What does brave look like?

If I told you that we should pursue bravery and not perfection, what does this look like?  Do we have to buy armour, practice our sword skills or take up martial arts?  Must we jump out of planes or climb huge mountains just to be considered brave?  Maybe. Maybe not. 

What if brave is doing something that makes you scared; like scared of being rejected, not liked, being criticised or even failing?  Maybe brave is being imperfect at something until you get better. Maybe brave is feeling foolish until you feel confident.  Brave is speaking up even when your voice wobbles. Brave is having and expressing your opinion knowing that not everyone agrees with. As Brene Brown says “Sometimes the bravest and the most important thing you can do is just show up.” 

Perfectionism kills bravery.  It paralyses us and prevents us from exploring, taking risks and being adventurous.  Getting something perfect or being perfect is both an illusion and a lie.  We will never be perfect in this life. We will never be without flaws and imperfections. It is unlikely that we will get it right first time.  Aiming for perfection can paralyse us and it certainly robs us of life and living.

When was the last time that you tried something new and pushed yourself outside of your comfort zone?  I know that the older I get the more awkward I feel in new situations.  It feels safer to work at getting perfect in whatever I already know rather than try something new as a novice. 

My husband is working on getting his pilots license. Now that is something to be afraid of!  Falling out of the sky or crashing.  The crazy thing though is that is not what he needs to be brave about.  Being brave for him is not giving up when he cannot get his landing or take-off perfect.  It is being back at school having to study, sit exams and getting marked again.

To me bravery is leaving the shallows and diving in.  When we stay in the shallows we are safe, we are comfortable, our hair doesn’t get messed up, we don’t get sand in our swimmers- but we don’t learn to swim there either.  Diving in means taking a risk. We might get dumped by the wave, we might get water up our noses and in our ears; but it is exhilarating and tests our limits and, in the process, we realise we are living; we are swimming and no longer paddling.  We are no longer a spectator but a participant of life. 

I take comfort from Scripture and in a God, who says “Be strong, and courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”   May you find comfort too in these words as you pursue bravery this week! 

Bravery for you may be different for me.  What is it this week that you will brave?  Remember, baby steps are fine.  So are flying leaps. 

“What if I fall; Oh, but my darling, what if you fly!”  – Erin Hanson

Photo by Arthur Lugovoy on Unsplash