What Everyday Bravery REALLY Looks Like

When we think of brave people, we think of amazing figures like Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr, Malala Yousafzai, or Rosa Parks.

Or we think of dramatic stories that exemplify extraordinary bravery, like David and Goliath.

Deciding that those people and situations epitomize the definition of bravery makes us feel small and disqualified from bravery.

But that’s not the case! We, too, can be brave in our everyday lives, no matter who we are or where we find ourselves.

So what does bravery mean for the average girl?

IT’S AN ATTITUDE THING

Bravery doesn’t start with big, bold actions; it starts in our hearts.

Our beliefs determine our actions. So if we believe we aren’t capable of taking brave action or think bravery is only for people with a large following, then we’re going to stay small.

If we believe that bravery is for everyone, for every stage of life, for every situation, then we open the door to making our brave decisions.

No matter what your following, what your role or title, how you spend your time, you can be brave and set an example with how you live your life!

We can choose bravery every day by remembering what’s important to us so we can make decisions that align with our goals and dreams.

GIVING OUR BEST “YES”

Being bold and brave requires that we make bold decisions, giving our best “yes” to the things that capture our hearts and make us come alive. That also means we have to give our gracious “no” to things that don’t evoke that kind of response in us, even if they seem like good opportunities.

We have limited time, energy, and resources. We can’t say “yes” to everything, so we need to be careful about what we invest in and commit to.

It can be challenging to say “no” to opportunities that look good on the surface but aren’t the best fit for us if we fall into any of these common traps:

being afraid of missing out on the “right” opportunity
being afraid that another, better opportunity won’t come in the future if we pass this one up
being afraid of what others will think or say
thinking we have to say “yes” to everything we could possibly squeeze into our schedules just because we can

OVERCOMING OUR FEAR

What we must do, then, to live bold and brave lives is face and overcome our fears.

Maybe that means turning down that job that you’re qualified for but not passionate about.

Maybe that means reaching out to that role model to collaborate on a project like you’ve been wanting to for months.

Maybe that means learning a new skill that you’ve been afraid to try.

Maybe that means outsourcing daily life or business tasks so you can focus more of your energy on the things only you can do.

It might seem scary at first (that’s totally normal), but it’s the pathway to our most joyful, fulfilling, abundant lives!

Nobody who achieved anything in life got there by playing small, shying away from their dreams, or living in fear.

MAKING DECISIONS ALIGNED WITH OUR GOALS

Bravery means not being afraid to stick up for what’s right, even when it’s hard. Whether that’s speaking out about a cause you support, defending a child that’s being bullied, signing a petition, or stating your beliefs without couching them in an apology, bravery means stepping out from the shadows and sticking with the things that matter to you.

Bravery means doing the right thing even when the easier thing is tempting. Maybe that looks like getting up early to fit in a workout even when you’d rather sleep, or inviting over that awkward or insensitive person even if they might make your party uncomfortable, or not cutting corners in your business when you’re pressed for time.

Living with boldness and bravery means making intentional decisions to pursue your goals for who you want to be and what you want to do. Starting there, who do you want to be? What kind of person do you want to be? What do you want to be known for? And then how can you take bold steps to make that happen in your life?

What does YOUR brave step look like today or this week?

I don’t know your situation, but I know enough about bravery, boldness, busyness, and being a human being to suggest a few:

befriending your neighbor that you’ve only said “hi” to a few times
saying something positive about someone else when others are gossiping about them, to stop the negativity in its tracks and turn the conversation around
sending out a request for a coffee date, collaboration, or interview
taking the first step toward your dream by enrolling in that course, applying for that job, or starting your own business
saying “no” to additional opportunities so you can invest more time with your family and what you’re already committed to

I want to hear what your brave step is this week! Let me know in the comments or send me an email at jessie@notesfromjessie.com!