On Being Brave
Brave is a word that is learned and emphasized a lot in childhood. New to a world where everything is bigger, faster and stronger than they are, children are constantly faced with the unknown. With a loving mother or father nearby, a child can feel some sense of safety to be curious, explore and learn what all these new and strange things are. A parent will encourage the child and let them know it’s okay, or when the child is hurt and does experience some suffering, the parent will be there to say, “How brave you are!”
However, sometimes children, no matter how much support, can be too afraid (or stubborn!) to face what they are afraid of. And most of the time, parents know how silly they are being because they know that once the child tries the slide or experiences the water, we know how much joy or satisfaction there will be.
Maturity happens as we become experienced and knowledgeable about the world around us. We don’t fear the things we did as young children, but we absolutely continue to experience fear of many kinds. And still some of those things are irrational. All we have much of the time is our thoughts weighing out all the causes and effects, no matter how extreme or unlikely they are. You probably already realize that fear is mainly a product of our mind and past experiences or lack thereof. We fear because we don’t know or don’t understand. For example, we are faced with a choice and we are afraid to make a decision because we don‘t know for sure what the consequence will be. Or you might be afraid of spiders because of how creepy they look but you don’t know or appreciate the understanding that they are usually harmless and eat all the other bugs that can be so annoying!
As adults we no longer have that parental and moral support right there beside us when we need it, like children do. That means at times in life, we need to be more brave than we ever have been. It is up to us to reach out for support. That can be hard in itself. For some people, even little things in life require courage. Some of us need courage to get through the day in a painful body. Some of us require courage to leave an unfulfilling job or relationship. Some people need courage to just be who they are without fear of rejection and ridicule. And some may need the courage to let go of attachments and negative emotions they are holding onto for too long.
Take some time to think about how you can be brave in your life right now. What fears are holding you back from taking action on your dreams or goals? What good might come from that action and does it outweigh any of the negative possible consequences?
My message and service in writing this today is to let you know that I believe in you! I believe that you can do whatever it is you set your mind to. You can believe this, too! Inside your heart you can burrow deep to the source of your abilities, listen for the still small voice within saying, “I got you, don’t be afraid!” Remember that while our earthly parents may not be near, our eternal loving source of Divine Love is closer than the air we breathe.
To help support your experience, consider scheduling a session with me. I offer various ways to support your growth journey and I would love to see you bloom!
