It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are.”
– E. E. Cummings

Life takes courage.

EVERYTHING about life takes courage.

It’s been said that courage was the greatest of all virtues. That without it, you can’t successfully practice any other virtue.

Life requires courage because life is full of risks, choices to be made, options to be weighed, decisions to finalize. That can be scary stuff. But…it still has to get done. You can either grow your courage and make those choices/decisions on your own…or sit back and let circumstances dictate how the life you lead will unfold.

That’s like opting to use a slingblade instead of a riding lawnmower on 10 acres of land. Who in their right mind would trade in their POWER TOOL for the option that will cost us the most in terms of time, energy, effort, and simply getting to “the goodest” part?

And yet…we do it every day. Ok, let me bring this back to me. I do it. Not EVERY day (cause I am getting better ya’ll. Seriously) but there are times when I actually trade my “POWER tools” in and do things the hard way. Now, I realize that on occasion, doing things the “hard” way is what I need. Sometimes I need the “hard” way to grow something deeper inside of me…or to purge something that’s already there. Sometimes I need the “hard” way because I can’t step fully into my courage suit in one fell swoop. Sometimes…I need the “hard” way because…I need to see for myself just how foolish I’m being. For real. LOL

This whole concept of “courage” has been floating around in my subconscious for a while now. It’s being activated by a few situations in my life…most of them personal, some professional. All of them designed to strip me down to my naked truth.

A friend of mine told me recently that they’ve always admired the fact that I’m so “brave” and I had to laugh because…I’m not. I’m not always brave. BUT…I do wear false bravado like it’s fresh off some designer’s runway. LOL

I decided this year, in keeping with becoming my own “Action Hero” that I’d shrug off the faux courage and grab the real thing. Why?

Because I know that the most courageous thing that I can do for myself, for my family, for my friends, for my corner of the world and most importantly, for the One who made me, is to have the courage to be who I am designed to be. To find out who I am – on purpose, in purpose, for purpose; behind the mask, without the makeup, minus the bling and the things – find out who I am…and BE that person to the fullest.

And Baby, can’t nobody wear designer “ME” like “ME”. Well, not this version of “ME” anyway cause it truly is one-of-a-kind. Don’t fret my pet – there’s a version out there that’s cut to fit you and you alone. Go for it! I bet it looks good on you!

Here’s to being exactly who you ARE.

Loving the fit of “ME”about now…
*~* MsJayy *~*