ON COURAGE
photo: amanda saviñón
If you have been courageous before, you probably know it. And you know it because you know how much of your self you had to put aside to do whatever it took courage for you to do.
I have been going through some major life changes recently most of which are happening internally. It feels nice, overwhelming, bright, scary, and raw. It feels a lot like coming face to face with whatever this life thing is.
To arrive at this point in my life where I am experiencing some real, raw, and clean peace, and feel more ready than ever to continue curating my life, took courage by the ton. To share with you all right here, right now that deep down inside I feel amazing about participating in this life and that I walk in gratitude and awe every day, took courage just now.
While the dictionary would describe courage so simply: 'the ability to do something that frightens one, to me it could get quite complicated sometimes, though courage is beautiful and powerful always.
“Everyone has talent. What's rare is the courage to follow it to the dark places where it leads.” ― Erica Jong
One of the many reasons courage can sometimes become complicated though always beautiful an powerful, is because it can make us revisit places, situation, and emotions we might either not be ready to face or have refused to face. Courage will always require us to look within not only for it but also for backup. Another thing about courage is once you've turned it on, it does not turn off easily. When you decide you will pursue something and you finally gain, workup, or recognize the courage to go after it, not much can stop you. That’s quite beautiful.
Courage is not resisting fear or pushing it away, but instead working and learning it. Finding out what our fear is afraid of letting us see or feel might help us better understand that fear is good and not bad. Painful but informational. When you feel the fear and continue to do what you do despite it, that is courage.
Telling someone you love them takes courage.
Vulnerability takes courage af.
Leaving one's job takes courage.
Setting boundaries takes courage.
Following ones happiness takes courage.
Standing up to one's family and friends takes courage
Eating better takes courage.
Not doing what one does not want to do takes courage.
Self-care takes courage.
Finally telling your parents anything takes courage.
Finding information in anger and fear takes courage.
Knowing that death is for us all, and to continue living as if it isn’t the case takes courage.
Accepting an apology takes courage.
Forgiving takes courage.
Simply placing our feet on the floor in the morning when getting out of bed day after day takes courage. And in case no one has told you (because believe it or not we are constantly surrounded by people who see our light and magic but because of the fear of losing you will never tell you) let me be the one to tell you, YOU ARE COURAGEOUS for waking up today. YOU ARE COURAGEOUS for choosing yourself. YOU ARE COURAGEOUS for asking hard questions.
This month we are focusing on courage and what it takes to get it, use it, feel it, spot it, grow it, share it, laugh at it, cry about it, win with it... Last month we focused on acceptance and learned that it is in fact a bitch to implement at the times that you need it but the perks are SO GOOD. Another thing we learned about acceptance is that after you accept anything as it already is, you must continue accepting.
Accept and accept some more and then power up your courage because we’ll need it until the end of time.
Love you to the moon and right back to here,
Amanda Saviñón
Founder, Loyal Nana