Courage

Life is constant change, inevitably we will find ourselves in situations that offer us the dilemma of staying in the comfortable space of the known, even if that experience is already exhausted or risk living at full.

A long time ago I stopped at a personal crossroads and said to myself, either I live for real or I die. It wasn’t easy at that time and I’ve passed after all sorts of new experiences, wonderful or terrible, mistakes and hits that I embrace alike. At every crossroads, I renew my choice to live for real, to dare in this adventure of knowing myself, of overcoming my limitations, to love, without letting fear paralyze me in the comfort of a lifeless life, without passion… without me.

Courage is not the absence of fear but the bravery to face it and dare to cross into a new experience of ourselves and the world around us. Fear is not a weakness, it is inscribed in our human condition to assess potentially risky situations and protect us both physically and emotionally; however, it sometimes transforms into a labyrinth that traps us into a gray, lifeless space, in mere survival. We may fear not being loved, being hurt, misunderstood, not achieving our goals or dreams, losing economic security or health. We fear the new, the change and the uncertain. Sometimes we even fear happiness, freedom or love.

The mind nourishes our fear with arguments that seem rational and prudent, but sometimes paralyze you in circular lists of pros and cons, which are repeated endlessly exhausting your vital energy. Passion, love and dreams freeze in imaginary accounting games that try to control every variable to come. Of course, there is a time to reflect before making decisions, but there are also times when the courage to jump into the void of the new and uncertain is the only thing that will free you from the mental maze to live fully.

Tibaire Cristina Gonzalez