1 minute read.
We’re often taught that bravery and vulnerability do not go together. That to be brave you cannot also be emotional. In fact, to push your emotions aside is the precise definition of brave.
But think about it for a moment…
Think back to a time in your life when you showed enormous courage. What other emotion or sensation was there?
Here’s the truth: courage CANNOT exist without fear, discomfort, or emotional vulnerability. If you did something that was not first scary, uncomfortable, or emotional, then to do it would not require bravery.
The people we consider the bravest in the world are not immune to fear, discomfort, or vulnerability. On the contrary, they are full of it, but they do what they need to do anyway. That is courage.
Doing something in spite of the fear you feel takes courage.
Doing something even though it causes you social or physical discomfort takes courage.
Sharing something that makes you emotionally vulnerable takes courage.
So, the next time you feel weak because alongside your bravery is an enormous emotion that seems like an unlikely companion, remember: it is this emotional companion that is proving your courage.
Bravery cannot exist without the opportunity to overcome fear, discomfort, or emotional vulnerability. That is precisely where your strength lies and how it grows, so own it.
With love and joy,
Tara
