What Bravery Means to Me
On my birthday last year, I decided to make a better effort to be brave. At the time, I had lofty, adventurous goals in mind like, "tackling my fear of the ocean!" or "finally writing that book!", but I'm realizing that brave choices can also be small choices. Seemingly insignificant in the moment, brave acts happen every day. I've not only experienced tiny moments of unexpected bravery for myself, but I've also witnessed it in others and that, dear readers, has been incredible.
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To me, bravery is...
...finally pressing 'send' on scary emails and making tough phone calls.
...sharing your story on the off chance someone may connect with what you have to say.
...graciously tolerating the opinions of others, even when you don't agree.
...speaking up when that opinion is infringing on your boundaries.
...standing by those you love even though they may not always stand by you.
...making small steps in the direction of your dreams.
...actually showing up.
...learning new things.
...calling upon muscle memory to delve back into things you once knew.
...asking for what you believe you deserve.
...doing what you say you'll do.
...admitting when your wrong.
...being wrong a lot and learning from your mistakes.
...saying yes to things that terrify you.
...saying no to things that don't interest you.
And last, but not least:
Bravery is... continually learning how to accept yourself at your best and your worst while offering others the same courtesy.
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That last one is something I struggle with every single day. I know I can't be the only one who feels that way, right? So many of the small and quiet acts of bravery are actually the toughest to work through and I feel as though my list only scratches the surface.
So tell me, friends: How are you brave in day to day life? What does bravery mean to you?