Essence of Bravery and Courage

"The essence of bravery

is being without

self-deception."

Pema Chodron

Secured core values are assets in life.  They give us a sense of where we stand, how far we will bend, and lines we will not cross.  With a willingness to be open to other values, we are not holding our selves rigid or encapsulated in ignorance.  It is advantageous to know what other people hold dear whether we are in agreement or not.  

A sense of courage resides within us when we are certain about our truths.  With focus, we navigate more clearly through the challenges in life.  With accurate attention, we come to realize whether or not we are actually living as an example of our values.  Are we simply telling ourselves one thing while acting in a differing way?  If this is true, we need to adjust either our principles or misguided behaviors.  When we have both aligned, we live with integrity.

When we are honest with ourselves and others, practicing our core values, we face life with a sense of bravery.  Fear appears less frequently, and even when it does, our sense of wholeness guides us forward through illusions.  If we, however, deceive ourselves and others by only pretending to have a a code of honor, we will not have the courage nor the bravery to master our genuine talents or gifts life presents before us.