11 rules to create a fearless and courageous life

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.” ~Ambrose Redmoon  

Life requires courage. Courage is a moral and mental strength, which finds its origin deep inside, in its Latin root “cor” meaning heart. The heart is the source of emotions. A brave heart decides to not live life in fear. To control your fear, you need to move from reactive to proactive, from acting and doing to living and being, from applying and following to discovering. Standing for yourself requires more courage than to follow the flow.

Sometimes, we even have to jump into the unknown; we take a leap of faith with one single act. Scary isn’t it? Dry mouth and butterflies in the stomach. An opportunity or a situation comes along that requires a specific action or decision and the right time for it is NOW. Here we are, sitting on the edge of the fence …”So, tell me Katia, do you accept this job in Canada?” Yes, I said in a strange voice, wondering what Montreal looks like and if the winters really are that bad. I just jumped and then, after the feeling of the ground disappearing under my feet, I landed and no longer felt scared. It was too late for that anyway. I just had enough time to create the best landing strategy ever and it had to be quick, smart and good. Funny how creative we can be in those moments. The adrenaline makes the heart pumps faster and the brain race like crazy. The metallic taste fades away and the heavy weight in your body turns into a light headed feeling. I had reached the point where I felt I had nothing to loose anymore. I was FREE. My ego no longer held me down. It barely existed in this crazy new configuration where it was about me and whatever would come next. The ego, that is about results, evidence and control had no saying anymore. The soul, being all about discovery and new experiences, had won. Here I stand believing that I can do it. What are the risks after all?

An Arabic proverb came back to my mind. It says that, one who wants to do something, will find a way, one who wants to do nothing, will find an excuse. So, I opted for preparing myself. I played the scenario in my head over and over again. After a while, I knew what I had to do. I was prepared, even though not completely ready. I needed something more. Faith that everything will go just right, self-confidence to completely trust myself and a good dose of courage to believe that I can succeed in the unknown. Usually our greatest weakness and blocker is our lack of self-confidence. Without self-confidence it is hard to create the energy and excitement that comes with courage. I didn’t let my fear block me and decided to dare my life and be myself.

For me, life is no longer about success or failure, it is about the journey. I have learned to enjoy the process the same way I would enjoy the discovery of a new country. But the key to be happy in life no matter what happens starts with learning to be comfortable with who we are and accept that we will keep on learning for the rest of your life.

We should not be afraid of failing. This goes with the lesson. As kids, when we fell, we didn’t get discourage, we just stood up and tried again. The disappointment for not trying leaves a much bitter taste. Trust what you feel, your emotions are very information-rich signals. Stand for yourself and own your life.

11 courageous steps to dare your life:

Know yourself, know your heart, it is the source of your courage.
Accept yourself fully.
Be true.
Learn to be your best friend.
Work on your self-confidence.
Take action, it is a remedy against fear and procrastination.
Be persistent, follow your progress, rectify where necessary and move on; failure is when you stop trying.
Be accountable; take your responsibility; don’t blame others.
Be proud of yourself for daring to try; each attempt contains great teachings, inaction only contains disappointment.
Respect your integrity and your true values.
Commit yourself to living your life fully.