Yep, that’s me! Maybe you’ve felt the same way at times. You do something really brave that makes you feel good about yourself and your mission, for a time. And then the self-doubt sets in and you start second guessing your actions, your motives and even your sanity. It’s an awful feeling. It happened to me recently when I shared my story, in a video, and posted it on Social Media. I know I did the right thing; I know that telling my story will help other women on their journey to healing. So, why is it that after being so brave, I wanted to crawl under a rock and hide for fear of what others think of me. I suppose it comes down to the fear of being vulnerable, as brave as it may appear. I suspect that pride may play a role as well.
“You can’t get to courage without walking through vulnerability.” Brene Brown
So, I choose to march on through the fear and self-doubt, being a courageous coward, accepting that being vulnerable is scary but serves a purpose of helping others and myself. I challenge you to do the same, because I promise that as frightening as it can be, telling your story….letting out those nasty secrets, will allow you to heal and will impact someone else in a positive way. Yes, there will be critics, ignore them. They are the people who are too fearful to move forward in life and justify their inaction by criticizing other's actions.
“Loving ourselves through the process of owning our story is the bravest thing we’ll ever do.” Bree Brown,
Loving myself became easier when I realized that I’m not the same person I used to be. My circumstances are not the same, my emotions are not the same. I did my best then based on my situation. I do my best now based on the healing and forgiveness I’ve received. We all grow and change but we tend to hold on to things from our past. Forgive yourself and let it go! Move forward, one step at a time. Then tell your story because someone needs to hear it. Be a courageous coward!
