Inspiration | Wisdom
Be Brave and Courageous
How to become braver and more courageous
To function well in today’s world, you need a certain amount of bravery and courageousness. Do you consider yourself brave and courageous? There is a good chance you have more of each than you realize. Read on to learn more about the importance of these two words to everyday living and how to increase them.
Being brave and courageous
While many use brave and courage interchangeably, they possess different meanings. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definitions of brave and courage are:
brave — adjective — having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty: having or showing courage.
courage — noun — mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.
Did you notice courage is integral to bravery? Simply put, bravery is most often shown in action, while courage is a virtue we possess. Let’s look at how each plays out in our lives and how you can build them.
Bravery and courageousness in everyday life
To be brave does not mean it only happens when you must summon the courage to stare danger down the throat! You can be brave in everyday activities. Simply pushing forward in life day after day, year after year, and decade after decade requires tremendous courage and bravery.
“The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding go out to meet it.” Thucydides (460–400 BC)
Most of us face challenges regularly, do we not? Doesn’t it take a certain amount of courage and bravery to meet them, to work through them, and to overcome them? Of course, it does.
The issue is we may not see ourselves as being brave. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being extremely brave when facing a proverbial fire-breathing dragon, it is doubtful many of your daily activities will rate a ten, but you can rate some above one, can’t you?
When you face an angry customer, an emotional colleague, a challenging boss, and a thousand other things that test your mettle, courage, and bravery are required, are they not?
How about when someone cuts you off on the road? Do you lash out in weakness, or do you bravely hold back and perhaps perform one of the bravest acts of all — forgiveness?
“Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave.” Indira Gandhi (1917–1984)
When you get into an argument with your spouse, you may think it takes courage to respond in kind, but in reality, lashing out displays a lack of courage and is certainly not brave. They can know how to push your buttons, controlling you as you lose your cool. It takes far more courage not to engage than to lash out. It takes a certain amount of courage and bravery to act maturely in such situations, and doing so can set you free!
“He who is brave is free.” Seneca the Younger (4 BC — 65 AD)
The connection between bravery, courage, and maturity
Did you know there is a link between bravery, courage, and maturity? Using the definition of maturity — “accepting personal responsibility,” do you see how they connect?
It would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to have courage or to be brave without accepting responsibility. Is it even possible to be any of the three without the other two?
It is the acceptance of responsibility that makes us want to protect those we love. This is true whether it is for our family or our nation. Some of the bravest people I know are mature individuals serving in the military and protecting our fellow citizens in local police and fire departments, regardless of age.
Do you accept responsibility for anyone or anything? Does that not take courage and a certain amount of maturity and bravery? Of course, it does! Whether you are providing for your loved ones, being a friend to someone, or simply working hard each day, you possess a great deal of courage for being so responsible. You are what most of us consider brave and mature.
Building bravery, courageousness, and maturity
Why not strengthen your perspective of bravery, courage, and maturity? All it takes is a deeper understanding of what each term means and applying them in your life.
Pay attention to how brave many people there are around you. You and they show your bravery every day in many ways. I applaud you for pushing through each day, week, month, and year, doing the mature thing, and not giving up. It takes inner courage to keep doing what you must to care for those you love.
Can you see it in yourself? Most of us have far more courage than we give ourselves credit for.
How can you leverage your perspective on bravery, courage, and maturity in daily living? Why not find a way to extend them into more areas of your life, a few of which might include:
- Decision making
- Taking risks
- Embracing change
- Leading others
- Building relationships
- Spending and saving
- Your behaviors
Please consider learning more to strengthen your bravery, courage, and maturity. You will never regret the personal growth that results.
Final thoughts
Be brave. Be strong and of good courage! Know that you are up for any battle life throws at you! Believe in yourself. Be mature. Keep developing your courage, and be brave as you face everything you must.
I leave you with some advice from one of the greatest leaders in history, who lived more than 2,600 years ago:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NIV
BillAbbate| LinkedIn |Twitter| Medium| Facebook| AmazonAuthorPage | NewsBreak | Truth
Bill Abbate Leadership Writer and Editor in ILLUMINATION
Thank you for reading this article! If you enjoyed it, please check out the others below! Medium has boosted each!
