that this staying true to myself was staying true to my fears instead of staying true to my intuition… So after realizing this, the courage lead to understanding and to hopefully let go of underlying fears still present, instead of following the deeper sense and allowing myself to listen to this inner voice. Wishing everyone a good day and moments of courage to overcome fear in order to allowing to be curious, authentic and free enough to accept “not-knowing” when it is like that.
Lately, I’ve danced, hiked, and volunteered with strangers. I’ve risked singing the wrong note in choir. I did a professional stint with someone in a totally different and intuitive way. I stayed in touch with a friend with whom I need healthy conflict. I think lots of things have required courage, everyday things.
I so agree,
dear Drea . . .
just as there are no small miracles,
there is also
no small instances of courage.
It’s all about doing something
even though it is scary. ♥
The word courage comes from the Old French word corage, which traces back to the Latin root cor, meaning “heart”. For me courage is about love. It is loving myself, my higher power and others enough to act instead of react even if I’m shaking in my boots. It’s learning the difference between psychological fear and healthy fear. Fear can be healthy and helpful. Right now due to my physical issues, it can be as simple as getting out of the house to go to a meeting, a gathering of friends, a dramatic presentation, or the grocery store. I still do these things not to be courageous but out of love for myself and others. If I get my groceries, my son who is very busy man, doesn’t have to. If I attend my Bible study, I may hear something that is helpful to me or say something that is helpful to others. Going out to dinner with friends lifts my spirits, etc. I share a true story that happened many years ago and taught me so much.
I was in Newark NJ many years ago visiting a friend and I wanted to see a Broadway show but found it intimidating to take a bus into New York City, find my way to Broadway and the theatre so she very graciously took time off from work so she could take me on my Broadway adventure. When we arrived at the extremely busy bus station in Manhattan, we saw an elderly couple (in their 80s) getting off a bus from Queens. They were both very nervous and seemed overwhelmed and so my friend asked them if she could help them. They explained that they were in Queens visiting their son and he had planned to bring them to New York to see the musical “Forty Second Street” but he had unexpectedly been called into work that day so insisted they go to the show without him. He put them on the bus to Manhattan and gave them directions to the theatre district which was nearby. When they gave us that information, we told them we were headed to Broadway to see a show and we would help them find their theatre. We also offered to stop by their theatre after the matinees let out as all of the plays last about the same amount of time. They declined our offer saying they could make it back to the bus station. After our show, we were returning to the bus station and saw them a short distance in front of us. As we entered the station, they were on the escalator and the gentleman was shaking violently. I was afraid he was going to fall down the steps. I said to my friend, “Maybe they should have stayed in Queens.” She didn’t skip a beat. She looked at me in disbelief and said, “And miss the show??” I’ve never forgotten that incident, especially since I struggle with anxiety. I’ve missed a lot of opportunities in my life due to psychological fear but not so much any more. Even if I’m shaking in my boots, I don’t want to miss the show. I pray each morning to go with the flow and to learn from what presents itself. I find life trustworthy and do my best to be of service each day. I find that being kind, being compassionate provides me with all the purpose I need.
Oh boy. If by courage you mean, doing something that you feel you should or must do, even though it scares you, then I feel like I do small courageous things all the time.
Like:
Getting out of bed for another day, even when I don’t feel motivated or particularly well.
Reaching out to someone who’s suffering.
Coming here and sharing, consistently.
Being self reflective and questioning my motives.
When I think about this, it’s because of all of my fears, that these things require courage. Without all the fear, they might just be right actions. And maybe by doing these things consistently, like Maya Angelou suggests, my level of fear might diminish.
Charlie, you worded your definition of courage well. It’s the little things that often get overlooked. As far as questioning our motives go, every now and then, it’s good to do that. “Loc Gets Straight to the Point” becoming “Loc Gets Straight to his Ego” is the last thing we need.
Go to the dentist! Twice last week I had to go to the dentist – first to see what was wrong with a tooth (how much damage had been done when it cracked), and second to have it all fixed. He and his team are so nice and good. But I just don’t do well with dentist appointments – not even cleanings. And it’s expensive! But I muster up my courage and go. The alternative is worse.
It’s not too recent, but the last time I felt brave and courageous was when I decided to suddenly move to Sault College and live in the dorm with a bunch of 18 year olds to finish the nursing program that I started at Niagara College. I was frightened of my ex boyfriend, who was stalking me by using my own teacher against me. The entire school administration was unbelievably skeptical of my claims and did nothing to help me. I felt like the whole world was against me, but I picked everything up and escaped and within about 24 hours, I was in a whole different part of the province and continuing on with my life, away from that environment and I was terrified. I was afraid that my plan would fail and this whole rigamarole would backfire, but in the end, I ended up finishing everything this summer, after many other problems with another boyfriend, but that is a story for another day. What is the common factor here with all of my problems?
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I can’t think of specific recent examples. In my work life I’ve made a point of speaking up when others stay silent, to ask questions about whose perspective isn’t represented in the discussion and who will be most harmed by a decision. That isn’t necessarily a popular question at times but it’s an essential one in my work in transportation safety. Where we have data demonstrating clearly that some neighborhoods have been disinvested from and have disproportionate harm as a result, I say the quiet part out loud. I’m fortunate to work in an agency where leadership has encouraged this but they’re not necessarily in the virtual room when I do it and it can feel challenging to some of the people who most need to hear it. I try to give space and grace for their learning to grow, but I don’t stay quiet out of fear of their reaction.
Having surgery last June, took a lot of courage. I had many moment that I was trying to talk myself out of it.
I have had 2 experiences where it has taken courage to act.
I was co-planner for a class HS/ college group. There were 12 who participated and 3 from out of state. We have met several times before but the facility was new to us. It turned out better than planned and they want to return next year.
The second was after a month and a half I had not heard a report from a CT scan. After many inquiries I was at the clinic for another reason. I asked to speak to the imaging supervisor and or the patient advocate. By the end of the day I got my results.
“Feed your brain, not your brand” has become my slogan. Moving away from business ventures to nourish the soul takes courage. I don’t know of anyone who has come out of there clean on the other side. Cleaning up takes time and patience.
Courage
is different for everyone . . .
not the feeling perhaps,
but the circumstances and the triggers.
There is dramatic,
heart pounding courage
of racing into a fire
to save a life,
just as there is bravery
in facing the fear of people,
or the fear of failure.
Sometimes
it takes courage
just to get out of bed in the morning,
and sometimes it’s courageous to say ‘no’.
It’s an act of courage
to live a life that is true and real
in the face of the artificial standards of others.
Courage
tastes like blood in the mouth . . .
I felt it,
warm and coppery
when I allowed Sophie to die
peacefully,
I hope,
at home.
For four days
I swallowed the feeling,
swallowed the fear.
I did not want to feel the grief that would follow,
and although I don’t feel redeemed or brave,
I feel relieved of the process.
It takes courage
for me to let things go . . .
to say good bye.
After all these years
I think I should be used to it,
but with each single loss
all the losses before it
rise up.
I turn my courage now
to facing life with loss,
still finding things to wake up for in the morning,
and a delicious freshness in the sky
after the rain.
It’s always worth it. ♥
It is still raining here. 4.3 inches since the 22nd. Agua es Vida. It is always worth it, dear Sparrow, of this I agree whole heartedly.
I am grateful for your rain,
dear Joseph . . .
indeed,
agua es vida. ♥
asking for help. choosing me when it hurts.
“Feed your brain, not your brand” is my slogan. Moving away from business ventures to feed the soul takes courage. I don’t know of anyone who has come out of the other side clean. Cleaning up takes time and patience.
To risk taking a wrong decision in order to stay true to myself. Only that I was not aware that this staying true to myself was staying true to my fears instead of staying true to my intuition… So after realizing this, the courage lead to understanding and to hopefully let go of underlying fears still present, instead of following the deeper sense and allowing myself to listen to this inner voice. Wishing everyone a good day and moments of courage to overcome fear in order to allowing to be curious, authentic and free enough to accept “not-knowing” when it is like that.
Thank you for this,
dear Ose . . .
the act of releasing fear
is a courageous act in itself,
isn’t it? ♥
May be it is so, while mainly I feel it is a relief and opens to hope for change. May you be well, dear Sparrow.
Namaste,
dear Ose . . . ♥
Lately, I’ve danced, hiked, and volunteered with strangers. I’ve risked singing the wrong note in choir. I did a professional stint with someone in a totally different and intuitive way. I stayed in touch with a friend with whom I need healthy conflict. I think lots of things have required courage, everyday things.
I so agree,
dear Drea . . .
just as there are no small miracles,
there is also
no small instances of courage.
It’s all about doing something
even though it is scary. ♥
I agree, Sparrow.
The word courage comes from the Old French word corage, which traces back to the Latin root cor, meaning “heart”. For me courage is about love. It is loving myself, my higher power and others enough to act instead of react even if I’m shaking in my boots. It’s learning the difference between psychological fear and healthy fear. Fear can be healthy and helpful. Right now due to my physical issues, it can be as simple as getting out of the house to go to a meeting, a gathering of friends, a dramatic presentation, or the grocery store. I still do these things not to be courageous but out of love for myself and others. If I get my groceries, my son who is very busy man, doesn’t have to. If I attend my Bible study, I may hear something that is helpful to me or say something that is helpful to others. Going out to dinner with friends lifts my spirits, etc. I share a true story that happened many years ago and taught me so much.
I was in Newark NJ many years ago visiting a friend and I wanted to see a Broadway show but found it intimidating to take a bus into New York City, find my way to Broadway and the theatre so she very graciously took time off from work so she could take me on my Broadway adventure. When we arrived at the extremely busy bus station in Manhattan, we saw an elderly couple (in their 80s) getting off a bus from Queens. They were both very nervous and seemed overwhelmed and so my friend asked them if she could help them. They explained that they were in Queens visiting their son and he had planned to bring them to New York to see the musical “Forty Second Street” but he had unexpectedly been called into work that day so insisted they go to the show without him. He put them on the bus to Manhattan and gave them directions to the theatre district which was nearby. When they gave us that information, we told them we were headed to Broadway to see a show and we would help them find their theatre. We also offered to stop by their theatre after the matinees let out as all of the plays last about the same amount of time. They declined our offer saying they could make it back to the bus station. After our show, we were returning to the bus station and saw them a short distance in front of us. As we entered the station, they were on the escalator and the gentleman was shaking violently. I was afraid he was going to fall down the steps. I said to my friend, “Maybe they should have stayed in Queens.” She didn’t skip a beat. She looked at me in disbelief and said, “And miss the show??” I’ve never forgotten that incident, especially since I struggle with anxiety. I’ve missed a lot of opportunities in my life due to psychological fear but not so much any more. Even if I’m shaking in my boots, I don’t want to miss the show. I pray each morning to go with the flow and to learn from what presents itself. I find life trustworthy and do my best to be of service each day. I find that being kind, being compassionate provides me with all the purpose I need.
I also found Richard Rohr’s meditation today helpful in pondering this question.
https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-childlike-nature/
The meditation you posted today,
dear Carol Ann,
was so tender
that it brought tears to my eyes . . . ♥
Oh boy. If by courage you mean, doing something that you feel you should or must do, even though it scares you, then I feel like I do small courageous things all the time.
Like:
Getting out of bed for another day, even when I don’t feel motivated or particularly well.
Reaching out to someone who’s suffering.
Coming here and sharing, consistently.
Being self reflective and questioning my motives.
When I think about this, it’s because of all of my fears, that these things require courage. Without all the fear, they might just be right actions. And maybe by doing these things consistently, like Maya Angelou suggests, my level of fear might diminish.
Charlie, you worded your definition of courage well. It’s the little things that often get overlooked. As far as questioning our motives go, every now and then, it’s good to do that. “Loc Gets Straight to the Point” becoming “Loc Gets Straight to his Ego” is the last thing we need.
Patience,
dear Charlie . . .
I have to practice this too–
daily. ♥
Charlie, I love your answer and know you are growing in self awareness with every breath you take.
Go to the dentist! Twice last week I had to go to the dentist – first to see what was wrong with a tooth (how much damage had been done when it cracked), and second to have it all fixed. He and his team are so nice and good. But I just don’t do well with dentist appointments – not even cleanings. And it’s expensive! But I muster up my courage and go. The alternative is worse.
I totally relate with all of this – in fact I have been needing to go, need to make an appt.
I agree with this one also!
Katrina, I relate.
Indeed,
dear Katrina . . . ♥
It’s true about getting long in the tooth.
🙂
Facing my fears right now if taking courage. It’s challenging.
Trusting Life.
Peace, Love & Light
Such wisdom…thanks for being here and sharing with us.
So right,
dear Joseph . . .
as I mentioned the other day
I’ve been struggling with Trust. ♥
Yes Joseph trustin life takes courage.
It’s not too recent, but the last time I felt brave and courageous was when I decided to suddenly move to Sault College and live in the dorm with a bunch of 18 year olds to finish the nursing program that I started at Niagara College. I was frightened of my ex boyfriend, who was stalking me by using my own teacher against me. The entire school administration was unbelievably skeptical of my claims and did nothing to help me. I felt like the whole world was against me, but I picked everything up and escaped and within about 24 hours, I was in a whole different part of the province and continuing on with my life, away from that environment and I was terrified. I was afraid that my plan would fail and this whole rigamarole would backfire, but in the end, I ended up finishing everything this summer, after many other problems with another boyfriend, but that is a story for another day. What is the common factor here with all of my problems?
Wow that was very brave!
Your courage prevailed the multitude of problems Louise.
Haha no the common factor is boyfriends.
Reminds of something a speaker said at a convention. She asked “Why do I always pick men who have a tatoo on their arm that says, “Born to lose.”
🙂