Be Brave: The Little Book of Courage

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For example, you might say something like “I accept myself today for who I am” or “I am worth love.” Flexibility. Cognitive flexibility is the ability to adapt to changing situations. [9] X Trustworthy Source Science Direct Online archive of peer-reviewed research on scientific, technical and medical topics Go to source It's the ability to stay away from defensiveness if something goes wrong. It's the ability to look for new ways to approach a problem or situation. You can develop flexibility by recognizing the potential for learning in all situations, and by developing a mindset of curiosity rather than worry. [10] X Research source Intentions are the thoughts that lend direction to your actions. If you want to be more brave in certain areas of your life, then you need to intentionally channel bravery into your everyday actions. Sometimes it is nothing more than gritting your teeth through pain, and the work of every day, the slow walk toward a better life. Unconditional kindness requires courage. As you probably know well, it’s not always easy to be kind or assume the best about people.

Are you prepared to face the consequences? If the action you're about to do has huge consequences, take an extra second to think about it. If the worst-case scenario happened, would you be able to handle it?Reject perfectionism. Perfectionism is the culprit behind many fears. We may be so afraid that our efforts won't be “perfect” that we don't even attempt them. It's a common myth that perfectionism is the same as healthy ambition, or a drive for excellence. In reality, perfectionism tries to keep us from ever experiencing loss or failure — and that just isn't possible in life. [15] X Research source It is worth noting—in addition—that courage tends to beget courage. When you act with bravery and regularly stand up for others, for your values or for yourself, you develop your comfort and competence for the next time, and the next. The Finnish concept of sisu applies here. Studies at Aalto University found the deeply-held cultural construct suggests we can surpass perceived limitations and access storehouses of inner strength. These can get us started on a long journey or keep us going, demonstrating determination. It is the idea of ‘embodied fortitude’—the demonstration of grit. Types of Courage

Perfectionism can often lead to a sense of shame in yourself because it focuses only on your flaws. It's very difficult to show courage if you're ashamed of yourself. [16] X Research source And that it’s precisely because you’ll feel fear and anxiety that you’ll be given the opportunity to show bravery. Be DOMINANT with Women: Know How to MASTER Them (In Everyday Life) to Make Them Fantasize About YouKnowing what you’re afraid of helps you deal with these emotions. You get to understand what is causing it and when you do, it’s much easier to see that your fears can be mitigated. Resilient people try not to be hard on themselves when they don’t succeed and have a growth mindset. When you have a growth mindset, you believe you can learn through your failures and try again. 9. Don’t aim for perfection If trust is one of your core values, try viewing a dilemma through the lens of trust. Do you trust the people involved in a certain situation? Do you trust yourself? Develop mental resilience. Bravery requires you to be “tough” when you encounter scary or difficult situations. Mental resilience is more than just a tough front, though. To be truly resilient, you need to practice the following: [8] X Research source

While you can plan for years or give yourself positive encouragement, the best way to build your courage is to just do the things that you want to try but are scared to do. Also know your limits . Often growth requires you to go outside your comfort zones and embrace new situations, take new actions or venture out despite being unsure or afraid. Putting forward a risky idea or recommending a novel approach may require you to go in new directions. Realize how you’ll need to stretch so you can be prepared to take forward action. Once you conquer your fear for the first time, don’t stop there. Strengthen your fearlessness like a muscle by overcoming your fears on a regular basis. But it takes a lot of bravery to accept that you are ultimately responsible for everything that happens in your life. While you can’t always prevent bad things from happening, you are in complete control as to how you respond to them.Practicing mindfulness in all areas of your life means always staying grounded in the present moment. Mindfulness practices like breathwork and meditation can help you relieve worries and anxiety. Based on some of our most popular content, this eBook will help you to live that life. It explains about the concepts of living well and ‘goodness’, together with how to develop your own ‘moral compass’. Pave your way, slowly but surely, to your “end goal.” This can be the thing you are most afraid of. These milestones will not only remind you of your steady progress, but will also act as another training platform for you. 13) Do the things that you can do right now Dig down deep to figure out what you are worried about: it’s likely something that has nothing to do with you and everything to do with how people will perceive you for doing the thing you want to do. Eventually, we start to feel unfulfilled because we’re not living an authentic life. Instead of moving forward, we stay in a safe place that we’ve long outgrown. Professional growth

You’re so afraid of the consequences that you might suffer by taking action that you don’t make a move at all. Imagine you’re currently in an unfulfilling role. You know that you need to make a career change, but the thought of failing is keeping you from making a decision. So you stay where you are for another year, or two, or three. This is just one example of how the fear of failure affects your professional growth. Instead of advancing in your career, developing new skills, and being in a role that aligns with your true potential, you choose to feel safe. Is this the right thing to do? The right thing isn't always the easiest, nor the most popular. Rely on your conscience to help you decide.

As you expose yourself to your fears and anxieties, it’s only normal for your brain to begin second-guessing itself. If you enjoyed this article (and even if you didn’t), you’ll love this other extensive post I recently published: What am I actually afraid of? Is it the right thing to be afraid of? Should I be this afraid of it – or rationally, should I be less or more afraid? You just force your body to take the action you want it to take, knowing that the mind will follow when you get your feet wet. How do I know that my actions will have an effect? How can I be sure that they will not do any harm?