Fortune Favors The Bold
Often when listening to others’ troubles or reflecting on my own challenges, the core problem, or place to start, is one of courage (or more accurately, the lack of it). Mustering the courage and strength to be honest with oneself is step one in discerning a way forward and determining possible solutions.
I believe it’s like a muscle and gets stronger with use. Conversely, the more often one avoids or evades honesty and acting bravely, in large or small ways, the weaker they become in many areas that require courage and clarity. Avoidance has become so commonplace and the evidence of cowardice in thought and deed has grown right along with it. People can always find, and often do, those that will “co-sign their bullshit” rather than “pull their covers” and reveal the truth to them.
While in the short-term it’s easier to avoid conflict or an uncomfortable conversation, (think “ghosting”, or acting as if nothing has happened when clearly it has), each time the easy way out is chosen, it’s eroding character rather than building it. Like with any bad habit, such as poor posture, over time it limits one’s abilities and can create its own set of difficulties.
Life is lived in the moments and how we show up in them determines our course. We can always change it with attention and intention. But too often I’ve seen where people underestimate the impact and power of their choices and how they build up over time to create what they do, or do not, want. They may be confused as to how things became so unmanageable or what is contributing to their unhappiness or lack of success. But much is revealed with the right questions aimed at getting to the root of things. And often what is missing is courage.
I’ve always liked using the tool of sentence completion to help with brainstorming and visioning. It can help to elevate the priority of a task or goal and lead to new discoveries. Even if you consider yourself courageous and direct by default, taking a moment to furnish a few endings to the sentence, “With more courage I could…(do/be/say/have…)” may be surprisingly revealing. If you uncover that a lack of courage is holding you back from things that are important to you, you can find many choice points throughout the day to practice being more authentic, honest and brave and build that muscle. Like anything practiced, it gets easier with time and becomes part of who you are.
Courage is such an important value as it enables so many of the others. The effort it takes to build it is never wasted and the rewards are most always beyond what someone imagines from their current vantage point. When people comment on my calm demeanor, or remark on the many challenges I’ve overcome, I know that courage has been required all along the way. It’s something I nurture and grow at every opportunity and am extremely grateful to have. It’s my hope to inspire it in my child and in others as the world needs so much more of it now.
If you have questions or practices to share on building courage and showing up authentically, I’d love to hear from you in the comments or in an e-mail to info@vedaprajvalan.com.
Be well and be brave!
