Live Bravely

September 19 — Mindful Minute

Today, take a minute (or more) and live bravely. There is so much to be absolutely terrified😱 of if we allow our mind to run wild. One only needs to turn on the news for just a few minutes to see straight on how fragile our lives are — our fragile the world is. So many things are lurking — so many dangers. We have no choice but to live bravely if we want to live an expansive life.

Anais Nin said, “Life shrinks and expands in proportion to one’s courage.”

So true. Living bravely means doing something even though we know full well we may fail. Living bravely means understanding our values and not backing down from them. Living bravely means letting go of comfort. Living bravely means trusting your instincts enough to leap.

Paulo Coehlo said, “Be brave, take risks, nothing can substitute experience.”

Without bravery, we are reluctant to step forward into the unknown and face challenges, try new things, experience the freaky and the unknown. Thirty years ago, when I decided to backpack around the world alone,✈️ I bought all the lonely planet travel books; this was before the internet. The covers were adorned with primitive tribal faces,👹 exotic foods I’ve never seen, and dusty roads that led to the top of snow-laden mountains. As I researched, I discovered I needed malaria pills and shots for yellow fever. A friend stopped by and looked at me in amazement. She said, “Why would you want to do this?” All I knew, was I had the urge for discovery. The urge for experiences. So, today, I urge you to live bravely. Take the first step.

Amelia Earhart said, “Use your fear, it can take you to the place where you store your courage.”