Courage is an inside job
Why is it that random kids, being seemingly random in public bring us joy?
My family spent a few days in Costa Rica over Christmas and was at a park with my 4 kids one afternoon. Watching children run, my kids are a bit timid with the language barrier trying to warm up to their surroundings, I am trying to encourage them to make a friend and play etc.
After a few moments I see my 3rd running around the slide toward me with another little dood chasing him. A few other little tykes jump toward the two boys from different ledges and a mismatched slap/game of tag ensues inside of a little 20 foot area. None of the boys really want to run off, however, all of them want to be chased with the hope of showcasing their strength to the others.
I look over to another area, and see two kids racing a little tricycle narrowly missing little toddling kids learning to walk. I spent an hour or so simply watching children be kids.
Free, wild, fully immersed in the moment of play. It was awesome
What of the rest of us?
Where's the freedom of being fully immersed in the moment - all the way engaged with the person in front of you - undistracted and expectant at the work you are putting out?
There are hundreds of excuses around us, flying through our brains becoming commonplace in our language:
"I'm just tired"
"I'm too busy"
"There is a lot on my mind"
"I need to check this thing real quick"
"I wasn't feeling good"
etc - the list of things go on and on...
There will always be something stealing your attention, giving you a way out, preventing accountability for your responsibility, stealing your excellence...
Courage Is Built In Your Brain
The choice of putting a piece of work forward is vulnerable. Allowing yourself to be fully seen in a relationship is unnerving. Choosing to be on time to a social event is risky business.
These behaviors, our excuses are simply ways to protect ourselves. Limiting our potential of receiving rejection, critical feedback, taking responsibility. Kids generally do not feel this. They build this over time as they experience rejection. Slowly, over time if not confronted close themselves off and instead of watching a joyous circus on a playground, we are watching a numbed out human that minimizes outward expression.
It's sad when you see that in a kid. It's normal when you see that in an adult.
Let me invite you to take the long game. Change your mind today about how you feel about yourself. It's not going to dramatically change everything today. However, it can start today. What is true about you, and what type of beliefs or protection devices need to get pulled down in your brain?
Here are a few examples -
| Who I am | Protection Device |
|---|---|
| Creative | Nobody is really interested in my work |
| A Friend | They are all probably busy |
| Intelligent | Ill just let them do it, they are probably better anyway |
| Thoughtful | They probably have other friends, they don't need that from me |
| Disciplined | It doesn't matter if I sleep for another hour |
We are constantly downplaying ourselves, making excuses to protect us.
I invite you to make a choice to embrace your child likeness. Before you got damaged. Remember what is true about you, and make a choice to believe that today. Then tomorrow, and the day after that...
it will be challenging because your protection behaviors are just that protection...your friends, family, and community are just missing the full you...
Bring yourself. Your courage is built in your brain, and proven by your behavior...Romans 12:1-2
live big today and dominate life