In the English Oxford Dictionary, courage is defined as: “the ability to do something that frightens one” and as “strength in the face of pain or grief”. Fright, pain or grief as emotions traditionally stops us in our tracks. Moving beyond these emotions in any given moment is a decision one makes – a decision to choose to go beyond what we feel in that moment.
While John Legend may not have coined the phrase, “perfect imperfections”, his song “All of Me” caught my attention when hearing the lyric “all your perfect imperfections” and brought a smile of acknowledgement to my face.
Aren’t we all “perfect imperfections”? Haven’t we all had times when we may have thought, acted or responded differently? Yet, at the root of our ultimate self-acceptance is the ability to accept “what is” for the moment, knowing that we have the ability to think, be or do differently. We can choose to go beyond what we’ve known.
Knowing ourselves can often require courage: courage to believe in ourselves; courage to understand who we are; courage to realize how our actions impact ourselves and others; courage to see our imperfections; and courage to appreciate ourselves in ways that encourage forward movement.
Getting to know you can take courage. Who are you really? At your core? When people aren’t around? How do you talk to yourself? Are you able to appreciate you amidst comments from others? Are you able to stand up, step out in situations? Is anything holding you back from being you? Are you able to muster up courage when needed?
Numerous resources exist to help anyone develop courage. Mental and emotional courage skills empower and help us cope with situations we face. Courage is a psychological muscle. Practice building this muscle with understanding that courage allows us to:
- Face fears – “face the fear and do it anyway”
- Live outside our “familiar zone”
- Build new habits / develop psychological muscle
- Inspire ourselves and be inspired by others
- Think positively
- Have confidence
- Impact our state of mind and wellbeing
I know I’ve lived through and beyond unpleasant circumstances. Through them, I have learned that ultimately circumstances are not us. Life is quite a teacher and through it all, the lessons learned have been well worth the circumstance.
Defining moments exist for all of us. You know you. No one else can tell you how to think, feel or act. When you use moments for your benefit and realize you can small steps toward courage, you allow you to be you!
If you are curious about contingency planning at home and work and why this may benefit you, I invite you to contact The Living Planner. We proactively help you assess your situation in business and home and explore ways for you to protect what is important to you by asking questions. What is your risk? Your plan? Are you ready to be ready?
Contact us to learn more about how we work with individuals, business owners and employees via Email or online @ The Living Planner #LifePlanningSimplified #CareForPeopleCareForBusiness