“Sometimes an act of courage is just doing what’s best for us.”                                                                                                                                              -Stefanie Dumont

We have this idea that to be a hero, we have to do something out of the ordinary, like lifting a car over our heads or saving someone from a burning building.  This is a thought error; it has caused us to forget or disqualify the small acts of courage we exemplify on any given day.

It is not the large things we accomplish; it is the small, moment by moment actions where we do something different, think a different thought, keep our mouths shut, stand up for someone or, better yet, stand up for ourselves.  These are the true acts of courage.  This is what it means to be heroic in our lives.

We are always looking outside of ourselves, captivated by others taking a leap of faith or fire walking over hot coals, and we say, wow!  Look at them!  Why don’t we see that courage in ourselves?  Why don’t we see that courage in ourselves when we change a paradigm, pause to breathe before we shout, break a linear chain of strife, or say yes to something we are absolutely terrified to do; something we have never done before… something we know nothing about!  I am tired of externalizing courage; I am tired of only seeing it portrayed outside of myself.

Part of my skill as an Executive Coach and Mastermind Facilitator is to point out these small acts of courage to my clients.  They do not always see them, often talk over them, and even skip them completely and go on to the next thing on their list.  Not with me, not today.  I don’t allow them to, because just as we are quick as lightning at belaboring our errors and problems, we must hone the imperative skill of shifting our focus to see what we are doing bravely.  This is not a suggestion; this is a movement.  A commitment we make to ourselves.  THIS is living a life that is Conscious and Carefree.  Because you get what you focus on, right?

Focus on yourself as the hero, observe the small acts of courage you display on a daily basis. I dare you!  Then, in a moment’s notice… poof, like magic, in a tiny shift in perception, your life will transform right before your eyes.