Finding Courage in Your Values

Courage is terrifying to embrace. You become vulnerable and risk pain. But there are things in life that are worth the risk of getting hurt, and that courage is what you need to achieve them. Like activist Maggie Kuhn voiced, "Leave safety behind. Put your body on the line. Stand before the people you fear and speak your mind - even if your voice shakes. When you least expect it, someone may actually listen to what you have to say. Well-aimed slingshots can topple giants." When you are thinking about leaving behind your fears, you need to consider, what is the value of your fight? Therapists often ask their clients to be brave in confronting that which haunts them. Why? Because the person in front of us is worth it. Their happiness, joy, and mere existence is worth it. If that is harder to accept, then perhaps a better life is worth the risk. A life filled with friends and people that care about you, or a romantic relationship that excites and comforts your heart, can both be plenty reason to address the hardest parts within yourself. Maybe it is a sense of purpose and legacy that pushes you to leave your fears behind. Find what drives you towards self-improvement, and you will find your courage waiting there for you.

"Leave safety behind. Put your body on the line. Stand before the people you fear and speak your mind - even if your voice shakes. When you least expect it, someone may actually listen to what you have to say. Well-aimed slingshots can topple giants."

~ Maggie Kuhn