How Is Your Courage?

What could be the best gift to give yourself when you begin a new year?  People get excited about many things during this time of year.  What was your best gift in the past year?  Do you feel you have leadership abilities?  How much closer are you to fulfillment, peace of mind, and tranquility?  Do you live a balanced lifestyle: spiritually, financially, socially, mentally, physically, family, and career?

Great changes are taking place in the world every day.  What would be a powerful word for next year and future years?  The word I suggest to you is “courage”.  Courage is not the absence of fear.  Webster defines courage as “that quality of mind which enables one to meet danger and difficulties with firmness; valor.”  Sidney Bremer, author, says, “Courage is the brother to decisions”.  True courage is cool and calm.  Peter Marshall, author and minister, said, “God give us the courage to stand for something lest we fall for anything.”

So let’s look at the word courage as an acrostic (describing the use of a word by having each letter stand for another word or phrase) for the next year:

C – reminds us that it takes courage to communicate -

      verbally, nonverbally, and tactually.  It takes courage

      to listen, to ask questions, and to give undivided

      attention to everyone we meet.

O – reminds us to be open to idea, conversaion, and every life event.  Stretch to new levels of awareness.

R – reminds us to be responsible for everything we think, say, do, and feel.  With intact Self-Esteem, we choose language to help people feel better about themselves.      It takes courage to not defend, justify or explain your behavior.

A – reminds us about our attitudes.  Our attitude is the way we think.

G – reminds us to grow.  How many books will you read in the next year to upgrade your people skills?  How many learning programs/seminars will you attend?

       How many cassettes will you listen to?

E – reminds us of our Esteem.  Self-Esteem is the self repect you feel for yourself.  It takes courage to pracice your Self-Esteem skills.  Many people are threatened when you change. 

Were you aware I left out the letter “U” until now?  The reason I did that was to remind you that you depend on you to show courage.

This is my gift to you for the next year – the gift of courage.  I wish you the courage to create intact Self-Esteem daily.  Have the leadership that you and those around you desire.

Let us create peace on earth by showing courage every day in everything we think, say, do, and feel and then, watch what happens!