https://tessrene.com/accepting-what-is/I took a big hit when I disagreed with a group of people. I stuck my neck out & thought I was courageous by standing up for what was right. Instead, I got flattened. The experience got me thinking differently about what courage means to me.
I’m Re-Thinking Courage.
There are many forms of pain & addiction in this world & I have compassion for all addicts. But when addiction harms others, I feel compelled to speak up. Sadly, some people will protect the system they belong to at any cost.
Such was my experience when I chose to speak up. I once worked with a man who struggled with a sexual addiction that he voraciously hid from his colleagues & hurt others with as a result.
At the time, I chose to believe that justice would prevail: that’s the motto I learned as a kid. Right must rightly win & deceitful people get punished.
I chose vulnerability & openness over anger & fear. I trusted that a good intent & willing spirit would be infectious. That my integrity & honesty would speak for themselves & I’d “shine” my way through the fear that permeated the people I was working with & they’d see the truth.
Surely they wouldn’t want to stay blind & deceived? Yes. They would.
It turns out; sometimes, people don’t want to know the truth when it inconveniences them.
There are corrupt people in this world & there comes a time when the only way to survive their wrath is to accept the fact you just happened to get in their way.
Accepting that as a human being, you will come across all sorts of experiences, including betrayal. It means nothing about who you are and far more about who the betrayers are.
If you have faced such a circumstance and think you should have been more brave or outspoken or not let them “win,” I urge you to reconsider what courage means:
Courage Means:
- Courage is not feeling the fear and doing it anyway; it’s sometimes doing nothing.
- Courage is not standing in the arena; it’s sometimes not standing in the arena.
- Courage is knowing what you do and don’t want and doing that (or not).
- Courage is speaking your mind, no matter what anyone says, does or thinks you ‘should’ do.
- It is speaking (or not) whether they notice you (or not)
- It’s speaking out whether or not it makes people uncomfortable.
- It’s not knowing what to do & showing up anyway.
Sometimes bravery is walking away and allowing the rest of the world to think you are a coward.
Sometimes it’s knowing your desires and speaking them for people to hear.
Sometimes it’s knowing your desires and NOT speaking them for people to hear.
Being brave is not about what you DO; it’s about integrity & aligning your inner self to your outer self. So let your focus be what is integral to your values.
Brave is doing what’s true to you.
And sometimes, being brave hurts.
We hold onto our silence because we are afraid to lose something however I say, if the time is right, shake the tree and let what falls to the ground stay there. I believe it was supposed to be lost so that you could be free.
Related Articles:
https://tessrene.com/losing-a-friendship/
https://tessrene.com/letting-go/
https://tessrene.com/how-to-stop-stress/
https://tessrene.com/how-to-face-your-fears-and-build-resilience/
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