Walt Disney said: “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” I might alter what he said and change the word all to most because some dreams can be unrealistic and therefore unattainable. I like the way Disney thinks,
though.

Mark Twain said: “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.” What takes courage is often scary.

Aristotle said: “You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.” Born in 384 BC, he was very wise.

My favorite, Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during WWII, said: “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” Yes, in support of Churchill, I’m reminded of a proverb: “A wise man once said nothing.”

Courage is what we need to succeed, change, grow, advance, achieve, or alter. Without courage, we risk becoming stagnant, stuck, and hopeless. It takes courage to live.

I can’t think of many positive things not requiring courage to attain. It takes courage to ask for help, parent responsibly, be kind, say the words, tell the truth, stand up against wrong, seek a new job, forgive, leave a destructive relationship, and grow old. If we muster up the courage, we risk failure but remember, we could succeed. Success feeds success.

Having courage is seldom easy. It is far easier to let the world happen around us—to observe and not participate, feel sad, and become bitter. The status quo might be less stressful but not wiser, and certainly not healthier.

Courage ebbs and flows like many things in life; one day, a person can apply for three jobs, and the next day they believe they have zero value and watch TV in a dark room with their phone turned off.

We can be alive when breathing in and out, but it takes courage to live.

Do YOU need courage? If so, make your long list and prioritize what you want or need to accomplish. The more courage you gain, the easier it will get. Success=confidence. Earned courage takes practice and patience, so start small and don’t give up.

It takes courage to have courage, so go forward slowly and reinforce your courageous efforts with self-encouragement—not discouragement. Give yourself a high-five with every baby step—success is seldom immediate. You will feel proud of yourself and reap joy with any accomplishment.

Remember the Lion in the Wizard of Oz; he had courage all along; he only needed to boost his esteem and believe he could. The same is true for each of us!

Until the next time: Live while you live.

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