May 21 – Exploring Courage: Facing Fears and Embracing Bravery

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the capacity to act despite our fears.” John McCain

This week, we will explore the human trait of courage. Courage isn't about fearlessness or recklessness; it's about facing our fears head-on, even when it's daunting or uncomfortable. Barbara A. Lewis, in What Do You Stand For? aptly distinguishes between reckless behavior and true courage. Recklessness often leads to unnecessary danger, while courage involves doing the right thing, even in the face of uncertainty or adversity.

For example, speaking out against injustice or standing up to tyranny requires immense courage, as Lewis emphasizes. Courage isn't just about physical acts; it encompasses a wide range of challenges we encounter in life. It takes courage to embark on new experiences, break bad habits, or make a difference in the world. Consider the bravery required to confront personal struggles, whether it's overcoming addiction or dealing with the loss of a loved one.

“Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow.” Dan Rather

One of the key aspects of courage is its emotional and psychological dimension. It's not just about physical acts of bravery but also about navigating uncertainty, risk, and vulnerability. Brené Brown, in Braving the Wilderness, underscores the importance of vulnerability as the foundation of courage. Opening ourselves up to joy, embracing uncertainty, and learning from our mistakes all require courage. This emotional resilience is uniquely human, setting us apart from machines.

“We were scared, but our fear was not as strong as our courage.” Malala Yousafzai

Speaking of machines, it's essential to distinguish human courage from the actions of artificial intelligence or robots. While machines may perform tasks that humans perceive as brave, they lack the emotional responses and moral reasoning that characterize human courage. Machines operate based on programmed algorithms and lack the capacity for genuine bravery. In contrast, human courage stems from our complex emotions, moral values, and capacity for empathy.

“Courage is the most important of all virtues, because without courage, you cannot practice any of the other virtues consistently.” Maya Angelou

The rest of the week, we'll delve deeper into the various manifestations of courage, exploring how it manifests in different aspects of life and why it's an indispensable human trait. From everyday acts of bravery to extraordinary feats of courage, we'll uncover the multifaceted nature of this fundamental aspect of the human experience.

“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius, and a lot of courage, to move in the opposite direction.” E.F. Schumacher

As I was writing today’s post, I was trying to think of times when I had been brave. The first thought that came to me was that moment, when I stepped onto an airplane for the very first time in my life at the age of 22 and flew to Germany, my first time outside of the United States and to a place completely foreign to me. As I wrote the post and listed the various examples of courage, I realized another moment that was much braver. After having lived in Germany for nine years, being employed as a teacher, living in a house, learning German, being married, and having a son; I had to decide whether to stay or go. My son was being pushed around by a bully, his dad. When he had been a bully to me, I could take it, I’d been bullied by various people my whole life. I was used to it. But when my son was being bullied, especially by his dad, my bravery came roaring to life. Leaving his dad and striking out on my own, with my son, is the most courageous thing I have ever done. Over the course of writing this post I went from thinking I was not brave, thinking of one example of courage, to the discovery that I had done something incredibly brave and succeeded. What will you discover about yourself this week?

Activity – Lewis states, “Since 1901, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to people of great courage.” Check out the brave recipients at The Nobel Foundation, www.nobel.se.

In today's increasingly digital world, it's easy to lose sight of what makes us human. The constant bombardment of screens and social media can distract us from cultivating essential qualities like kindness, empathy, and resilience.

My book, Nurturing Hopeful Resilience,  guides parents and caregivers through the challenges of raising children in a technology-driven age. It explores the importance of instilling strong values in children from a young age to help them develop into compassionate, responsible, and fulfilled individuals.

Through a series of practical exercises and insightful reflections, this book delves into fourteen core values: curiosity, awareness, kindness, learning, self-awareness, fairness, playfulness, compassion, service, belonging, trustworthiness, authenticity, community, and responsibility. Understanding and nurturing these values can empower our children to thrive in a complex and ever-changing world.

This book offers a roadmap for raising children who are academically successful, emotionally intelligent, socially adept, and morally grounded. It encourages readers to prioritize human connection, empathy, and compassion over material possessions and fleeting digital distractions. By embracing the power of values, we can create a brighter future for ourselves and generations to come.