Finding Courage in Your Life and Keeping It

Courage: the ability to do something that frightens you. Strength in the face of pain or grief.

by Mike Corthell

“To have something you never had,
you do something you never did.”

Courage is a human virtue — it is near the top of the list in fact. In times past it was considered one of the four cardinal virtues. Courage doesn't mean that you aren't afraid, it is about doing new things despite the doubts and fears that you have. And like preparing for anything, it takes PRACTICE.

Let's check this fear thing out.

Identify your fears. Before you can overcome and be truly courageous you need to know what makes you fearful, in fact there maybe a pattern. If there is, you can group them together and work on them all at once.

Embrace your fear. Fear is your natural response to situations that are unfamiliar or risky. But the more you avoid certain situations, the stronger that fear becomes.

Look at the fear objectively. ''What's the worst than can happen?'' should be your first question. Then ask, ''How likely is it that it will happen?

Don't hesitate. The longer you have to come up with excuses for not taking action, the more time you will have to panic about bad results that probably won't happen.

Meditate. Learn to be peaceful in mind and spirit. If you are peaceful and mindful of that inner peace, you can THINK and when you think you solve problems. Overcoming problems reduces stress.

Get outside your 'comfort zone'. Getting outside your comfort zone causes us anxiety, but it's a very good way to practice courage. Start small and know your limitations.

Build self-confidence. Confidence allows you to trust yourself, your skills and your abilities. Having confidence makes you realize that you are more than the sum of your fears.

Life is not fair. It takes courage to just face that one fact. Like the virtues of honesty and patience it does take practice. Be mindful of this and know that you are not alone. We are all fearful at times. It is how we handle that fear that is all important.

Your fear coping skills are all important in achieving a happy and fulfilled life.

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