Courage to be Me

"If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it.”

– John Irving

One of the five practices of the No Regrets Project is Courage to Be Me. I believe that in order to live my life to the fullest, it is important to find a balance between my service and myself. It takes courage to do both.

Courage would not be required if fear were not present. Fear motivates me to hide my true self. What will people think of me? Will I let him down? Will she love me if I follow my dreams? Will I love myself if I do not serve unconditionally?

It took me many years to understand the fears that limited my life. I cannot say that they have all disappeared, but by shining a light on them and becoming conscious of them I can honor them and then set them aside. This clears the field so that I can make authentic choices of how I want to live my life each day.

By becoming more conscious of my own fears I have become more aware of other people’s fears. I can see how fear motivates judgements, harshness and limits my critical thinking. I can see how fears encourage me to join clans who have the same fears, further limiting my potential to break free.

Stepping out of fear is not an easy task.

For me it takes a practice of stepping into sacred space and celebrating myself and offering gratitude to others. This practice enhances my feeling of safety and wellbeing. In sacred space I can experience the connection to all living beings from which I draw strength from the entire web of life. This strength gives me courage to be truly me.