Intention of the Month: Courage

"Bravery is being unafraid of something other people are afraid of. Courage is being afraid, but strong enough to do it anyway" — Taylor Jenkins Reid, Atmosphere

This month's intention at Counseling with Caisey is courage. Acts of courage, seemingly large or small, begin with the acknowledgment of fear. Fear is normal, healthy, and valid. Fear serves an important purpose for our survival, like all emotions. It's fear that makes us pause and assess—looking both ways before we cross the street. Courage is what moves us forward once we understand the risk. We need both to keep us safe and moving toward our objectives. Both are also correlated: the larger the risk associated with the fear, the greater the courage it takes to proceed.

In what ways are you being inspired to move courageously this month? Here are a few practical examples:

In Your Personal Life

Enacting personal courage may look like taking steps to process trauma, start a new job, get sober, go to the doctor, nourish your body, and/or take a rest. Courageous acts don't have to be large life changes. Rather, courage can look like small steps in the direction of what you value.

In Your Relationships

Courage can transcend our relationship with ourselves and expand to those around us. It takes courage to put yourself out there to start new relationships. It takes courage to mend or repair a relationship that has been damaged. It takes courage to walk away from a relationship that is ultimately harmful to your wellbeing. Fully showing up as your authentic self in relationships requires courage. So does setting boundaries.

In Your Community

There are plenty of opportunities to intentionally be courageous in your community. Courage in your community can look like getting involved in a local advocacy group, sharing your thoughts and opinions with local leadership, or donating time, money, and resources to a cause that is important to you. All of these acts involve a degree of courage to get involved and honor your values.

Any act of courage begins with taking the first intentional step while acknowledging the fear. The fear points us to what's important, but it doesn't have to keep us stuck in the same place. I encourage you to face this month with conscious courage, however that manifests in your life.

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The information provided on this blog is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. The content should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition.