The Truth About Courage

Brave. Tough as nails. Courageous. Capable of anything. All things that have been said about me, and likely about many of you reading this. But I’m going to let you in on a little secret … I. HATE. CHANGE. Yes, that’s right. I despise it. It makes my skin crawl. It gives me anxiety. I want to scream and yell and cry for things to stay the same. It’s true. And yes, even when change means improvement or making things better … I would likely still choose SAME over CHANGE every single day of the week. And yet, I push through. I show up. I take action and make change happen. And many times I lead the way, holding others up and keeping the mindset and energy positive.

Let me back up a little though, I’m no expert here but I have been through a lot in my personal and business life. The good, the bad and the ugly you could say. And yes, I’ve been through a LOT of change. To be honest, I’ve handled some of it much better than others. I guess the real question is: how have I gotten this far with that feeling about change? A single word, courage.

“Oh hey friend, I see you struggling. I know this is hard. I know you’re freaking out and I know you’re upset. And I want you to know that it’s normal and it’s okay to not feel okay.”

See this conversation could just as easily be with someone else as it could be with myself. This is how I would talk to a client, or a colleague or friend. And it is how I choose to talk to myself too. And let me tell you, I have had this very same conversation many times over the last few weeks.

We are going through unprecedented change with this Covid-19 pandemic and crisis. We are dealing with an almost unbelievable number of things changing on a daily basis. Some people are navigating better than others. And for some, this is honestly a nightmare come true.

But here’s the thing about dealing with change and trying to dig deep to find the courage you need to get through. Wise words from Brené Brown, “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” So just show up friends. Show up however you can. Do your best. Be kind. Be compassionate. Be understanding and hold space for those friends and colleagues who are struggling more than you right now.

“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” - Brené Brown, Daring Greatly

I choose to believe we will be okay. I choose to use mindset to tap into the courage I need and want right now. And I choose to show up. I hope you will too. xo Ange