I would like to give you an assignment today. It may take you a day to accomplish…it may take you all year. The timeframe of completion is not important. Instead, the decision to accept this assignment and purpose to complete it IS. What is the assignment? Answer this question,
What are practical ways that I can display courage in the midst of chaos?
We are all told to ‘take courage’ when things appear to be spiraling out of control in our life. Have you ever thought to yourself, “how exactly do I take courage when I am afraid of what I am seeing around me?” A quote by Nelson Mandela is the first step in answering the question – accepting the truth that courage does not mean that you are not afraid.
Accepting the Presence of your Fears
Courage is defined as “the ability to do something that frightens one”. Yes you may experience fear, concern or worry. BUT, you will not stay in that space of fear, concern or worry. You feel it and then walk towards it. What does that look like? For me, that looks like cancelling the inner dialogue that bombards my mind as I manage a project that I am inexperienced in. The situation did not change externally, but I made the decision to change internally.
Confront the Chaos
Sometimes, we fall into the trap of avoiding the chaos in our life and world. We believe that if we do not engage with it, we will not be impacted by it. “Yeah, I see that mess over there, but if I begin to deal with it, it will hurt or be uncomfortable! I don’t want that!” And your plan may seem to work for a time…until your energy is sapped by your avoidance mechanisms! It is tiresome to continually strategize how to avoid a person, location or conversation. Picture yourself as the little girl in the image above. Your destination is straight ahead, but so is your personal ‘chaos’. You can decide to trek through the grass and unpaved pathways. Even though this path is unclear visually, it is safely away from the chaos you are seeking to avoid so you reason that it is worth a try. But, we all know that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. The same holds true with our confrontation of the chaos in our world. See it. Accept that it is there. Remember that the discomfort is temporary and then move towards it.
So, now it is your time to think about your strategy for having courage in the midst of chaos. Our world is moving in a direction where navigating through chaotic situations will become a necessity! Prepare your heart and mind by considering the answer to this assignment. Share your thoughts with me! You can connect with me here WordPress or on Facebook at Atmospheres of Wellness.
