Who are the brave of the world? When you think of someone who is brave- do you ever think of yourself? Are there requirements on what it takes to classify someone as “brave?”
I think each one of us are continually given challenges, that ask us to step up and be brave. It looks different for each person, because well, we each have different fears and limits set within ourselves. When life requires us to be stronger than we have the resolve to be, we must find the strength and courage within ourselves, to live larger than we believe we are capable.
Prior to moving to France some people called me crazy, others called me brave. I was just doing what I was ahead for me to do. Moving across the country seemed easy. I trusted what I was called to be doing, so I followed suit. However, I was losing my mind over a boy I was dating. I remember talking to a friend who said, “Katie, you are moving across the world, how can you be scared of a boy?” My response, “Anyone can move and set up a life, it’s much harder to build a relationship.” My friend and I had two different perspectives, two different life circumstances on what is and is not possible out of life. Now a year later, I realize I should have had a bit more fear about moving, but I didn’t at the time, I just did what it took. And I leaned and gleaned from her strength (and many others) to get through the situation with the boy.
Now living in another country away from everything, different fears on different days at different times comes across my way. But I love watching people and hearing their stories. There are so many extraordinary people who daily amaze me with the strength they find to live their lives. We each have something that scares us. Yet, to stand up to it, and declare you will not be afraid, but continue to live forward, is truly inspiring.
An act of courage could be a number of things. It could be saying yes to that person who keeps asking you out, forgiving that friend that hurt you in the worst way imaginable, going to an AA meeting, asking for help, asking for forgiveness, saying hello, saying goodbye, taking the job, going back to school, telling the truth, quitting the addiction, standing up for yourself, or standing up for someone else. These are the real brave things in life. The ones that challenge you to the core and make you believe you are worth more.
The things we think we are incapable of, the stuff that paralyzes us from moving forward, those are the most difficult tasks to do. The ideas that linger in your mind all the time as a desire, but are stifled by thoughts believing it’s nothing you could ever actually do, though you want it more than anything in life. It’s taking that step and doing what you are capable of, even at the risk of failing, but doing so without shame. It’s these challenges that require us to find courage, that make us brave.
The obvious challenges in life aren’t what make us brave. That’s the situation, the adventure, the fight. What makes you brave- is standing up and deciding you will go for what you want in life. You will not let the circumstances win over what you are capable of doing.
You will rise. You will go forward.
You will succeed.
You will be brave.
5 comments:
Beautiful post! Building a relationship can indeed be very scary, I hear you there.
Oh the boy! LOL
YOu inspire me everyday friend! I printed that last paragragh and posted it at work! Thanks for being my daily encouragement! I love ya!!
you have so many gifts my friend!! I am just soo blown away by you! miss you soo much!
Moving across the world (to Italy specifically) has been one of my dreams since always. But I am so scared of just going away and moving to a place I know no one... How did you do it? Was it hard?
YOU are an inspiration!
p.s...I wonder which friend you had that boy convo with?? ;)
Love you!
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