Learning how to be brave, Dear One, is not about learning how to ignore your fears.  It is not about learning how to summon up the courage to push, force, or convince yourself to do something that you are afraid to do, that you don’t think you are capable of doing.

Learning how to be brave is about learning how to listen to and trust that part of yourself that knows exactly what it is that you are capable of, that knows exactly how much you can endure, that knows exactly just how powerful, clever, resilient, valuable, and strong you are, and prioritizing that voice above every other one that is telling you otherwise.

What you think of you is so much more important than what they think of you, Dear One.

• What you think of you impacts the choices that you make
• What you think of you influences the company that you keep
• What you think of you determines the kind of friend that you are
• What you think of you inspires that work that you do
• What you think of you governs the chances that you take
• What you think of you shapes who you are and the direction of your life

What they think of you reflects what they think of you.

You are not doing this alone, Dear One.

We are right here with you every step of the way.

Guiding you.  Helping you.  Hearing you.  Loving you. Cheering you on.

Every minute of every day.

Don’t you forget it.

Regardless of what you may think, regardless of what you may feel, you are most definitely not doing this alone.

If you need our help, Dear One, all you need to do is connect.

If you truly want things to be different, Dear One, you’re going to have to start thinking differently, believing differently and acting differently.

There is nothing that any force in the universe can do to help you, until you do.

The most important question that you need to ask yourself, Dear One, once you decide what it is that you want, is not CAN I do this? but WILL I do this?

• Will you allow yourself to believe that it’s possible?
• Will you allow that belief to inspire you to action?
• Will you allow certainty to dominate your thoughts?
• Will you choose to move forward with confidence?
• Will you choose to make feeling good about it a priority?
• Will you choose to let go of all of the things that no longer serve you, including negative thoughts, actions, behaviors, and relationships that are keeping you from it?
• Will you choose to allow it into your life, gently, quickly, graciously, joyfully?

We know that you can, Dear One.

But will you?

You don’t have to fight the brewing storm, Dear One, or fear it, run from it or hide from it.

There is another option you know.

You can simply allow it to come, and trust yourself enough to know that you can handle it, whatever it may be.

Truth is, your opinion of it, your feelings about it, your actions towards it, your awareness of it, are all feeding it, are all adding to it, are all attaching you to it.

If you are giving your attention to it, you are making a contribution to it.  So we would like for you to choose with great intention what you would like that contribution to be.

You can speed it up or slow it down,  you make can make it stronger and more fierce or kinder and gentler, or you can add levity, compassion, calm and peacefulness, or you can add anger, fear, confusion, and angst.  You can even turn it around, or stop it all together.

And before you ask, yes, you are that powerful.

Stay on track, Dear One.

Don’t allow yourself to be blown off course, pushed this way, or pulled that way by their wants, their needs, their desires, their opinions on the course of events that are unfolding throughout your day.

Make a promise to yourself right now that you are going to stay true to your own path.

How do you know if you are doing that? How do know for sure if you have stopped following your path and have started following theirs?

We’ll tell you.

Stop, take a minute, and ask your heart.

It will tell you, Dear One. It will have the answer you are looking for.

Allow yourself to relinquish control, Dear One.

Allow yourself to bond with your own heart.

Allow yourself to feel its beating.  Allow yourself to feel its wanting.  Allow yourself to feel its passion.   Allow yourself to notice its subtleties – when it is happy, or glad, or giddy, when it is questioning, when it is certain, when it is emotionless, when it is filled with joy, filled with regret, filled with sadness, filled with love.

Allow yourself to feel it all, Dear One.  Allow yourself to want more for yourself than just the absence of discomfort, the absence of pain, the absence of desire.

Please do not make it your hearts ambition to feel as little as possible, Dear One.

For that would be as great a loss as choosing to close your eyes forever after witnessing only one sunrise.

It is only scary before you try, Dear One, before you know.

If you want to move past the fear, you’re going to have to do it, you’re going to have to walk through.

In what direction are you traveling today, Dear One?  Which way are you headed?

• Are you moving closer to that which you want?
• Are you moving closer to that which you do not want?

Not sure?

Here’s a very simple way for you to figure it out.

Ask yourself this question; Are you allowing yourself to be guided by your heart,  by your hopes, dreams, desires, and a vision of success for yourself, or are you being guided by your fears, doubts, uncertainties, and your insecurities?

Your answer will tell you all that you need to know.