Live Life with Courage

One of the solutions to overcoming fear is to develop courage.

For instance, if conquering a particular fear hasn't worked for you, the idea is to develop courage.

Contrary to what some may believe, courage is not a quality you are, or are not, born with. It can be cultivated and honed.

Nor does acquiring courage entail doing something dramatic or astoundingly heroic. On a day-to-day basis, many ordinary folk summon uncommon courage to overcome physical and psychological barriers to achieve various necessities and goals.

What, then, is courage?

Courage is the mental and emotional preparedness and ability to deal with difficult, challenging, and sometimes seemingly impossible circumstances. It is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, intimidation, and other threats.

Why should we aspire to develop courage?

When we work to develop courage, we empower ourselves to confront problems head-on and acquire the skills required to deal with life's inevitable challenges.

Courage is a psychological muscle!

Indeed, when we build any muscle, we do so to build strength and resilience. When many of us resort to harmful and counterproductive substances to deal with problems, we would do better to rely upon a healthy supply of courage. Undoubtedly, it is the wiser alternative.

Developing courage is another way to take responsibility for one's state of mind, circumstances, and well-being, and it is essential in building strategies for living a more productive, happy, and meaningful life.

As Maxwell Maltz, author of Psycho-Cybernetics, points out:

"We must have courage to bet on our ideas, to take the calculated risk, and to act. Everyday living requires courage if life is to be effective and bring happiness".

How to Develop Courage:

⮞ Acknowledge and understand that it's not the absence of fear. Even the most courageous of us experience fear and trepidation. John Wayne said: "Courage is being scared to death -- and saddling up anyway."

Ask any soldier or warrior who has had to venture forth in battle. Few would deny feeling fear and uncertainty beforehand.

⮞ Muster up the willingness to do so. Before acquiring any habit or character trait, you must have a strong desire or willingness to do so. Contemplating the alternative, which would be to live in fear or a position of great vulnerability, should provide ample motivation.

⮞ Read literature and the latest news, and watch movies about tales of courage. Reading about the courageous acts of others is very inspiring and offers examples for all of us. In one of my favorite works of literature, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote, although very ill-equipped for it, courageously sets forth to right the wrongs of the world. He faces scorn, ridicule, and resistance at every turn, yet perseveres.

"One man scorned and covered with scars still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable stars, and the world was better for this." Don Quixote, de la Mancha

Likewise, you need not read much further than stories from 9/11 to be moved and inspired. Consider the courage and bravery of ordinary men and women, firefighters, police, and all those who have given their lives to save others. Who can forget the accounts of their honorable actions and how they didn't think twice about the consequences to themselves?

⮞ Start small, but start somewhere. Venturing forth and stepping out of your comfort zone can be daunting, so start by doing something small. Ask that cute girl or guy for a coffee (herbal tea, juice, power shake). Sure, it may be scary, but that's all right - do it anyway. If you normally hold back and are afraid to speak up, offer your opinion and suggestions at the next office meeting. It may feel awkward at first but know that it gets easier with practice.

Slowly but surely, build up your courage by doing the things you typically shy away from. Building courage in this way can help you when it's time to quit that job you are not suited for or leave a relationship you've long since outgrown.

⮞ Develop faith and confidence. A large part of developing courage is having faith in yourself, believing in a higher power, and believing that things will work out. This type of confidence comes from maintaining a positive attitude and visualizing a favorable outcome. A courageous mindset is the product of faith, self-confidence, and positive thinking.

Ultimately, living life with courage means being willing to take risks and push past our comfort zones. It is developing a mindset that allows us to overcome obstacles, acknowledging our doubts and fears but not letting them control our actions.