Be Brave

‘I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear’. – Nelson Mandela

Bravery has many definitions. Many people think bravery came from facing danger, saving lives as police officers or fire fighters, or even soldier fighting for our freedom. And these are all very good examples of acts of bravery, but today I am talking about the more common bravery!

A single mother that works two jobs to make sure her family is well cared for, someone facing a health crisis and their unknown future, an elderly widow or widower that continues to try to maintain their independence…..these are all more common acts of bravery!

When you are facing a situation that fills you with fear and the fear overwhelms you, being brave is the last think you can think about doing! But this is when doing what needs to be done becomes bravery. Getting up in the morning, putting one foot in front of the other and facing the day is where bravery begins.

Fear of failure, feeling inadequate,  low self-esteem are often factors that prevent us from finding our bravery inside. But we are fearfully and wonderfully made! We are made for greatness! Our minds have brought forth amazing creations and ideas! Imagine the Wright Brothers allowing their ideas to be left on the ‘drawing room floor’ so to speak. Could you imagine life without air travel? Without space travel? We may not make major changes to the world, but we can change our world and the world of those around us.

So, think about that one thing that you would like to do, but fear has prevented you from trying. Do you want to take up a musical instrument? Maybe you’ve been thinking about going back to school? How about learning a second (or third) language? What would you do if you were brave? How high can you set your limits?

“Everybody’s been there, everybody’s been stared down by the enemy. Fallen for the fear and done some disappearing, bow down to the mighty. Don’t run, stop holding your tongue. Maybe there’s a way out of the cage where you live. Maybe one of these days you can let the light in. SHOW ME HOW BIG YOUR BRAVE IS!!’ -Sara Bareilles