Redefining Courage and Personal Strength: Embracing Your Story
How often do we truly acknowledge the courage and strength in our own lives? For me, it’s easy to admire these qualities in others, but recognizing them within myself is far more difficult. Yet courage and personal strength are not defined by grand gestures or extraordinary feats—they are the determination to keep going, even when life presents its toughest challenges or doing the one thing in spite of the fear.
What is Courage?
Courage is often misunderstood as fearlessness, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. True courage is taking action regardless of fear being present. It’s found in the subtle, everyday acts of perseverance: standing up for yourself, making tough decisions, or simply getting out of bed when the weight of the world feels overwhelming. It takes courage to step away from comfortable situations, whether it’s leaving a career or a relationship. In both cases, you’re venturing into the unknown, hoping for a better life while leaving behind what is familiar and comforting.
For me, I was able to leave both when I shifted my focus to what I could control and prioritized my own happiness. Yet, if someone were to ask me if it took courage to leave, I would have said, “No.”
I’ve always known I am a strong person, but I don’t often see the strong things I’ve done as acts of courage. To me, they feel more like necessary choices rather than brave ones. But perhaps courage is not about feeling brave in the moment—it’s about taking the steps you know you need to take, even when the outcome is uncertain.
While society often celebrates outward displays of bravery, it’s crucial to recognize the courage in small, unseen moments. It’s in surviving and adapting to hardship, even when the alternative is despair.
Strength in Survival
Personal strength often comes from surviving what feels impossible. And yet, when we’re in the thick of it, survival doesn’t always feel extraordinary. It feels like doing what you must to make it to the next day.
What I’ve come to realize is that survival is strength. It’s not about the circumstances you face but how you move through them. Strength is deciding, whether consciously or not, to rise above what was handed to you. It’s you choosing to live despite your current circumstances or even in spite of your past.
Think about the moments in your life when you faced the impossible. Did you know at the time how strong you were? Probably not. It’s only when we reflect on those periods that we realize our resilience. Survival is strength, and enduring adversity builds a foundation for growth.
Reframing Your Perspective
Many of us downplay our achievements, believing survival doesn’t equate to bravery or strength. I know that this is a fact for me. Think about this: if you saw someone else living your story, wouldn’t you be in awe of their resilience? Sometimes, we need to look at our own lives through an outsider’s perspective to appreciate our tenacity and courage.
Take a moment to reflect on these questions:
What challenges have you overcome that once felt insurmountable?
How did you persevere through those times?
What lessons did those experiences teach you about your own strength?
Self-reflection is a great way to increase your self-awareness.
The Courage to Own Your Story
It’s one thing to survive; it’s another to embrace and own your story of courage. This requires confronting pain, breaking generational patterns, and choosing growth over stagnation. These are acts of incredible courage. Sharing your story, even with yourself, can be transformative. It validates your journey and highlights the resilience that has carried you through.
For decades, I kept a deep dark secret from everyone including myself (I didn’t want to believe my reality) or face my truths. However, when I started sharing my story with my loved ones, it was so freeing. It was even more liberating when I finished my book. Yet, I didn’t recognize that writing the book was courageous until my cousin texted me, saying how he is not sure “…how I had the strength or the courage to put those words on paper…” It was more so about releasing my truths and not holding onto the dark secrets. I also want to be able to help others by sharing my past in efforts to break secrecy and incest.
Moving Forward with Strength and Courage
Embracing your story is not about being invincible or fearless. It’s about recognizing the courage it takes to heal and grow.
Here’s how to start:
Acknowledge Your Journey: Reflect on what you’ve been through and give yourself credit for the strength it took to overcome those challenges.
Reframe Your Perspective: Imagine your story as someone else’s and see it through the eyes of admiration and respect.
Celebrate Small Victories: Even the smallest steps forward are proof of your resilience.
Share When Ready: Sharing your story can inspire others and deepen your understanding of your own strength.
Your story matters because you matter. Every step you’ve taken, every challenge you’ve faced, is a testament to your courage and strength. Embrace your journey, give yourself the credit you deserve, and remember—you are stronger than you give yourself credit!
Let’s Connect! I would love to help you acknowledge and increase your inner courage and personal strengths.
Click Here to LEVEL UP Your Courage!
Your Coach,
Shunta Montgomery
