The Gift of Courage

We took this in Interlaken, Switzerland...  it reminds me of courage and faith that moves mountains. 

Positive Pensées

The Gift of Courage

Kathy King

“Courage is found in unlikely places.”

J. R. R. Tolkien

What is courage? 

What does it entail?

Is courage easy even if you might fail?

Courage is necessary to get up and try again.

Courage is knowing that you can face a new day.

Courage is strength in the face of danger.

Courage is the ability to do something that frightens you.

Courage sometimes takes a dash of temerity.

Throw in a teaspoon of pluck and a dash of valor.

Mix it all together and shake and stir;

You have some courage to face all of life’s curves. 

Show courage, give courage in the form of encouraging others.

The world needs a little courage in these interesting and divided days.

Find courage. Find a new way to be brave. 

Courage.  It is better (in my opinion) than hearing the phrase “my truth.” There is the truth and your feelings that surround the reality of truth.  Courage means that in the face of truth that you can make your way through to the other side while navigating the reality of a situation.  Whether that situation is in your work, your relationships, or anything pertaining to everyday life.  No one is promised everything that they want in life. Wouldn’t that be great?  Maybe, or maybe not.  If life was predictable, and in our bubble that would be boring, right?  Part of life is the dance, the navigation through varying circumstances, the journey of learning.  Life would be boring if we stopped learning, stopped moving, stopped dancing and just decided to stagnate.  When we stagnate what happens?  We stop moving and growing.  We lose enthusiasm for pretty much everything.  Even scrolling through social media apps mindlessly robs us of our courage.  We have a rule at home when we have dinner to foster courage and conversation.  We have what is called “Phone-henge” where we put our phones somewhat in the shape of the famous Stonehenge statues that are in the United Kingdom.  We purposefully stop using technology and use our minds to have genuine conversation about life, the universe and everything.  Even taking a break from technology requires courage if you really think about it.  We have those little computers in our hands a lot.  The need to be connected is addictive.  Some would argue that need also robs us of precious brain cells.  Technology is both a blessing and a curse. Who comes to mind when you think of courage? Yesterday, I read about a man named Sharvarsh Karapetyan.  He was a world champion swimmer who won many awards. One day he witnessed a bus plummet over a dam wall over eighty feet.  Without hesitation he dove into the water, broke the window of the bus with his feet, and rescued 20 drowning passengers.  He performed this courageous act in the dark as well.  After saving these ailing souls, he spent a long time in a coma recovering.  He was never able to compete again as a swimmer.  With no pomp and circumstance he did not yell to the rafters that he saved a lot of people.  He lost his athletic abilities.  You would think that this would plummet him into a deep depression.   It only came to light a few years later that he had even saved folks drowning.  He never stopped being courageous, because a few years later he rescued a lot of folks from a burning building.  His courageous spirit prevailed.  Do we have to be that courageous?  Probably not.  But what scares you?  What steps do you need to take to embrace your passion? It doesn’t have to be anything momentous.  Big or small, short or tall.  A small task, a big task or just even a few steps forward out of your comfort zone is a step towards being more courageous.  Confront the uncertainty, take the leap and be courageous.  I read a great quote yesterday that said: “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” Brene Brown. 

The Gift of Running with Abandon

Dakota the doggo!  He loves to run but he also likes to judge you.... 

Positive Pensées

Kathy King

The Gift of Running with Abandon

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.”

Fred Devito

Do you ever just run with abandon just for fun?

Frolic, get the zoomies just run and run.

Life is fraught with worries and so much care.

Just try a little running even if you just have a few moments to spare. 

Dare to be a little silly, even when people are watching. 

Take that moment, seize it and do a little jaunt.

Make a small difference in your life, step away from worry.

Run with a purpose and a bit of flair.

Run even if the pace is slow, just take those steps. 

Challenge yourself even if it is a little, try not to be afraid. 

Seek to change something in your life with this little run.

We can all make the world a better place, one by one. 

Recently we visited my brother in New York.  He has a chocolate lab named Dakota.  This lab is full of spunky personality.  When he is let out of the house he bounds down the stairs and runs with great abandon around the yard.  Sometimes his zoomies are epic.  He runs and runs with a doggy smile on his face.  He does the same when he goes to the pool.  He bounds down the stairs and launches himself right in.  As we watched him run and run.  A thought came to fruition.  Do we ever take a given situation, let things go, and just run with abandon?  So much of life is lived with refrain (stopping oneself from doing something).  While there are apropos moments when this is definitely needed.  There are other times when we need to run with abandon through life and forge through to learn something new.  What happens if we never change?  What happens if we do not stir the pot?  The bottom gets burned and the food doesn't taste as good.  Also, if we don’t take that moment to run and challenge ourselves we usually are left to life as it always has been.  Dakota also runs with abandon anytime there is a ball within two feet of him.  His eyes grow large, he turns in a circle and waits with great anticipation for the ball to be thrown.  After we threw the ball he ran once again with great gusto to retrieve his beloved ball.  On one occasion the ball rolled under the chair.  We were not fast enough on the retrieval of said ball, Dakota proceeded to “dig” the cushions of the Chaise to get to the ball. What if, in life we stopped running at what we are gifted with?  Did you put down that hobby or act of service that brought you and other folks great joy?  If anything that can be learned from the last few years on this earth is that we need to rediscover, realize and rejuvenate those portions of life that bring joy.  Bring the focus on what brings us together rather than what tears us apart.  What can you run towards with great abandon that will improve life?  It might be something as small as a kind word.  We are often inundated with folks who say that humanity as it exists at the moment is inherently lost and not redeemable.  Let us start making what has been in many ways a world that is torn with anger, malice and general disdain for others and run towards a life that is peppered with kindness. Now, when I run my knees may crackle and creak from years of teaching kickboxing, I may double over out of breath, I may say, “Ouch!” but I will continue to run. It may take extra effort but surely it is worth a try.  In the words of the poet Rumi, “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world.  Today I am wise, I am changing myself.”