The Rewards of Bravery

Bravery comes in many forms and most importantly: it does not come easily! But once you grasp hold of even the tiniest seedling, it can flourish into amazing ways. Last month, I started this blog. I already told you how I published and unpublished it many times because I was so scared and nervous. A month later, I still find it hard. As soon as fear puts its clammy hand on my heart, I want to delete it all and hide under my blanket. But here are the reasons why I do not:

Your encouragement

The biggest thanks goes to YOU! I am blessed to know warm, generous and kind people!

I bet you are familiar with the symptom: loud and nagging voices in your head: „This is ridiculous!“, „You are embarrassing yourself!“, „How vain!“, „What makes you think that your blabbing is in any way good enough to be put out there?“, etc. etc. Often I am tempted to do as they ask, just to make them shut up.

I am torn: if I give up, how will I ever get closer to pursuing what I enjoy? If I stand my ground, how to deal with all that noisy doubt and anxiety?

Turns out, that you handed me a volume control! With every smile, friendly note, or call, I can add other voices. I whisper: „I am so glad I did this.“, „Look, friend A is still talking to me, how nice!“, „I am proud of myself for not (yet) giving in to my fear!“.

Positive Feedback Loop

There is a reason, why we all start in beginner’s courses when we acquire a new skill. It is comforting to meet other learners and team up in the effort to fail and possibly later conquer the art of yoga, rumba, arabic or whatever.

Since I have started here, some of you have reached out and shared your own writing with me. That is fantastic! How inspiring to know that we are all working on something dear to us!

Isn’t it much easier to face the dark passage under the train tracks, a big spider or a gang of marauding chicken with a group of friends? First, you have strength in numbers, but secondly, in a group, you try harder to give your best. You understand that your sobs and screaming might tether the frail nerves of the others. So, you reach for that extra bit of bravery within you to help boost your group’s confidence.

To never fail is to never succeed

My worst fears have (not yet) materialised. My list of worries is still long and winding. But I am glad that you helped me with my hesitant steps in the right direction.

It seems to be the right path: I enjoy the walk and I already see little saplings of interest sprouting up along my way: small requests and projects to hone my skills.

Of course, all these negative thoughts still whisper and whine. And more often than I like it, they raise their voices to a scary chorus. But, I now know, that it is not the only sound out there. Instead, I bravely tell myself, that it might turn into ambient noise one day. Possibly.

So, no matter if the journey is at times slow or even backwards, or one day a running jump to success: Let’s brave it together!