What does having courage” mean to us? Do we believe we have it? Do we see ourselves as a courageous people or doing courageous things in life? Try to remember the most courageous act you’ve done. How old were you when the event or deed occurred? Have you been courageous since? Courage is only up to you to define in your life.
So many of us think that being “courageous” is running into a burning house to save someone or stopping a robbery. Some might say these people are courageous, but they are more than that, they are heroes and we are not talking about being heroic. No, we are talking about the kind of courage we have inside ourselves. Are you someone who would rather avoid a conflict than face one? Do you think about confronting your parents, spouse, partner or boss and become a “want to want to” person? That person takes no action, they only think about the deed. Sometimes we spend so much time talking about it in our heads, or “venting” to our friends about it, that we actually believe we have dealt with the issue even though it stayed in our heads!
Do we hide from confrontations, or agree with someone because we really don’t have the courage to “stand up” for ourselves? Ask yourself; Why? What are we so afraid of? Do we tell ourselves we’re lazy? Well, lazy is only a block to protect us from courage.
How do we obtain courage? Well, it isn’t something we can buy! It is something that is inside of us, and it is called “self-esteem.” So many people wonder why they feel bad about themselves, but if they’d stop and look again they would realize that they have the chance to work on it by standing up for themselves. Saying how we feel is not the problem here! Dealing with the consequences is.
We can be soWe are afraid of others’ reactions. If they are people who love you, they will listen. You might not like their “reaction,” but if the relationship has meaning you will both get over it. And as far as confronting someone you don’t know? Well, why would you really care about what someone you don’t really like thinks about you? This is all left over from childhood—”like me, like me”—enough! If you do not take “risks” in your life, then this is going to be as good as it gets!