Courage is a word of many meanings.
When you think about being courageous, you think about conquering a fear, about achieving big things, about doing something memorable.
But being brave or courageous doesn’t have to mean something ground-breaking. One person’s bravery, could be another person’s comfort.
Recently I was asked ‘Can you tell me about a time you were brave?’. I struggled for a while to think, as I was trying to rack my brains of something which made a big impact on my life.
A few weeks later, I asked our Twitter followers if they considered themselves as brave. According to over 350 people, 59% didn’t think they were brave.
It wasn’t until after this, that I really thought about the question and how we all show bravery every single day of our lives.
Being your authentic self and owning it
It can take courage to be our true self. To love our imperfections. To celebrate our differences. To respect ourselves.
And it’s a further step to owning it. People around you can have an impact on your life. But only you have the power to make a difference. Make those all-important decisions. And if you don’t like the outcome, sit back, reflect, learn from your mistakes and make that change.
Waking up each morning, standing strong as your true self, taking responsibility for your actions and still persevering and journeying through life – being unapologetically you – is an act of courage we show every single day.
Having a courageous conversation
Pulling someone up on an inappropriate comment, challenging a team member about their bad performance, or raising a difficult topic to discuss feels intimidating.
There are barriers stopping us having these courageous conversations such as not wanting to upset others or you’re scared of how others will react.
But it’s so important to stand up for what you believe in and the more we have them, the easier they will become.
Challenging the status quo
It can be daunting to question someone’s reasoning, especially to a senior colleague or if you’re new to the role, but it’s also courageous to encourage others to look at another viewpoint.
Do your research, offer alternative ideas and overall, be respectful.
Learning and growing
Stepping out of your comfort zone and learning something new helps to shape us and others around us.
Have you ever joined a webinar or attended a training course to develop yourself? Maybe it’s to overcome a fear you have such as improving your presentation and communication skills.
Did you leave your previous job because you wanted to contribute your experience and grow in an organisation which valued you as a person?
Or maybe it’s that you wanted to develop your cultural awareness so you have taken time out of your day to read up on that particular topic.
Recognising you need to make a change is a courageous step. Widen your thinking, confess your lack of understanding, find new opportunities and grow as a person.
Reaching out and asking for help
We all need support, whether it be with a task at work, with family or with our wellbeing.
Swallowing that sense of pride or ignoring that fear of being rejected is courageous in itself and can lead to wonderful opportunities and better mindsets.
Courageous Conversations & Speaking Out
Join our Courageous Conversations webinar on Friday 8th October for an hour of learning, tools, tips and a few twist and turns along the way!