What does it mean to have courage for me these days? Courage can come in many different forms and through many different life lessons. I don’t think the true value lies in where the courage comes from though. I think the true test is when you must eventually use that courage. What do you do in the face of adversity? What do you do when you’re backed into the corner? What character traits actually comes out? Essentially...what do you do with that courage?
For me, each day, courage looks like waking up, praying, and starting my daily routine all over again. Yesterday could have been the hardest day I faced, but using what I’ve learned can help me get through the next day.
Courage is accepting the fact that things aren’t always going to be perfect or go as planned. But taking the time that you need to achieve your goals may be exactly what you need to do right then.
Courage was never supposed to be easy. Life was never designed to be easy. In fact, our greatest life lessons comes from what we do in the face of adversity. How did we handle that last problem and what did we learn from it? What did we get out of it? What lesson can we pass on to someone else about our experience?
Courage, when I think about myself, can either make or break me. It has the opportunity to either teach me a new lesson, or highlight my areas of weakness. It shows me where I’m lacking, and where I need to grow.
But even in the face of courage, I can still get my own needs met. I think it’s also made me a lot more bolder in asking for what I need. We’re told how important self-care is because it’s just that... care of self. Myself. No one else can do it for me. No one else can have the lives experiences that I have. No one else can tell me what I need to do in order to relax. It’s my job to figure that out. It’s my job to learn how to take care of me.
So courage gives you the power and the ability to do just that. No one had to teach me how to have courage. It’s what I’ve learned about myself has I’ve encountered problems, faced adversity, cried myself to sleep, or even prayed while I cried. In my prayers, I’m not angry with The Most High asking Him why he’s putting me through this. No, I’m not bargaining with my Creator to fix this and I’ll stop doing that. I’m simply thanking My Father for creating me and for teaching me this lesson. I’m asking for clarity in the situation to learn the lesson that He has created for me, and only me.
You see, I believe that there is a lesson in every bit of pain that we go through. If we didn’t learn anything from that pain, we might be bound to repeat it again. So I always ask for God to show me the lesson He’s trying to teach me. Sometimes it happens right away, other times it takes me a while. But I always try to learn.
I try to learn so that I’m equipped and prepared for the next task. I know that God is growing something special in me and it’s my job to figure out what it is.
People always ask me why I have so much peace and calmness when I’m faced with a problem. It could be an issue with my son’s school or teacher. My car breaking down in the middle of the road. Something that broke in my condo that needs fixing. Or family issues...anything really. Of course I’m stressed or even panicked in the moment. But I stop to think about what experience I have that I could use to figure this problem out. If I don’t have any, then I think about the person that might and I reach out to them. I try not to let situations get the best of me and I focus my attention on the outcome. I focus on the steps to get the problem resolved. And afterwards, I’ve usually developed a new skill or learned a new lesson about myself.
Courage isn’t some magic potion that will solve all your problems. It isn’t even some type of quick fix. It’s literally a time where we stop, think, and use our lived experience to get our needs met, or get through a difficult situation.
As a mom, this skill gets used every single day, but being a single mom to a special needs child makes life that much more intense. I don’t have just one person that I can rely on, but I have many different people that I can reach out to. That alone is a different perspective than others may realize. No, I’m not saying that things are any easier, but life is still manageable.
Dig down deep, find your why, then find your courage. Usually, they’re found in the same place. Don’t give up and thank God for the lesson.
Philippians 4:6 (NIV) says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Love always,
Momma Naturalista
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