There have been many times in my life where I stopped just short of the goal. Most of the work was done, but I couldn’t take those few final steps. A critical voice begging for more perfection or fear and doubt would creep in and I would stop and turn away. I’ve done this with projects, jobs, and loved ones. I spent years regretting some of those decisions before I was able to let them go. I am grateful for the lessons now and eager to share.
What it really takes to move forward despite any adversity, is valor. It is a skill that we harness with many small acts of bravery. It is the voice of our pride that holds us back when we are close to the finish line, so we return to fortitude to overcome. Lastly, there is no courage without fear. Fear is actually our guiding post. On the other side of fear is what our hearts truly desire.
Heroism is something we practice daily. Every time you set aside a moment to affirm a boundary, that is an act of courage. When you stand up for yourself, that is courage. When you continue on a venture or project, despite mocking or doubt from within or from others, that is courage. Those small acts build up over time. In our favorite stories of the hero going out to defend the village or in our movies of the same, the hero’s growth is often brushed over in a montage. The real progress is that they do it every single day, constantly adding to their reservoir of bravery. This way when they face the dragon, they are not performing some great feat of bravery, they are doing what they have practiced every single day, being courageous.
Along the hero’s journey we confront our own pride. Pride is the voice that turns us away from real and true growth. The whispers of “I am better than them,” or “I’m too good for that,” or even the perfectionist “I’ll have to start all over again,” are all from pride. It is an attempt to protect our egos from the truth, that we need growth. Pride convinces us that we are better than, or too good for something or someone. It needs someone to be lower than us, in order for us to feel accomplished. Courage is the antidote. It takes real bravery to look within and see that there are parts within us that need to grow. This is not the critical judging eye that scorns and castigates, but the loving mother that holds you tenderly while still knowing you have plenty of room to grow.
As we continue the journey we discover our innermost fears. In fact, fear is one of our greatest guides. On the other side of fear is exactly what we want and where we want to be. It is the fear of the stage that makes getting up there so rewarding for the artist, musician, and comedian. They wield their bravery like a sword and cut through the darkness. We only get to experience the treasure after getting up there and facing our fears. There is plenty of external validation in facing imagined terror, but the feeling inside when you stare it head on, is deeply empowering and motivates us to take on new challenges. As we continue to do this we discover the real treasure is facing what we thought was scary.
Through our practiced bravery we unlock parts of the world we did not believe were accessible to us. Once you step beyond the gates of fear, it gets easier and easier each time. The opportunities you believed possible for yourself have now blossomed in to new pathways. Pride may attempt to hold you back for a time, but it is only a response to our fears of being vulnerable. It is an attempt to shield ourselves from possible failure. Just as important as our victories, are the hiccups along the journey; they frequently teach us more than our successes. It takes courage to pick yourself back up and to keep on going. The path of bravery is the path of a single step. All it takes is just one, the rest will follow in time.
All The Love,
Ryan Orion
Fasting Notes:
What prompted today’s message was an oopsy last night. I stood up too fast and fainted. Without getting too graphic, there was blood and a sizable egg on the back of my head, that are both bless-fully healing. I have had some near misses a few times and kept on telling myself “that happens to other people, not me.” After having it happen three or four times, and fainting and getting a black eye, you may think I would learn my lesson, but silly pride. I have decided to continue the fast despite the fall, but will end it should another such incident occur. I am an explorer, not a martyr and have no intention of harming myself. That being said, I am making adjustments to how I move around. I intend to move even slower as I get up from sitting positions and to take my time with each step. Despite how quickly it has healed, I have no desire to do that again.
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