“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”

 ― Brené Brown, Daring Greatly

Whenever I think of the words brave or bravery, the word warrior comes to mind: Mel Gibson with a blue face, Russell Crowe as the Gladiator, or even Mother Theresa with her blue edged head covering. I always associate bravery with big people doing big things—for God, others, or themselves. I very rarely hear the word brave and think of the small things. Yet, I am beginning to learn that the small things may provide the greatest opportunities for courage.

Getting up in the morning, taking the time to exercise, or speaking your mind may all exert some bravery, given the right circumstances. So why do we underestimate their importance? Why do we assume that the small things always fall under the everyday category?

Sure, getting up in the morning if you are waking up in a mansion with a trust fund may not be a big deal. Taking the time to exercise as an athlete may just be a part of your job. And speaking your mind in a meeting where you are the boss and everyone is going to listen to you, is just an every day occurrence.

But, what if you are waking up after a huge loss (a job, a dream, or someone close to you), and  though you just want to stay in bed, you get up, get dressed, and go out? What if depression has robbed you of your life and your body, yet you are deciding to change the tide by taking a walk this morning? Or, what if at work, you are never asked for your opinion, but you decide to share it?

Sometimes the simplest things are Brave.

Many times they matter more than we think. Taking the time to do things right, telling the truth when it might hurt us, taking a step towards a dream we thought died years ago? All brave. Loving when we don’t know if it will be reciprocated? Courageous. Taking care of ourselves and how we look, even when it feels like no one will notice? Gutsy.

Choosing HOPE in a world that is growing scarier by the minute?

Heroic.

Very often we make the mistake of believing that bravery is relegated to the famous or to cancer patients (who are SO BRAVE), and think our lives are nothing special. But what if our lives are nothing special because we keep passing up opportunities for bravery, thinking that they won’t matter? Thinking, no one will notice?

What if there are things only you or only I can do, and the world is missing out, because we haven’t done them?

One of the most important things missing from our world today is Everyday Bravery. The kind that we often pass by or write off—and yet the kind that when we see it done by others, can change our whole day or entire relationships.

Last year, a friend of mine had a co-worker that she knew was upset at her for something, but she wasn’t quite sure what. Weeks went by, and then finally she decided to go to her office and talk to her about it. Their conversation didn’t make them best friends, but it did make their working relationship a lot better than it had been for a long time.

Everyday bravery can bring reconciliation, change one’s direction in life, or even forge friendships. The bravery of the heroes of our culture, isn’t the only bravery that counts; yours does too.

Where are you being brave?

Where do you need to be brave today?

 

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