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Esmé Weijun Wang's avatar

What do you do when you need to feel courageous?

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Jeffrey Streeter's avatar

That's a wonderful question. My less than wonderful answer would be "trust myself"

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Esmé Weijun Wang's avatar

I think it’s a wonderful and very true answer.

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Mya Dexter's avatar

I think it is rather wonderful to trust yourself as it does call courage into action; I tend to do the same, take time to double-check that I am indeed heading in the direction of my heart, and be open to revisiting and adjusting if needed.

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Esmé Weijun Wang's avatar

Double-checking is, I think, so key. I know my heart will point me in the wrong direction sometimes. Fear still really gets me when I let it take over.

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Mya Dexter's avatar

I too can get a little lost; being surrounded by trustworthy friends and giving myself time helps too, but fear can be a powerful force or/and a motivator.

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Maurice Clive Bisby's avatar

There is nothing in this world to fear, Mya, except for fear itself. Be peaceful, Maurice

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Emily Conway's avatar

Thanks so much for this Esme. I'm thinking about the heart and courage as mine flutters and hiccups after periods of stress or bouts of anxiety. I'm also recalling how it pounds steadily when I'm swimming or doing something else that's strenuous. I notice my courage the most when I'm faced with a circumstance I need to respond to, then take time to look into myself and respond from that place (when I trust myself, as others here have already said). Practicing doing this over and over, through myriad emotions, helps me to be, if not always feel, courageous.

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Caroline Pankhurst's avatar

I have modelled courage. For me it is a practice and a choice. I think of bravery as action and courage as a decision.

So courage isn’t always visible to others.

I once wrote that I think of it as being a raging and heart. It’s when our soul holds hand with our head and heart and says, it’s ok, you can follow me.

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Sarah Robertson's avatar

Beautiful words. My daughter's name is Cora and one of the meanings is "little heart." She always reminds me to have courage!

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Sabrina Y. Smith's avatar

As a French person I never realized that! Love it ♥️

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Noha Beshir's avatar

When I need to feel courageous I pray. I ask God to make me brave

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angelica van clarke's avatar

gorgeous.

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Toni Mendenhall's avatar

This is exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you, Esme

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Jennifer Lauck's avatar

Lovely reminder of the origin of a word...thank you, Esme.

Courage, for me, comes from first acknowledging overwhelming fear and then stepping forward (saying the difficult thing, writing the difficult letter, taking the bold action) anyway. I never feel brave...but rather a little shocked I did it...that is stepped forward. What I feel is relieved though, that my fear and my smallness didn't win.

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