I often think of courage as stepping outside the comforts of the mainstream circle and bravely walking the path alone. This is incredibly hard when we live in a world where likes and followers are valued over truth and happiness. So how do we do it? How do we find the courage to be our true selves if it means being alone? I don’t have the answers but I can offer you some thoughts….

What is courage? 

For me, courage is living and speaking your truth despite the risk of being rejected. It is bravely living by your own set of rules and trusting that your passion will lead you to the right people and places.

Courage is in you.

It is primal. It is the part of you that pursues life with passion. I believe that courage is always present in our being; however, it can get lost under layers of social conditioning. In childhood, the focus on behaviour is often about being obedient rather than being courageous. So, from a young age, you follow a set of rules that are set for you instead of being encouraged to learn intuitively and being led from a set of values that are right for you.

It is often in your adult life, after having experienced acts of violence or oppression, when discomfort drives your need for courage. You reach a tipping point when you feel immobilized by fear and bound by beliefs that are restricting your ability to live fully and honestly. In this moment, you realize that there is an untaming of obedience that must occur in order to be seen and heard in the “wild” of life. You must stand up and speak up for your values. There is an undoing of beliefs (that were designed and constructed by others) and an active shedding of false notions like “you shouldn’t, you can’t, you aren’t”.

In this process of untaming and undoing, you re-discover your courage. You allow your passion to lead your choices. You give yourself permission to be the love that you are seeking and you allow your voice to rise up and speak truth to power.

In the undoing of what isn’t right for you, you find the freedom to construct a life that is right for you. You build a life that is filled with purpose and people that are good for you. This is the process of building confidence and community. This is how you create your own place of belonging and you come to understand that you are never alone in your courage. 

Be inspired by the courage of others.

I draw so much inspiration from other people’s stories of courage. There are two books that come to mind when I think of courage. The first one is Untamed by Glennon Doyle. The second one is The Courage to be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga. Both books will leave you feeling empowered to live your life on your own terms.

I also garner strength and inspiration from the many brave people who are exemplifying acts of courage around the world right now. Those who are standing up for black lives, indigenous lives, and equal rights – you are courageous. Those who are standing up to social and peer pressures online and in real life – you are courageous. Those who are saying no to people and situations that no longer serve their purpose – you are courageous. I am inspired by each and every one of you.

It takes guts to pursue your own way of life, especially when you’re the only one who believes in its true potential and value. Let your passion be your leader. Let your truth be your power. This is the path to authenticity and well-being.

Thank you for being here. Next time, we’ll explore the idea of changing emotional habits.

Let’s journey together.

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With love,