FINDING COURAGE

I bet it’s been a long time since you heard about, or read anything about courage. I thought about courage over this long holiday weekend, as I reflected on my life a bit, in the context of what’s going on with my friends and family, seen within the context of world events. Courage seems to be a lost concept for many people; the pace of life is so quick, and the demands of life can be overwhelming on so many levels, that many people are caught up in sheer survival: courage might seem like an uber-luxury.

But courage has always been there, and the chances are that it is not going away any time soon. When I first think about courage, I think of President John Kennedy, and his book, Profiles in Courage. But Kennedy was certainly a flawed persona, who obtained the White House with not a little bit of corrupt help, courtesy of his dad, and Mayor Daly of Chicago.

For any time, but particularly the times we are living in, understanding true courage, and acting courageously, can be a huge benefit. Courage could be deemed absolutely necessary to maintain a clean energy field. And let’s not forget, that energy is the key to living the life that you really want, with as little resistance as possible. How do we get there?

1. Don’t be afraid to take a stand. Being courageous means sometimes taking a stand, and that stand may not always be popular.

2. Do what feels right, not what’s expected. So easy to say, but can be challenging to do. When you start to live this way, try small steps, then see how it feels.

3. Go at your own pace. Don’t let anyone bully you into anything, including acting courageously! Never forget that you are the master of your destiny,

4. Encourage courageous behavior in others. It’s easy to get caught up in the status quo, but being courageous removes you from that category. Encourage the behavior in others that you embrace yourself; this gives integrity to your intention and actions.

5. Keep your courage low key. The most important thing about courageous behavior is to do it-not to talk about it. So be like those anonymous donors of great charitable gifts: do more and talk less.