Hello, Lovely Soul Drop!
This is my 100th post! *dances around* I can’t believe I’m still here, but here I am! People tell me “You’re so brave!” when they listen to my life’s story. Truth is? Everyone is brave whether you know it or not, and that includes yourself.
What does being brave mean? According to the dictionary it is to be courageous…and that means what? Personally, I believe being brave means facing life, obstacles, and your dreams despite your fears. I’m terrified of the future. I’m terrified of not being enough, of failing, of not accomplishing anything at the end of my life, and to feel like my life was not what it was supposed to be. I’m brave because even though I’m terrified of a thousand possible futures I keep moving forward.
You are also brave, because you’re here reading this. You have suffered, you have struggled, you have shadows chasing you at night, and when you dive into your minds there are a lot of fears lurking around. Regardless of your shadows, you’re here. Even though you were broken, you were lost (maybe still are) and you have your insecurities…you’re still alive to face another day. Humans adapt to their circumstances, whichever they might be. I’m not especially strong or brave. I face my life the same way you face yours.
There is nothing in me that makes me special or “the chosen one”. We admire others; we believe their confidence is born from an innate characteristic that makes them different from others. I don’t think that’s the case. When my father died my mom was left alone with a ten-year-old to raise. She thought she wouldn’t be able to handle it, but she did. Life forces you into situations that bring out strength and courage you didn’t know you had. Maybe you think you wouldn’t be able to live with a chronic illness the rest of your life…but when you’re not given a choice you discover you were far more capable than you ever gave yourself credit for.
Look back at all that you have overcome. Acknowledge all the effort, the growth, the learning, and the transformation you have gone through. We’re brave because we have to be. The world is scary, and life is rough, yet we find reasons to smile, dream, create. Celebrate yourself, celebrate each victory, and remind yourself warriors are not born…they are made.
In today's world standing up for what you believe even when it goes against the mob is brave. Remaining an individual when others push for tribalism is brave. Speaking up even when others wish to cancel you is brave. However, you don't have to be loud to be courageous. Simply by going through life showing kindness whenever you can, seeking to comprehend yourself and others better, trying to be better than you were yesterday, and quietly improving step by step is also being a warrior.
I hope I can inspire others, because others have inspired me. Not all of my inspirations were famous or known, some were the quiet heroes of our everyday lives. Teachers, nurses, doctors, janitors, strangers on the street. Maybe you inspired me once and you don’t know it. To accept our influence power of influence on this world is brave. Finally, courage is born from a desire to choose the better path even when it's not the easier one. Being brave means to be a human who tries to improve every single day.
Thank you so much for reading and accompanying me on this journey of self-discovery. I’m extremely grateful for your support.
Podcast episodes:
Let’s Connect Monday (The gift of shadows): https://anchor.fm/bellemoon99/episodes/Lets-Connect-Monday-98--The-gift-of-shadows-e1o2hmq
Let’s be Kind Thursday (Balance is the key): https://anchor.fm/bellemoon99/episodes/Lets-be-Kind-Thursday-93--Balance-is-the-key-e1o7bi8