5 Simple Strategies for Being More Brave

I’ve been using Facebook Live several times a week to connect with people and share how we are being brave (find me at Becky L McCoy on Facebook to join in!) It’s quickly become something I look forward to because it’s an easy way to encourage each other to keep doing brave things.

But what if you don’t feel like you’re doing anything brave? You’re not starting a small business, leading troops into battle, or climbing Mount Everest.  As my counselor would say, “Oh, so you’re a schmuck like the rest of us?!”

The reality is, we all do brave things because being brave is choosing to do hard things.

Would you think about that for a moment?

Are you pursuing a healthier lifestyle?

Guess what. That’s brave.

Are you choosing to parent the way you feel is best, even if it doesn’t live up to other peoples’ expectations?

That’s brave, too.

Are you showing up to work every day and choosing to have a good work ethic and integrity even when everyone else is cutting corners and having a bad attitude?

That’s crazy brave.

There are a million ways to be brave and we learn how to be brave in life’s most challenging circumstances by being brave in the day to day struggles.

Here are five simple strategies for being more brave in the little things:

1. Have Integrity

Integrity is all about being honest and having an honorable, moral character. It means choosing to do the right thing regardless of the circumstances. It means standing firm for what you believe in and taking responsibility for your mistakes.

2. Find Cheerleaders

Cheerleaders are the people who are going to walk through the scary things with you. They will cheer you on when you’re being brave and hold you up when things aren’t easy. Surround yourself with people who will encourage you to be brave!

 

3. Reframe Failure

Failure is a major roadblock to courage. But if you think about it, failure is really just a moment to gather data so you can try again. I hate, hate, hate to fail, but I’ve learned that I can’t possibly get everything right the first time and that one failure only informs my next attempt. After all, we learn more from the losses than the wins.

4. Start Again

This strategy is actually a “two-fer”. We can start again by hitting the pause button for awhile. Sometimes a break is necessary to regroup and have the energy and capacity to face a challenge again.

Starting again also means to say “no” to whatever path you’re on and start heading in a different direction. It’s easy to keep trying to make something happen even if it’s not working out, but that’s also the definition of insanity. Sometimes the brave thing is walking away.

5. Affirm Yourself

You can be brave because you have so much to offer. It takes a strong, brave person to know what they’re good at and choose to be confident in their strengths. If you’re not sure, ask your people and I’m sure they’ll jump on the opportunity to help you love yourself.

NOTE: if you’re people aren’t quick to affirm your character, they are not your tribe. Find new people who are excited to cheer you on.

What are other ways to be brave every day? Why is being brave so challenging?