When times get hard you can boost your courage whenever you choose.
That may sound like a tall tale, but it truly isn’t.
Any time you are asked, by life or by your own choices, to explore in new directions, you have to stretch. And that stretch that will both challenge and nourish you.
It requires your flexibility and courage and in return offers you great rewards. So, when you boost your courage, you are giving yourself a very practical gift.
One of the biggest ways that you nourish yourself when you boost your courage is that you expand. I mean this very concretely. You discover that you actually have more of yourself to explore and take action with.
Even better, this expanding self is your energetic and proactive self. It’s the one that buoys your confidence and sparks your interest in new things.
Boost your courage.
But you and I both know that some days that expansive courage flows freely through your veins. Other days, perhaps you feel in need of a transfusion. What can you do on the “droop days”?
If you tend to scold yourself, prod yourself to buck up, or give up on yourself in exasperation, try something new. I suggest that you try something simple, profound, and brave.
Try love.
Let love boost your courage.
Self-acceptance and self-love are like oxygen in your blood. They will keep you going AND nourish you at the same time. This love and acceptance may be very simple, and it allows you to be brave.
You boost your courage when you are compassionate. Comfort with who you are this very moment provides an unshakable foundation for taking fresh new steps. Furthermore, your self-love helps you see clearly and pace yourself realistically. This, in turn, helps you stay grounded and allows you to learn as you go.
I like to think of my life as a progression of loving life lessons. Life provides the lessons; I provide the love. This compassionate embrace of each experience fuels my courage and opens me to whatever is around the corner or beyond the next ridge.
First, ask yourself…
So, next time you feel a strong desire to make a change, ask yourself if you’re motivated by self-loyalty or self-criticism.
If you sense any judgment or impatience, slow down. Replace harsh messages with self-affirming ones. Then you know that you are acting in your own best interests, not reacting to real or imagined criticism from others.
Begin any journey by explicitly appreciating who you are. You might give yourself an affirmation like, “I’m exactly where I need to be.” And know, right down to your toes, that you are. Everything in your life has led you to this point.
So warmly validate any and all steps that you have taken so far. The time you take to create a compassionate base for your courage will reward you every day of your life.
What will you do today, to incorporate this powerful and sustaining practice into your life?
Well, here’s some help…
Do you ever feel like you’re running on empty and there are no gas stations anywhere to be found? That’s what it’s like when you aren’t taking care of yourself.
It’s an awful feeling and one that’s all too familiar for many of us. In fact, if I had to guess, I’d say that finding time for self-care is one of the biggest challenges going. And I’ve created an E-Guide that addresses this challenge and offers you a path to creating your own, rejuvenating self-care routines and rituals. It’s titled “Self-Criticism or Self-Care? How Your Choices Define You, Your Time, and Your Life.”
This E-Guide gets right down to business as it offers questions, insights, and exercises aimed at helping you come to a deeper understanding of:
- What gets in your way when it comes to taking care of yourself.
- How your capacity for compassion is connected to self-care.
- The activities that are most nurturing for you, and how to include them in your schedule, EVERY day.
To begin your self-care journey and claim your copy of “Self-Criticism or Self-Care? How Your Choices Define You, Your Time, and Your Life” click below:
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