Life, as we know it, is full of challenges. In a perfect world, things would just fall into place for us without much straining and stressing. But we know that the opposite is true, and often we are faced with things that hinder us from achieving our goals.
We get through very unexpected times, just like this COVID-19 pandemic nightmare we’re in right now. No one saw this coming. And no one knows when this will end.
You’ve probably had your fair share of bad things happen to you. You may have been physically fit once but now require the assistance of a power wheelchair.
Perhaps you’ve enjoyed a blissful marriage before, but as the years passed, your fairy tale turned into a tragedy.
We all go through some very scary and discouraging times in life, but we should never let it get the best of us. We need to find strength and courage especially during those times when there seems to be none. As they say, without fear there is no courage.
And in life, we will need the following types of courage to help us get through it. We may not always be successful in all we do but with courage, we can face all of the challenges life throws at us and never let it prevent us from reaching the finish line.
Physical Courage
Have you ever had those moments when you got too sick to the point that you’ve already given up on yourself? Or perhaps a time when you failed to hit your fitness goals because you believe you weren’t built for that sort of thing?
Having the fortitude and bearing to go on despite your physical limits is what physical courage is all about. You may see yourself as weak and not as strong as others physically but if you learn to work with your strengths — even the little that you have — and do your best to push yourself to your limits, you might surprise even yourself with what you are able to accomplish.
Social Courage
We all have become insecure about something or with someone at one point in our lives, especially if you’re the type of person who habitually compares yourself with others, intentionally or unintentionally.
We see how others are a lot more successful in certain areas, and we feel bad about ourselves. If your friends get a good break at work and have gone way ahead of you on the corporate ladder, your confidence in yourself goes down. Similarly, if you’re a man and your spouse earns more than you do, you feel sorry for yourself.
Don’t. Learn to be secure with who you are and what you can offer. We’re all gifted uniquely. Instead of focusing on what others have, work on improving what you have. Be yourself and never apologize for it.
Moral Courage
We live in a world full of compromises. In our desire to not be left out, we sometimes tend to compromise our values. Compromise may seem okay as long as nothing harmful comes out of it, right?
Wrong. In restoring relationships, it’s okay to compromise. In a business setting, it’s perfectly fine to negotiate. But when it comes to values and morals, you need to stand up for what you believe is right even if it is an unpopular opinion to the rest.
A person’s character is determined by his or her convictions. Learn to go against the flow and stand up for what you believe is morally right and just. Learn to lovingly speak what you believe is right and not be condescending.
Emotional Courage
It takes a special kind of courage to fully acknowledge and accept all the things you’re feeling — both the good and the bad — with no attachments or guilt.
Most of us fail to indulge emotionally because we believe it will show us as weak individuals. However, as deceitful as the heart may be at times, all of our emotions are legitimate and valid.
If you’re angry, hurt, dismayed, disappointed, ecstatic, excited, sad, anxious, or whatever it is that you’re feeling, acknowledge it and don’t deny it. They say the first step to overcoming your problems is by admitting you have one. Similarly, one of the things that will help strengthen you emotionally is embracing what you feel. Doing so makes it easier for you to make the right decisions that are not emotionally-triggered.
We won’t always get what we want. We will inevitably face tough times. But take heart. When these times come, we have to toughen up and overcome them. When life throws us lemons, we make the best doggone lemonade it has ever seen.
