Fear: Beat it at its own game ...

Brave.
Courageous.
Great words.

I like ‘em.
Don’t’ you?
But, let’s be honest with each other. We only understand what they are if we acknowledge that we have stared into the flash-flame scarlet-hot eyes of - Fear.

I know Fear. I’d introduce you, but I’m sure you two have met before.
Now Fear and I, we have spent way too many hours glaring at one another.
We have yelled at one another across deafening black silence and hushing white noise.
We’ve tangled and wrestled ‘til both of us are battered and bloodied.
And I am only too aware the day will ne’er come when I will be completely free of my too familiar adversary, Fear.

People constantly look at one another and assume others are so much more “together” than they are. They don’t experience Fear.
I will assert to you, they may experience it differently, but they do experience it. Our friend Fear is a cross species experience. It is not something only you are held hostage by.
So as you read this, I believe you and I can look across this page at one another and know we are similar.
None of us is alone in this experience.
Every one of us has felt Fear.
Every one of us has known Fear.
Every one of us has lived in Fear.
Fear knows us and we know Fear, too well.

But, thankfully, we know the other side of the coin.
We may not always find the energy to move forward, make it through, push ahead, get it to happen, pull it out, go for it all, etc., etc.
But LOTS of times we do.
Lots of times WE DO.

And when we do we are COURAGEOUS. We are BRAVE.

You see despite the albatross around my neck with the tattooed moniker “Fear” upon its breast, I move forward in my life.
Each time I do I evoke the power of the word Courage.
I’ve learned from the wisdom of those who love me, I am “Brave”.
I have come to own the truth of this, painfully at times, I admit.
But I understand what it means to let Fear go, to beat Fear up, to push Fear aside.

Courageous.
Brave.
Are they words you’re comfortable with?
Are they words you attach to yourself?

Can you be with the thought of being “Brave?”
Or, of being Courageous?
Are these words you only offer to the behavior of others?

Courageous.
Brave.
Hold the words for a moment.

Now, move them closer to you.
Now a little closer, there, that’s good.

Let them belong to you.
C-O-U-R-A-G-E-O-U-S
B-R-A-V-E

I want you to recognize, as I take stock of often of in my world, you have lived your whole life moving past your fears.
You’ve started new jobs or opportunities, aware they seemed intimidating to you. That was courageous. That was brave.
You’ve opened your mind to original ideas and possibilities despite the fact you would have all new concepts to learn. You were courageous. You were brave.
Maybe, you’ll open your heart to someone you feel exciting feelings for even if you are afraid of getting hurt. This is courageous. This is brave.

To try. Courageous. Brave.
To expand. Courageous. Brave.
To give. Courageous. Brave.
To share. Courageous. Brave.
To love. Courageous. Brave.

To live. Courageous. Brave.