What’s the bravest thing you could do today?

I am sitting at the computer this morning feeling great! When I feel this awake, motivated, and relaxed I’ll stir things up a little… mostly because I’m a glutton for personal development.

So today I asked myself about the bravest thing I could do and something came to mind immediately… and then I got that not-so-pleasant feeling in my stomach. I hadn’t even done anything other than sit on my couch and think and I was already frightening myself.

Why do I fabricate a negative outcome to my potential actions? If I haven’t engaged in the action yet then all possible outcomes are fiction. So why do I first create a negative narrative? It’s because I have a fear habit residing within.

I learned to be afraid of lots of things when I was growing up. My parents escaped Germany in the 1930s. They grew up with fear playing a dominant role in their lives. They were incredible people who were afraid from all of their lived traumas. I have been bullied, and beaten up, and marginalized, and hurt by people I love and trust. And my mind translates that into a desperation for safety.

But remember—there’s a bright side to fear: Bravery! Without fear, there is no bravery. And when we step into bravery we build our self-esteem. When we step into bravery enough, it becomes fearlessness. When we are afraid, it can be our cue to choose, with intention, our actual best course of action.

Fear is a very valuable tool. But are you using this tool? Or is it using you?

What’s the bravest thing you could do today?