“Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave.” ~Mary Tyler Moore

Have you ever thought of yourself as brave? You may find it challenging to imagine how courage would be a part of things like your social life, going to work, or communicating with the people closest to you. However, courage is important to all types of situations and relationships. Remembering your natural bravery will also boost your confidence and self-esteem.

Be brave! Discover your courage

Here are some super-simple daily actions you can take to strengthen your own bravery.

Embrace yourself and:

Look people in the eye.

If you’re shy or feel awkward, looking people in the eye or chatting with someone you just met takes a certain amount of inner strength and fearlessness. But each time you muster up the courage, you gain more self-confidence for the next social situation.

Speak up.

For example, if you’ve been working on a new project at work and someone is standing in your way, you might have previously just backed down. But standing up for the project you want to do can tell people a lot about you. Although co-workers may be vying for the work and your boss might have his own idea about the person he wants to do a particular job, stepping forward to claim what you hope to do exhibits fearlessness.

Tip: You’ll be more likely to receive the type of work projects you want to do when you step up and ask for them. These courageous behaviors pay off.

Disagree appropriately.

Being willing to stand up for yourself with your spouse shows personal strength and courage.

Tip: Maybe there have been situations when you’ve strongly disagreed with something your partner did or said. Maybe you ignored your own feelings at those times. But if your spouse keeps repeating these behaviors or comments, step forward bravely and discuss your feelings with your spouse. Doing so can actually strengthen your relationship.

Change how you look.

Color your hair or cut it short. Or just put on makeup for once! Any kind of change in your appearance reveals a certain amount of bravery. Even trying out a trendy new style or a color you don’t normally wear is a great demonstration of your firm decision to change something about yourself.

Tip: Have you ever wanted to change your image or renew your style? This can be challenging and even a little scary. Such decisions require great deliberation and resolve to follow through. But when you do it, you feel great. These simple acts of courage associated with changing your looks facilitate the renewal of your confidence.

Stand up for what you believe.

Regardless of the venue, stepping forward to make a point is a pretty brave thing to do. Have you ever decided you weren’t going to take it anymore? Standing up for yourself can garner the respect of others, as well as improve your situation.

Tip: Whether you were the only one in the parent teacher organization who thought something wasn’t a great idea or you joined the local anti-vandalism group in your neighborhood, standing up for what you believe takes some measure of fearlessness. Stepping forward for a cause that you feel emotionally invested in requires passion and bravery.

Recognize that it takes a certain amount of bravery to live in this world of ours.

Taking part in social events, speaking up at work, voicing a disagreement with your spouse, and doing something to change your style or looks all reflect a sense of courage. And standing up for what you believe in your everyday life shows you aren’t afraid to express yourself.

Discover your fearlessness by acknowledging those simple acts of bravery you do every day.

You’ll be deeply rewarded emotionally and will go forward into your everyday tasks with greater confidence. Essentially, by reinforcing courage, you lay the groundwork to get what you want and deserve from life!

You’ve got this! What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments.