Brave Every Day

Living Courageously and Epically

From the time we are children, we are always told to “be brave”. I think I remember hearing those words right before I passed out in the veterinarian’s office when they sliced my cat’s abdomen open. They were probably talking to the cat as it didn’t work out so well for me.

The dictionary definition of “bravery” is “courageous behavior or character”, “courage, boldness, valor, fortitude”. When we think about brave people, we usually associate the word with those who do big, scary things, confronting danger or hardship and overcoming fear. I think of first responders, firefighters, soldiers, or those who fight diseases or seek to overcome hard circumstances. I picture mountain climbers or extreme sport athletes who look fear in the face and attempt it anyway.

I can think of a few things that I would have to feel very brave to tackle. I have actually gone through with a few of them. Some turned out far better than I could have imagined. A few convinced me that I never needed to be that brave ever again. Last year, we hiked a mile and a half in the Belizean jungle carrying giant innertubes to float through a cave. Water I can’t see into (perhaps the movie “Jaws” damaged my psyche) and bats are two of my worst nightmares. Before we did that cave tubing activity, I had dreams about bats swooping at me and me falling off my tube and landing in water where there were poisonous snakes. None of those things happened, but I don’t feel the need to do that one again.

Photo credit: tripadvisor.com

I’m reading Maria Shriver’s new book of poetry called “I am Maria”. In the introduction, she talks about being a girl in the Kennedy dynasty and how being brave was something that was expected always. Some of the poems reflect how for much of her life, she wasn’t feeling brave at all but was not allowed to show it. It started me pondering about what bravery really looks like and I saw a quote that suggested that “bravery is not always about grand gestures, it can be found in the small, every day acts of courage.”

In my journal I started a list of things that for some may take a level of bravery that we don’t think of as being particularly courageous. Getting out of bed may be brave for someone struggling with health issues or depression. Going out the door can be hard for some who are fearful of venturing out of their safe space. Quitting my job took a ton of courage for me, especially when I didn’t have a plan for what to do next. Here are a few other things that made the list:

• Sharing your attempts at painting when you have no idea what you are doing

• Flying without a flight manifest (or navigating life without a plan)

• Sharing a raw, personal piece of writing

• Asking for help

• Letting go of a child

• Speaking your truth

• Trying that thing you said you’d never do

• Approaching and talking to someone you admire

• Speaking or performing publicly

Photo credit: singingmachine.com

Maybe this is a chance for you to make a “Being Brave” list for yourself and seeing how many of those scary things you can tackle. Maybe for you it’s just getting out of bed tomorrow. Or maybe it’s going cave tubing in a Belizean jungle. There are great rewards for bravery. Perhaps no one will give you a medal, but your reward will be increased confidence, fulfillment and satisfaction. It’s a truly great feeling to overcome a fear or something difficult. I promise to share the next “brave thing” I do. Maybe you could start by listing one thing in the comments that you are scared to do but want to try. Or you could share something brave you have done recently. How did it make you feel? You can be that catalyst for others to live courageously and epically! Life is out there just waiting for you to step into the next adventure. As Sara Bareilles puts it in her song, “Honestly, I want to see you be brave!” Maybe we can be brave together. What should we try next?