Is courage just a word we use to describe the people we think do extremely brave things? Until recently that’s the way I viewed it. I’ve had the word courageous used in reference to myself, but I didn’t feel it fit. You see I was using the word to relate to soldiers, fire fighters, police officers because they go above and beyond in the line of duty every day. But what I have recognized is courage can also be used relating to being courageous of spirit and courageous of heart and that is how it was being used with regards to me.

You see I didn’t recognize it because I have an old pattern that tells me I’m just me … nothing special just me. So, when I hear the word courage or courageous being used regarding me, my inner chatter goes … “yah yah. whatever, I’m not courageous”. I believe if we let our inner chatter run us it’s true, we aren’t courageous because we are letting our ego have control and we are hiding in our smallness. When we do this, we can remain invisible in the shadows and tell ourselves that we don’t matter and it’s best to be small. I think the word courageous terrifies some of us because we feel if we let this word in then we have something to live up too.

What if, and this is a big what if, you just lead with your courageous heart and listened to your inner knowing instead of your inner chatter. What do you think life would look like? Do you think if you lived from that space you could stay in the shadows? You might perceive the shadows to be safer and more comfortable, but are they? What are they costing you? What toll do they have on you emotionally, physically, and spiritually? Will they take you off your path? No, not really, because you are still here for a purpose and there are many ways to get there. But wouldn’t it be better to live from your courageous heart and live by following your inner knowing? My friend and mentor Jennifer Hough says something along this line … you can either go on this journey dancing and playing and being the authentic you or you can go kicking and screaming. It is really your choice.

I started this out with the word courage because it has been coming to me a lot lately. It takes courage to be you every day but it’s totally a choice you can make. It takes courage to listen to your inner knowing and to shine your light for the world to see but you can make that choice. It takes courage to walk out of living in the shadows, but you have the ability to make that choice. It takes courage to not isolate yourself and to ask for help and stand with others, but you have the courageous heart to make that choice as well. I used to think I had to do everything myself but one of the most courageous things I ever did was say … I don’t have to be alone and I need some love and assistance please. We are never alone, and our courageous hearts will remind us of that as long as we listen!