Brave-ish
/When you hear the word “brave,” do you think of something like skydiving or taking a big risk? Many people associate “brave” with a big scary adventure or something on a grand scale.
Brave-ish isn’t a grand event, it is a baby step toward building courage. Brave-ish is doing things like asking for help, trying something new, or saying “I don’t want to.”
i have talked with so many smart, loving, gifted people who feel stuck because they lack the courage to share their gifts, speak up, share their ideas, or step into their potential. I talk with women who feel resentful because they are afraid to enforce boundaries. I talk with men who feel stuck because they are afraid to share their feelings and emotions. Let’s build our brave-ish muscles this week.
The way we build our courage muscles is to take baby steps of bravery. Bravery researcher, Dr. Kristen Lee, calls this “micro-dosing bravery.” Her research has found that a little small act of bravery every day, can build resilience, reduce anxiety, spark creativity, and increase your energy levels.
Here are a few ideas for micro-dosing bravery:
speaking up in a group
creating something
inviting someone to something
telling your story
reaching out to an old friend
taking a class
hiring help
throwing things away
taking a day off
dancing like no one is watching
asking for a raise
skipping the party
saying “no”
saying “yes”
A woman in a class I was leading last week, said she wanted to be more “brave-ish.” She described that she wanted to grow more comfortable with being uncomfortable. She was going to try new things and stretch herself beyond her comfort zone. Being brave-ish was how she would start. Small steps toward greater courage.
If we are all a little more brave-ish, we might engage more in social justice, volunteer, contribute, and give. We might speak, vote, and act more bravely. We might see love begin to win.
Practice small doses of courage this week and see what you notice.
Sending love to your courageous soul,
