“Home of the free…..because of the brave.”
                                  ~ Wise saying
 
I love that saying about freedom and bravery.  Every time I read it, it gives me goose bumps.  I think of the people who showed their bravery, who got into the arena, and who did the work.  For sure I think of our brave soldiers thru the generations making the sacrifices for all of us so we have a life of freedom.  As we celebrate America’s Independence Day this July 4th, the topic is bravery.  Happy Birthday America!
 
Today, I want to look at another level of bravery and that’s about your bravery.  Whenever you are faced with fear, how do you react?  Most reactions are either flight, fight, or freeze. Depending on the situation, any one of those may be appropriate.
 
Let’s bring our attention on those fears that are not life-threatening…..the ones where one choice changed the direction of your life.  It could be involving your career, your family, your health, your happiness, your potential, your character, your dignity, your freedom, or your community.   What ones do you remember?
 
I believe the notion of fear being ever-present and we should embrace it.  Don’t wait for the fear to go away because it doesn’t.  When we feel fear and do the thing any way, I think it tells us we are living our truth, we are moving in the direction of our true potential, and we are alive. 
 
Whenever confronted with fear, we shouldn’t let it stop us.  We acknowledge it and then we move forward to do what we want to do and do what is the right thing to do. 
 
Once we are clear about our vision, it can become an anchor that keeps us rooted in what is important.  Feeling the fear and doing it anyway.
 
I remember a few significant moments in my life where if I let fear win, the whole course of my life would be entirely different today.  One split second career decision was the difference with me having the comfortable lifestyle I have today.  One early morning where I showed up for testing for a position I really wanted, but got afraid when I saw the long, long line of men testing for the same position, I froze.  In that same moment, I told myself I prepared for this, I want this, and I’m ready to do this.  I had 2 choices…..get back in my car and leave or walk toward the building and get in line.  I chose the second and ended up having a 25-year career in that profession.  
 
Fear can show up in the simplest of ways.  It can be a hidden thing too, something that is masked into something you don’t recognize.  Today, I face fears with growing my business. I really didn’t see it as fear; I thought it was a lack of motivation.  But speaking with my business coach just this week, she gave me the clarity to see my lack of motivation was really fear.
 
So in light of what I’m writing of today, I know I need to be more brave with growing my business.  So I’m committed to 10 courageous acts for my business during this month of July.  I’m coming up with a list of the 10 courageous acts for my business.  They should be acts that re-ignite me as well as terrify me.  I’m getting complacent with the things I am doing in my business and need to take those actions that are less comfortable for me. 
 
And so I’m inviting you to commit to this challenge of 10 courageous acts this month (10 Courageous Acts Challenge).  What areas in your life do you want to be more courageous? Does anyone want to join me?  If you want to join me, just message me and share with me what your courageous acts are. (You can brainstorm a list and narrow it down to ten…or more than ten, but at least ten.)  
 
I’ll report to you on the courageous acts I completed and how I felt about those acts on a later blogpost.  
 
I leave you with this thought…..
 
What if we practiced courage every single day?
 

If this post resonates with you, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.  Also if you think that there are people in your world who would benefit from receiving my self care tips, please do forward or share this post.