Courage – the triumph over fear to increased wellbeing

As you may know, the English and French word for heart, courage, derives from the Latin word cor, meaning heart. Merriam-Webster dictionary states courage as ”strength of mind to carry on in spite of danger or difficulty”. In other words and simply put, having heart or inner strength to face any kind of difficulties or challenges.

In recent weeks, I have had the honor of accompanying clients in their journeys where, slowly but steady, and with certainty, they have become a little bit braver, day by day. It is a privilege to witness this transformation and here are a few examples:

People who have dared to be braver in courageously prioritizing themselves when since it seems forever in their own mind, they have always put everyone else first. Braver in daring to take the step to speak up when others have taken advantage of you or perhaps stolen and copied your ideas for their own advancements. The courage to make the decision to no longer want to follow the old habitual patterns that are long automated within, and actually witnessing it not as feeling good at all. Then daring to look at theses patterns and come up with what intention and behavior could be more beneficial in the long run to use instead – for one’s own well-being as that of others.

So, courage is not necessarily big, dramatic actions or merely the absence of fear, but involves the ability to act in the face of it. Research indicates that courage is a measurable trait that influences behavior, and understanding its underlying processes can provide insights into human resilience and action.

Nelson Mandela stated ”I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” Further research shows that courage, whether it’s facing personal fears or speaking out in relationships, strengthens emotional resilience and overall happiness. Eleanor Roosevelt puts it poignantly from another perspective: ”You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.”

To conclude shortly, courage is a key component of our well-being and we allow it to become a part of our own behavior by taking little steps, one at a time. These steps will one by one create the fundament for courage to become part of a more sustainable, newer version of ourselves.

Feeling inspired? Take a couple of moments today and courageously listen to your heart even if it may feel a little unfamiliar or perhaps scary at first. You can discover new sides in yourself that open you up for yet unseen possibilities!

Namasté
Åsa

Sources
Mindful Self Compassion by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer teacher training
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.961387/full?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Merriam-Webster dictionary