As I understand it, feeling brave is not the same as feeling unafraid.
I think bravery is in play when you do something despite feeling afraid!
Something that helps me feel brave: pep talks and encouragement from people that I trust.
In some areas of life, it is very, very easy for me to sink into a state of second-guessing myself, and I end up afraid that I’m doing the wrong thing or making bad choices.
(For example, I often fall prey to the line of thinking that says, “If someone is upset with me, it means I did something wrong.”)
Anyway, when I trawl through my memories looking for times when I felt brave, a lot of those times involve someone giving me a pep talk or encouragement that I am doing the right thing or that I’m heading down the right path.
This really helps me stop with the needless second-guessing; I figure if several other wise people are telling me, “You’re doing the right thing. Keep going! Face this fear.”, then I probably am on the right path.
Not a thing, but people–my family. My husband really has no concept of second-guessing and fear of circumstances, so he just goes on ahead. Definitely not like me, but it works out for him, so that’s reassuring. And my children really believe I am brave. It’s nice to have a good reputation to live up to. 🙂
Facing death makes me feel brave. I am going through that today with our dog of (almost) 13 years. I have been putting it off as long as possible as he has declined over the last few months. But today it’s time to be brave and face it.
I’m sorry about your dog. It is so difficult to be at this stage with a beloved pet. Condolences.
Thanks Molly
Oh, friend, I am so sorry! Much love to you.
Thank you!
In passing this morning, I read a quote attributed to Rosa Parks, something along the lines of “bravery happens when you make up your mind” — I dunno, I’m not a quote person, but that resonated. Deciding is hard but I always feel better when the time for second-guessing is past.
Forcing myself to go through painful medical procedures makes me feel like I am a brave person. I have had a lot of medical care over my life, including open heart surgery in my 30s to fix a cardiac defect, and several of them have been very painful or had long recoveries. And then, of course, there is the fear of not waking up when you go under anesthesia…
Thanks Molly.