I recently texted a friend, “Ok. Brave face on. Counseling here I come.” We discussed how counseling is a place for vulnerability and transparency. We talked about how scary those things are, and that it truly takes bravery to willingly put yourself in that posture knowing you may have to face some pieces of yourself you’d rather leave buried.
Brave. Merriam-Webster defines it as, “having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty : having or showing courage.” It says nothing of the absence of fear nor does it gloss over the real presence of danger or difficulty. In fact, the presence of fear or danger is necessary in order to be brave.
I always think of a knight doing something daring or someone going into battle being brave. I don’t often associate bravery with day to day life, but, in this journey, it is such a huge part of making progress! Without bravery, I would sit at home hopeless. I would let the rage come and the fear that comes when I’m losing control overwhelm me and not stand up to it. I would not say, “this is not how I want to be, and I intend to change it.” Bravery changes that narrative. Bravery says, “This will be hard. It will be overwhelming. BUT it will be worth it. BUT God has more for me than this. BUT most things worth doing are hard.”
Brave Face. It’s also the face I wear when I’m just tired of fighting for progress. It’s the face I wear when I need to not be a mess. It’s the face that buries the craziness just long enough to interact with other humans without having to explain myself. On the other hand, my Brave Face lets me share this with you and with others. My Brave Face lets me start to shift the narrative about mental illness being for people who aren’t “strong.” It helps me normalize mental illness as true illness that needs treatment from a physician like any other chronic illness would.
So. I’m choosing to be brave. I’m choosing to take a deep breath, and look at the 15 steps I took back this week, and take the half step back in the right direction. I’m choosing to share the good days and the bad ones. Even though it’s hard. Even though my feet feel stuck. Even though some days feel like complete failure.
I am brave.
Brave. Merriam-Webster defines it as, “having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty : having or showing courage.” It says nothing of the absence of fear nor does it gloss over the real presence of danger or difficulty. In fact, the presence of fear or danger is necessary in order to be brave.
I always think of a knight doing something daring or someone going into battle being brave. I don’t often associate bravery with day to day life, but, in this journey, it is such a huge part of making progress! Without bravery, I would sit at home hopeless. I would let the rage come and the fear that comes when I’m losing control overwhelm me and not stand up to it. I would not say, “this is not how I want to be, and I intend to change it.” Bravery changes that narrative. Bravery says, “This will be hard. It will be overwhelming. BUT it will be worth it. BUT God has more for me than this. BUT most things worth doing are hard.”
Brave Face. It’s also the face I wear when I’m just tired of fighting for progress. It’s the face I wear when I need to not be a mess. It’s the face that buries the craziness just long enough to interact with other humans without having to explain myself. On the other hand, my Brave Face lets me share this with you and with others. My Brave Face lets me start to shift the narrative about mental illness being for people who aren’t “strong.” It helps me normalize mental illness as true illness that needs treatment from a physician like any other chronic illness would.
So. I’m choosing to be brave. I’m choosing to take a deep breath, and look at the 15 steps I took back this week, and take the half step back in the right direction. I’m choosing to share the good days and the bad ones. Even though it’s hard. Even though my feet feel stuck. Even though some days feel like complete failure.
I am brave.
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