"Courage is very important. Like a muscle, it is strengthened by use." - Ruth Gordon
Courage is one of those qualities that allows us to look fear in the face and say, "Not today." Courage gives us the mental strength to follow through on those plans and pursuits we would have otherwise shied away from because we were afraid to take that leap of faith, not knowing how we would land. Fear prevents us from stepping out of our comfort zone. Courage gives us permission to acknowledge the fear inside of us but still be able to say, "I got this. Let's do this!"
We may even think to ourselves afterwards, "That wasn't so bad. What was I so scared of." Our reptilian brain may think it is protecting us from harm, but it can blow our fears out of proportion and affect us negatively by limiting our potential. Some of us prefer to play it safe by not putting ourselves out there or taking calculated risks that may or may not pan out for us. Some people are willing to forgo the potential for success in favor of not failing, while others see failure as not making any effort at all.
Photo by Eduardo Franca on Pexels
Think of all of your biggest accomplishments in life. Many of those accomplishments took a lot of courage. Relationships. Careers. Families. They all take courage to build and maintain. The interesting thing about confidence and courage is, the more we tap into it, the easier it is to incorporate in our lives. Science tells us we can develop more courage by continually facing down our fears and pushing through them. The more courage we develop, the more we allow ourselves opportunities to thrive in life.
It's still not that easy, though. Most of us probably wish we could flip a switch in our brain to eliminate the fear and proceed with courage. Although it's not that easy, it is that simple. Facing our fears can be tough, but we counter it with mental toughness. It should not matter whether or not everything goes according to plan. It matters that we follow through with our plans. Otherwise, we may trade in our fears for regret later on in life, wondering, "What if?" Courage pushes us to become the very best version of ourselves each and every day. What is courage telling you to do today?
More Wellness!
Very Well Mind: 7 Ways to Feel More Courageous
Better Humans: Why Courage Is More Important Than Confidence
Fearless Motivation: 17 Of The Most Powerful Quotes On Courage.