The Art of Courage and Living from your Heart
There are endless things to love about life, and taking note of simple things that create massive joy is one way I breathe life into my life.
Two things I love? Dogs and Angels. (Aren’t dogs little angels that love us unconditionally every time we walk through the door?).
Anyway, years ago, Mike (my husband) and I placed a bowl of “Angel Cards” in our kitchen, and every day we draw a new card. Playful little 2-inch cards of delight, these Angels provide us with a brief moment to pause and reflect on what the Angel means for us in that moment in time.
My experience has been that each Angel offers me a theme for my day, allowing me to deepen my understanding of how the energy of the word shows up in my life. And then I saw this meditating dog statue, my “Buddog”, and it was done- the perfect place to rest the Angel cards throughout the day. (And a role model for my dogs to be calm and well-behaved!)
Today’s Angel is “COURAGE.”
In the past, I hadn’t really slowed down to understand what this word meant for me. I had been influenced by the messaging of courage from society – be brave, just do it. Courage was what the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz was seeking, implanting that if I didn’t have this quality, I would reside in fear, weakness, or thought of as invaluable or “less-than”.
What I’ve learned is that courage isn’t an absolute that we have or don’t have. It is more nuanced. Courage is inherent to every one of us- it’s something we can tap into moment to moment to support our authenticity.
You see, courage means “of the heart”. Cour (coeur in French, cor in Latin) means heart. The suffix -age means belonging to or related to. It’s softer than dare-devils, auditions, interviews, and a scary conversation.
Courage is slowing down, tuning into our inner space, listening to what we truly want for ourselves, and then taking action to bring our heart’s message to life. Courage is living in our heart’s desire, regardless of what anyone else thinks or says about our choice to do so.
Living from the Heart
Our heart-center is one of our most vulnerable (and valuable!) places – the core of who we are, what we desire, and the place from which we give and receive love. Exposing our heart energy can sometimes feel like being completely naked and walking into a room full of people. “Here I am, not hiding, and you can see who and what I really am.” Even writing that sentence gives me a sprinkle of anxiety. And yet, what is more important – honoring the sacred yes of our hearts, or the judgments of others?
Listening to and taking action from our heart can be scary. And rewarding.
As we deepen our own relationship with our heart’s desires, we can also move into oneness by supporting others in living their unique heart-language. Their choice may not be our choice. However, we can honor the majesty of their courage by knowing how we feel when we have honored ourselves in this way.
Listen to the Whisper
I’ve had the whisper to create Uplifting Spaces for several years. I’ve experienced self-doubt, fear, stress, lack of worthiness, impatience, and on and on. The whisper didn’t go away. I started to listen, and when I heard what my heart was asking of me, my perception of what was possible began to change. So, I started taking action. I tuned into my courage. And here I am, in front of all of you.
What is your heart’s desire- your courage? I invite you to reflect on what courage means to you, how it shows up for you in your life, and how you experience and support the courage of others. And if you have dogs, go give them belly rubs. They love you unconditionally.