Summon Your Courage to Challenge- Daily Meditation 8.14.23
Today’s quotation:
You’ll never regret it if you summon your courage to challenge something. It would be sad to spend your life wishing, “If only I had a little more courage.” Whatever the outcome, the important thing is to take a step forward on the path that you believe is right. There’s no need to worry about what others may think. It’s your life, after all. Be true to yourself.-Daisaku Ikeda author of Buddhism Day by Day.
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Today’s Meditation:
Which path do you think is the “right” one for you? Why is it so easy to stay on other paths that aren’t the right ones? In my life, I think that any one of several paths can easily be the right one for me–this world offers so many different possibilities that it’s impossible for me to think of doing just one thing or traveling just one path. But Daisaku is right when he says it takes courage to step out on such a path–I’ve avoided some paths because I was afraid of what would happen if I took them and things didn’t work out.
Courage isn’t reserved for emergencies. It does not come out just during wartime or when danger is present. We must have courage if we’re to step out on a risky path. We must show courage to overcome things like depression and anxiety, end harmful relationships, or begin new ones. It’s starting school again after many years or telling something important to someone important to us–and knowing that doing so will probably change the nature of our relationship.
Courage is a trait we all possess but not one we all exercise. Some of us allow our fears to overwhelm our courage, and we can pay a very high price for doing so. Things that would be wonderful for us go undone–people remain unmet, jobs go unsought, and tasks remain unstarted. Our fears are a natural part of us, but so is courage. Why are our fears so often so much stronger than our courage?
Show some courage today. Do something that makes you feel unsure of yourself, intimidated, or even afraid. It won’t be the end of the world, and just doing what you set out to do- or even having the courage to try it- will be a very positive experience in your life.
Questions to consider:
Why do our fears win out so often over courage?
What things have you done in the last month that have required courage?
What are some of the possible benefits of showing courage?
For further thought:
I learned courage was not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. The brave person is not the one who does not feel afraid, but the one who conquers that fear.-Nelson Mandela.
If you missed the last Daily Meditation, it is here.
