Reflection and Courage: Opening the Door to Change

“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” – Brene Brown

Since making the decision to be more open and honest with my thoughts and emotions, I have pushed myself harder in this last month mentally, than I have in years. In the past, I had always considered myself to be an “open-book”, one that focused on strength, overcoming adversity and finding the beauty and positivity in all. I would share my insights and life lessons whenever possible, hoping it would somehow help others along the way. In recent years, I began to find myself becoming more overwhelmed with my own negative emotions. A continuous battle of trying to hold onto who I was, became increasingly difficult, forcing me to face the reality that I was slowly losing myself.

During this time, it became painstakingly clear that I had never actually been honest with anyone when it came to my own deep thoughts and emotions – the ones that I found most difficult to face on my own. By harboring the toughest of emotions, I began to realize that my negative feelings and thoughts were growing inside of me – spiraling out of control. In this moment I knew that if I was ever going to give myself a chance at living a happy and fulfilling life, then a change desperately needed to be made. It was because of this realization that I began to push myself to be open about my own feelings – I became conscious in my efforts – not allowing my fear of judgment by others to take over. 

I found that by opening up to people, and letting go of my fear of judgment, that I was not alone. The reality was, many people were experiencing those same thoughts, those same feelings, and those same emotions. This discovery allowed me to find my new sense of self and purpose. The outpouring of human connection has brought me to a new level of self-fulfillment and inner peace – a level that I never knew existed.  This type of personal growth has opened the door to connect with people in ways I never expected – allowing for the creation of deeper, and more meaningful experiences – especially with the ones that I hold closest to my heart. 

I have learned that although it can be terrifying to be honest with your emotions, and to share your authentic self with this world, it is absolutely necessary if we ever want to spark change and growth within ourselves. Over the past few weeks, I have spent many a night thinking through what was different this time around, what was it that allowed me to begin this new journey of personal growth and fulfillment? In time, it became clear that if it weren’t for continuous self-reflection and the courage to push myself outside of my comfort zone, I never would have ignited the fire within – sparking the change that was so desperately needed. 

This discovery prompted me to realize that self reflection allows our mind to bring clarity to our soul; while courage provides us with the strength and determination to break through the barriers that have long held us back from achieving our own personal greatness. It is through self reflection and courage that we are able to identify who we are and discover what it is we want to bring to this world.

Self reflection grants us the opportunity to recognize and celebrate our strengths while identifying the areas in which we need to grow. Although this process can be scary, it forces us to be real with ourselves and fight through the fears that have long prevented us from moving forward. Courage allows us to face those fears head on, to push through those struggles and face the uncomfortableness within our own skin. Courage allows us to take the first step outside of our comfort zone. It allows us to begin to work toward achieving our own personal greatness.

Nelson Mandela described the concept of courage best when he said “…courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” So when you find yourself struggling with fear or self-doubt, take a moment to reflect, identify the changes that need to be made, and then, go for it! Dig deep to discover your own courage within. Begin to conquer the fears that, up until this point, have prevented you from living a life of fulfillment. Be courageous enough to give this world your true and authentic self.

Cheers!