The Heart Pocket Word for the day is Awesome

Monday, February 21, 2011

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Courage!

What makes the muskrat guard his musk? - click to watch video

 The word from my heart pocket is Courage.

 We all have moments. We're faced with a difficult decision and from some place deep inside it rises to greet us: Courage. We're proud of ourselves for those moments and although they can come few and far between, it's wonderful to know it's a part of our character.

And what about daily challenges, the little things easy to ignore, thrown off as insignificant and unimportant? Do we call it courage to go the extra mile at work, to attend our child's ballgame even if it means inconveniencing a client? Is it courage to phone our creditors to ask for a lower payment or more time to get the money for a bill when finances are low? Are we courageous when we own up to mistakes or tell the truth when a lie might feel easier at the time? Do we have the fortitude to stand by our principles? Can we summon the confidence to speak up when needed? Are we able to move at the very moment an opportunity shows itself? Is courage a part every choice?

I've noticed that big can actually be quite small in the end, and that it's the little choices that make the difference in a life. Finding the courage to take the high road even though there's a hill to climb and it will take a bit longer than the low road builds strength of character. As in all behavioral habits, the more we practice, the more a part of our DNA they become. 

We think of our heroes as being strong and brave, filled with the courage not found in us common folk. But who among you knows a hero in your neighborhood, your office, your kid's ball team? What teacher can you name who braves the overcrowded classroom to not just teach to the test, but to inspire the joy in learning something new? Who do you know that overcame a physical obstacle to continue enjoying what we would call an ordinary day? When did you take the time to listen to someone's disappointment or let your child proudly and painstakingly read to you before bed? How often do you venture out of your comfort zone to get new clients, raise money for a good cause, submit that book proposal to a publisher for perusal? 

THE KEY TO COURAGE IS VULNERABILITY. IF YOU CANNOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE VULNERABLE, YOU WILL NEVER KNOW REAL COURAGE.

It takes courage to be compassionate. 

To delay gratification one more time so your dream has the chance to succeed requires grit, guts and fearlessness - courage.

They call it courage when we choose to start over, even if the odds are against us.  

It takes a big heart to display courage. It also requires temperance and forgiveness and sometimes the hardest and bravest choice is letting go.

Please share a story of courage in the comments section with today's readers. Better yet, take a courageous step today and feel the warmth that valor brings, even if it goes unnoticed by all but you.

Practice courage and find the hero inside ...

1 comment:

  1. No stories from here today, but I just think of the times when it's taken courage to say "no", or to say "yes"... to have known some risk was there in doing so, but being vulnerable to my own truth, hearing myself, and acting out of that place. Doesn't mean I wasn't afraid, but that I realized that I needed to make the choice and take the risk to come from a more honest place. And that's something that can overlay on the tiniest and the biggest things we face through any day. And when 'change' is in the air — as it feels like it is for so many of us — then it takes courage to take the actions and make the declarations to move away from what has been, and towards what we feel called to... the courageous "yes" and "no" that this requires. It is a kind of hero's journey, isn't it?

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