“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.”
Mr. Twain had it right. To be courageous is to act despite fear.
Courage is one of my favorite topics, as you might have guessed by the name of my company. :) Let’s talk about how you can choose courage by mastering your fear.
As I’ve discussed previously, I come by my passion for being courageous honestly. Because of the blessings I’ve been able to see unfold in my life as a result of some difficult, courageous decisions, I never tire of shouting from the rooftop the freedom that comes from choosing to be bold.
Here are some guiding principles that I use to help me - hopefully they will help you, too.
Define your fear
Sometimes fear is a matter of not knowing what will happen when you take action on your plans. If you think about it, how could you know what will happen? You can’t see into the future. So since you don’t know anyway, why let fear stop you?
Ask yourself, “what exactly am I afraid of?” Then answer yourself. :)
Write it down, or talk it out with someone you trust. You may find that the big shadow your mind is creating is cast by something tiny that isn’t intimidating once you name it.
Move forward despite your fear
Maybe your fear is significant and legitimate. You can still conquer it. Remember this:
Fear is a liar. By the way, that is also the title of a great song.
Fear tells you that you can’t do whatever it is you want to do because — (fill in the blank). But if you begin to think of fear as a liar, you can treat it like any other liar – with disregard, and a hearty dose of side-eye. Liars can’t be trusted.
Be bold in your actions
If you know what you want, and you are convinced that your dream is worth pursuing, then take decisive action. To quote another song, “If you’ve got a dream, chase it, ‘cause a dream won’t chase you back.”
We waste a lot of time being indecisive. Careful planning is essential; I’m not suggesting you act impulsively. I am saying that if you are convinced in your mind, push the go button with all your might. Start. Take action.
Remember, confidence comes with action
Here’s where it gets fun! You take that deep breath and move forward in faith. Only then do you feel the exhilaration that comes from making a move. You realize that the first move wasn’t as scary as you thought.
Congratulations, friend. You have just earned the badge of courage. How does it feel?
Fear comes easy. It’s natural. But courage is something remarkable that must be earned by action. The bad news: taking steps of courage is an on-going process. We’re never done staring down fears.
The good news: once you take that first step, the subsequent times get easier.
I want to encourage you that YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES to be courageous. Do you believe that?
I’ll leave you with this final quote:
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You can say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along."
What is something for which you are mustering courage? I would love to hear, to be a sounding board. Let me know in the comments.
Thank you for reading this! Have a courageous day.
Warmly,
Marisa