Bravery. I typed the word Bravery a few weeks ago and while I must have had a blog post in mind when I did, all I did was type the one word. Maybe it was for inspiration or to set an intention because, in the past few weeks, I have been keenly aware of small acts of bravery surrounding me.
There are a lot of brave people: those fighting an illness, service members and first responders, individuals waking up and moving forward in the face of adversity. I admire those brave individuals so much. I am inspired by them and in awe of their strength.
The bravery I have observed more recently is in people making small but impactful changes. Pivoting and leaning into their discomfort; going against conventional wisdom or advice of others to do what – in their gut – they know is right for them and those they care about. This has manifested in friends and colleagues having tough conversations – about their relationships, their roles in organizations, what they need to be successful or what is not working in their life, for now. I am hearing from contacts pursuing their ‘next’ – new jobs, career changes, starting new companies or joining industries that they don’t have previous experience working in.
For our kids, they are brave in college choices, including the very brave choice to pursue community college, GAP years, or factoring student debt into their decisions, even when friends are making different choices. I believe it is brave when you are making choices that feel like they are setting the stage for the rest of your life – and you are only 17 years old.
Parents have shown their bravery for the past two years by doing what was best for their families; juggling work and parenting and homeschooling, in the face of health and safety for their children and parents. It was brave to pursue and own your decisions, and it was also brave to face such decisions from a place of fear and aloneness. Families have made brave decisions to relocate, downsize, simplify their lives.
Bravery for me showed up this month in asking for what I needed. My ‘super power’ is that I am capable. My worst attribute is that I am capable. I live my superpower each day and I don’t often put myself in a position to ask for help. A few weeks ago, I asked friends if I could stay at their vacation home for a month. I wanted – NEEDED – a change of scenery and I had the privilege of having generous friends who could satisfy that need. They were incredibly gracious and did not hesitate. Thus started my month of living elsewhere. I am acknowledging that I was brave in identifying what I needed; brave in asking for what I wanted; brave in pushing past some obstacles that appeared between the idea and execution.
In the end, I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Feeling brave. Being still.
If you have something difficult to face, how can you get there? What bravery do you need to muster to make a move, ask for help, name the change you want (or need) and then execute? Sometimes it takes your own gumption, and other times it requires asking for support and guidance. If I can help you find your bravery, please let me know. If you haven’t done so recently, celebrate your bravery for a choice made, an action taken, doing the hard stuff even when it wasn’t the popular path. No matter how small, bravely celebrate you.