Souls That Tremble

It seems to me that, in general terms, most people look outside themselves for the bravery and confidence they seek. Losing sight of the obvious, people tend to expect others to figure it all out, to guide the way and to provide the lessons to learn. We ask others for advice, we depend on others to weigh in on our decisions, and we often have a list of people through whom we pass ideas for evaluation. Every time we give ourselves away to someone else’s beliefs about how best to move forward in a particular situation, we lose a little of our own navigational aptitude.

The thing is, we all have it in us. This innate capability to know, deep down inside, the answers to our questions is within all of us. The obstacles are all of the voices that we have invited in. Think, for a moment, about the last time you were present at a concert, or the last time you were amid hundreds of people. Walls shaking, mirrors thumping with the beat of the music, make it difficult for most people to formulate a clear thought and make decisions confidently. Now, think about the last time you tried to work through a major decision in your life. All those voices crowding your head can be as distracting as those at a concert or party. We begin to consider how others would resolve the issue at hand, what others would say to our considerations, and we might even envision the ensuing judgment for the decisions made. Many of you can likely describe friends and family’s faces of judgment. But, in all of this, where is our voice?

What if, instead of sitting with a friend to discuss an issue or a problem, we sat with ourselves? What if, instead of relying on others to give us direction, we clear a path for ourselves? What if, instead of hiding behind the fear of the unknown, we venture out and embrace it? What if we decide to be our own heroes?

Quiet your mind. The answers will come. Bravery is not something that happens when you are full of confidence. Bravery is who you are when you are most terrified, when, despite all those outer voices clenching their tight grip, you continue to take that shaky step forward.

A hero moves with a soul that trembles.