Stand in courage with the heart of a lion.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about what it means to be courageous. When people are going through something really significant or challenging they seem to step up and act with courage out of necessity. 

These examples are profound. They often inspire me to try to step up my game when it comes to being more courageous. When I think of acts of courage that come to mind, I think of people going through illnesses or the loss of a loved one. My heart goes out to individuals going through something that hard.

Courage can also show up in small ways too. There is something magical that happens when people exhibit everyday courage. When one steps outside of their comfort zone and takes a small step to do something that frightens them. I think we let fear get in the way of our best selves sometimes, and the antidote to that fear is to step into courage. 

I love the movie The Wizard of Oz, well, minus the creepy scenes with those flying monkeys. I love the example of the Cowardly Lion. The Lion digs in deep to understand that the unknown isn’t as scary as it seems. He learns that if he faces his fears head-on he can live a life beyond his wildest dreams.

For me, everyday courage shows up in ways where I know I need to bring up a conversation that I am dreading, but I do it anyhow. And most of the time, everything goes better than expected. Or when I am getting back on a workout program and I don’t want to suck at it, but we all know the only way to not suck at it is to keep trying until it gets easier. It takes courage to listen to that inner knowing. 

I am also thinking about a dear friend who is going through a hard season. For her courage is about speaking up for what she needs and wants in her personal and professional life and leaning into things that bring her joy. I would give myself (and all of you) the same advice I gave her. “You deserve to be happy, and only you know what truly brings you joy. I encourage you to lean into your own inner knowing and have the courage to speak up for yourself."  

I think society sometimes conditions women, especially moms, to put their wants and needs at the bottom of a long list of demands. When we do that for a really long period of time, we can sometimes feel lost and unsure of where to go to “find ourselves again”. I think a great place to start is to have a small amount of courage to make one small change. 

If you are feeling a little lost, a little stuck, or maybe you are going through the motions of life, I encourage you to step into your courage and make one small change this week. Trust that you have that courage deep in your bones. Step into that courage with the heart of a lion!

Love and light my friends! 

Kara