Develop Quiet Courage - 12 Steps

In the early days of my marriage, we were huge “Winnie the Pooh” fans… and by that, I mean we were TIGGER fans. Seriously, what’s not to like? He’s “bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, FUN!”

One thing Tigger is not, however, is courageous.

To be fair, no one from the 100 Acre Wood is courageous - that’s part of their charm. Fortunately, the simple, wistful Christopher Robin would step in, dispel fears, explaining away faulty perceptions and misconceptions, setting everything “to right.” 

I think this is a lovely picture of a Courageous Leader.  Oversimplified, maybe - but calm, adventurous, undaunted, and above all else, fun. Courage is often described as loud, brash and reckless - or on the other end of the spectrum, silent, determined and stoic.  

I like this middle of the road brand - it’s both realistic and balanced.  It’s what I’m working towards. 

How do you foster this type of gentle courage in your life? Here are a dozen places to start.

The 12 Steps of Quiet Courage

1. Be the leader - Somebody needs to be out front, it might as well be you! Christopher Robin wasn’t looking to be the leader, he simply sought companionship.  He created a community, and others respected him for it.
2. Develop charisma - Yes, charisma is something you can develop.  Learn to value others, in ways they can see and understand. They will respect you and follow you anywhere. 
3. Practice servant hood - Putting others first, seeking to meet their needs out of love, will likely take you out of your comfort zone… but what a beautiful way to build up your courage muscles.  
4. Share your vision - If you’ve been given a glimpse of what could be, share it! Not everyone gets to see past everyday circumstances. Others need to hear what you see over the wall that is hindering their view.
5. Seek adventure - A wrong turn on a drive, can be an adventure. It’s all in your perspective. Set your mind to “problem solver” mode, and head on out.
6. Try something new - Every Day.  Ideas, processes, friends, food.  Yep, I said food. Start a “New Experiences” journal and challenge yourself to write one thing in it each and every night before going to sleep.
7. Resolve to be undaunted - Why be intimidated by hard things? You do hard things every day - like get out of bed when the alarm goes off.  Sometimes “difficult” things are just unfamiliar things you haven’t yet learned to do. Choose to change your perspective - perhaps these things go in your “New Experiences” journal. 
8. Have fun - Mary Poppins totally got this.  She made everything a game. You don’t have to go that far… just decide to be a “Challenge Accepter,” and make whatever you’re doing fun.  Perhaps you channel a little Tigger...
9. Learn to bounce back - For sure, life isn’t easy. Resilience is the ability to recover from all the hard things we go through… more Tigger? “... their tops are made out of rubber their bottoms are made out of springs…”  Golly, that just makes me smile. 
10. Grow your character - Choose, right now, to do what you say you will do,even when it's hard.  Perseverance produces character, and character produces hope. Solid character gives other people hope.
11. Practice consistency - Do the small things, each day, and you’ll make big changes.  Check out James Clear’s book Atomic Habits, for really practical ways to build habits from the tiniest step resulting in the biggest changes.
12. Laser your focus - Determine what you want, then hone in on it.  Knowing where you’re going prevents being distracted by challenges. "If you chase two rabbits, both will escape." Anonymous

Sometimes the first step to developing courage is just committing to try new things.  To get you started, CLICK HERE for a template to get you started on all your new experiences. Commit to writing down one new thing each day for 30 days. It will change your perspective, and begin your personal growth journey.  

Are you game? Get your “One New Thing - 30 Days of Courage” download and start today.

Head over to my to my Facebook page and let me know - we can encourage each other! 

Let’s laugh at the NEW days to come!!

~ Andrea