How To Reclaim Courage The Wrong Way

Face your fears when you’re afraid of them

Based on my life experience, I’ve always seen courage as a strength that you do not own and so you need substances to replace it, which, I found out later, was totally false.

Whenever I had to do something that I was afraid to do or needed courage, I would do it under the influence of a substance, usually alcohol, to have “balls”, as they say.

Have something to tell a friend that I can’t say soberly? Take him for a drink, get him wasted and then spill it out.

Going on a date with a girl and too scared you’ll get too emotional? Not a problem, take take 2 shots before you go, and when you’re there, order a drink and order it FAST!

Do you have to talk to your boss about your position and your dissatisfaction? Drink a few beers so you don’t stutter and call him or text him.

You gotta argue with your girl over something silly that you didn’t like last year but when you’re sober you don’t feel the need to address it? Get drunk and remind her, make sure you start an argument.

You have to fight your neighbors that the music is always too loud in your house and they don’t like it? Get drunk and call them out, it’s definitely gonna end up well!

You want to almost end up in jail and lose your license? Get drunk and drive, it’s the guaranteed way to become a pedestrian.

Everything I stated here is all from my life experience, and with that being said, I want to tell you that is NOT HOW YOU RECLAIM COURAGE!

The fastest way to reclaim courage is to do everything you are afraid of but do it sober and under any circumstance!

You can start with easy things, small steps hit different and progress is always there.

You wanna tell something that bothers you to a friend? Try it first by messaging, if you don’t feel so comfortable doing it face to face, but do it sober.

You wanna talk to your boss about things you don’t like or maybe you want a promotion, the same thing, you can try it by texting first.

Usually, the biggest act of courage is saying you are sorry, so, start auto-analyzing yourself and if you know there are people out there who need an apology from you, start there!

My fears come from childhood and I am not justifying them with that statement, I am just reminding myself that the place where I’ve been throwing my fears and emotions is not locked, and feelings always wanna escape from there.

Perhaps everything I’ve written here is my catharsis because I don’t think people are using substances to face their fears or run from them, yet maybe there is someone out there reading this and it will be inspiring to them.

The only substance we need is the enthusiasm to live life. Jump head on into anything you fear and the fear will be gone. I also think the key to happiness is solving your problems. If you keep facing your fears and solving your problems, you will be in a constant state of happiness. I never saw it as stagnation or doing nothing, that’s depression.

Face your fears and if you do wanna have a drink, do it as a result of a solved problem when you were sober, not to solve it.

Mark Manson was right, we need to be constantly occupied to be happy.

Keep fighting soldiers.

This was in response to Diana C. Weekly Prompt!