Courage is the Antonym of Fear
What does courage and fear have in common?
They are the opposite of each other.
You see Rakstars, we tend to live our lives gripped by fear. The nasty 4 letter word that inhibits our abilities to pursue our wildest dreams. Don’t you want to live a life that’s worth living? Don’t you want to pursue your dreams, your wishes, your desires?
But what is holding you back?
One word: Fear
The fear of failing, the fear of not doing it right, the fear of losing money, the fear of sacrifices, the fear of missing out. FEAR!
Why does this cold monster creep up on our bones, intoxicating us with every breath of our dreams? For if we didn’t have this fear, do you know where we would be right now? On a yacht?
In the Maldives? What about having a million dollar house? Who knows? We certainly don’t. Why? Fear is the death of our dreams. We don’t pursue anything – we don’t move on to the next step, we tell ourselves excuses, procrastinate and then we give up. What’s the point of trying if it’s not going to work out anyways? Well, why isn’t it going to work out? Because I’m not good enough? Why are you not good enough? Because… because it’s too much work. You have to put the work in to get results. But…. But what? Fear creeps in.
Fear is not the only thing that prevents you from battling yourself. It’s anxiety, fear’s partner in crime. Fear and Anxiety is like the couple that no one wants at their parties. They don’t want to associate with them because if they do – they fall down to the ground. It’s the worst battle within yourself that you can face. They cheer each other on and build you down. With both fear and anxiety on your shoulders, you become more risk averse.
Think for a second.
How many times have you said to yourself:
What if _____?
Fill in the blank.
I’m waiting.
Okay, ready for the answer: What if I failed?
Okay you failed. What is the big deal? You failed, now get up and move on and try again. How many times have you played Bingo? Did you win each time? I think not!
Courage is the ability to seek strength within resilience. Harry Potter had the courage to fight He Who Must Not Be Named, how many times? He got back up and tried again and again and again and eventually in the end. Who won? Harry Potter!
So why do we not see courage as the end all to our solution for fear. Well, Rakstars, that’s because courage is hidden within you. It’s not prominent and it’s not weak, it just needs to be unlocked like a hidden treasure buried at sea. Courage works when we practice it. Just like anything else, practice is the key – literally in this case, we need practice to open up that courage.
Well, how can we practice it? You may ask? Yes, you are right, I don’t think you have booked in any quests lately to find He Who Must Not Be Named.
To practice courage, first think to yourself. What is the fear that is holding you back? It’s not going to be one thing, it’s probably a multitude of items. So let’s say for this example, it’s speaking in public. If you have that big speech coming up, think of ways to speak to people. For example, go to the mall, speak to the sales associate about a pair of jeans, make elevator small talk – go to your local bookstore and ask the sales associate which books they recommend and just talk.
Practice that courage, come on, I know you can do it!
Here are some ways you can utilize your courage and make it grow stronger than fear:
- Speak Your Mind: Yes you heard right. Express your opinions even when you are shy. When you speak up for yourself, you are harnessing a power of self-confidence and with that courage comes like an apple slice.
- Confront your Fears: Just like the idea about going to the mall for public speaking, whatever the fear may be – find creative ways to destroy that fear.
- Stand Up For Others: When you see someone being treated poorly or if there is a way you can make things better – don’t stand quiet. Courage is not just about you. It’s how you help others.
- Learn: Failure is all about learning. You think you were done with learning when you left school, no way, life is just getting started. Embrace your failures, you fall and even your money loss. Understand what went wrong and now use that knowledge for next time – yes there is going to be a next time because we don’t quit, we become better at whatever it was.
- Try New Things: You hate change. Yes I get it. Why? Because you don’t want to fail. Because you are fearful of failing. But step into the unknown – try that new hobby, jump out of a plane or dance in front of random strangers. Build that courage.
- Volunteer: Want to seek advice or do things that you never thought you could or would. Volunteer within organizations – advocate for social change and feel the impact you make. This is a courageous act.
- Learn a New Skill: Take on a new learning path – learn a new language, play a fun instrument or take up a new sport. All of this requires perseverance and yes, you guessed it courage. The courage to try something new lets you practice courage inside and out.
Rakstars, remember this, courage is the opposite of fear. They are like salt and pepper, sometimes you sprinkle salt and sometimes you sprinkle pepper, but just be wary that you are the one sprinkling – you are in control. Find that courage and use it!
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- Photo by Alexander Dummer
