“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”
~ Anais Nin

Sometimes Courage doesn’t feel strong and courageous. Sometimes it just feels like you’re doing something incredibly uncomfortable, scary or intimidating.

Sometimes courage feels anything but courageous, and often times it feels unsexy and unglamorous.

Often when I think of the word courage I see an image of the heroine from Hunger Games, and other images of warriors who swiftly move past fear to fight for their mission. Yet when I look at my own journey, obstacles, and challenges, I don’t often feel courageous. At times when I’m my most courageous, I’m shaking and I feel timid and small.

Regular “everyday courage” can look very different than an image of a warrior.

It might look like an agoraphobic walking outside and taking a walk around the block.

It might look like a shy person speaking up for themselves.

It might look like a person walking into a job interview, or a person walking out of a career.

It might look like a person pursuing their dreams even though they haven’t figured out how.

Along the journey towards our dreams we may find ourselves feeling doubtful, intimidated, and unsure. We may encounter uninvited situations and set-backs; we may make mistakes and find ourselves second guessing ourselves.

Courage is going from idea to action.

Courage is taking the next step no matter how much fear and doubt arise.

Courage is doing the things that are scary, and hard to do, regardless of how many times we stumble and stop or pause.

Courage is getting back up, and re-committing yet again.

Courage is moving forward when we’re not sure of how we’re going to it, or what lies ahead.

Courage is moving past fear, doubt, and insecurity and moving into action.

Courage is facing your fears no matter how massive you feel they  are.

Wherever you are along your journey, follow your dreams even when it’s messy. Taking the next steps, and the leaps of faith, can knock the breath out of us for a moment. Excuses may arise, and obstacles will show up. Courage is moving through it! The only way out of fear, is to take action. Just think, how much less stress we’d feel if we allowed ourselves to trust the process along the way.

Trust in yourself.

Trust your courage.

Yes, you do have it in you!

Please share your thoughts by adding your comment.

The Truth About Courage originally appeared on Kaizen Vision on May 25, 2012.
http://www.kaizenvision.com