Love, Courage and The Big Dare
03 Feb 2016
"Be Fearless". You've more than likely come across this shout-out in social-media, commercials or on a t-shirt. Anyone who takes time to reflect on this will likely raise memories which reveal that anything that was worth achieving came with some initial discomfort. It rattled our nerves, or led us to even seemingly lose our mind temporarily. Maybe we fought for what we wanted or maybe we fled. Probably experienced all of the above at some point in our lives.
Be Courageous". I bought the t-shirt a long time ago. And maybe you do too. Repeated this mantra a thousand times long before I knew what a mantra was. Courage is a quality that our mind has to command, digging deep into our heart to conjure it upwards and out. If you've known what it takes, then you know a truth; fearlessness doesn't exist, courageousness does, available at will to us sensitive Earth-bound souls. And this ride, comes with waves of turbulence. So take a deep breath, buckle up, and dare yourself not to close your eyes. You'll be shouting out the big 'woohoo!' once you land.
Our common experiences like leaving home, buying our first house, saying yes to a new job or starting a business, traveling to a foreign country or even just eating in a restaurant alone for the first time, can be both exhilarating and scary in the same moment. We experience a full spectrum of unusual feelings and all at once. No one warns us. It's our destiny to make sense of life, and to do it all by ourselves.
"I know what it means to be Brave. When you feel afraid, but have the courage to do it anyways." ~ Michael Marentette
Wise words shared when my son was just six. He must have already experienced the rewards in order to articulate this truth. To go deep, to find that power, to push through the fear, that inner conflict, and come out the end triumphant, satisfied and happy, that is the reward.
Choices, dares, they can sneak up on us when we least expect it; "Yes or no? What will it be? Quick! Will you take the dare? What do you choose?" We feel the blood leave our head and rush to our feet. "Will my answer define my destiny? Will I choose wisely? Will I have regret if I do or regret if I don't? Then Whoosh - you lose your mind and choose the dare. In a timeless moment, your rational mind is commanded to step aside, your personality gives way to your Spirit. You feel something powerful rise up inside you, your nervous system lights up and then you hear these strange words spilling out of your mouth - "I'm doing it!". Destiny seals your words and intention.
Choice. It is a moment you cannot prepare for. But we can come to learn through ups and downs that we must rely on trust and faith in our own life, in our own Spirit. That is always the right answer, the right thing to do. Regardless if we fall or fly.
This is the Great Adventure of Life, the adventure of self-discovery, the one that really counts, defined by moments that dare us to be brave and reveal ourselves. Are we willing to have an experience that we cannot fully predict, and just trust that we will be wiser and better for having tried?
Is our life story equal to our courage, trust and faith?
I say 'Yes' and a big 'WooHoo!'
Keep Dreaming
