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I was standing on the edge of a wooden scaffold that was about 500 feet in the air. I couldn’t see the bottom of the forest floor, just the tops of trees and tiny specs in the distance that I realized were houses. I was in Costa Rica on an adventure trip, and I was zip lining in the mountains.
In this experience, they start you with small zip lines. Then, as you ascend the mountain, the zip lining gets higher up and longer across. I had already done the smaller ones, and this one was the tallest and widest. I was terrified, but I knew I had to do it- I couldn’t back out now.
With my heart in my chest beating a million beats per minute, I leaped off the scaffold and took the plunge. It was the scariest thing I had ever done, and I was screaming my lungs out.
Something interesting happened in the middle of the ride. I took a breath and looked out at all the majesty and beauty that was below and in front of me. The mountains, forest trees, sky, and rolling hills. For a split second, I was incredibly thankful that I jumped and stepped deep into my courage.
Now whenever I think about various times in my life when I have needed courage, I think about that moment and smile. This is only one example of when I have had to use courage, and when I think about the other times, I recognize 3 main themes that helped me gain my courage.
Just like I did smaller versions of the zip lining and worked my way up to the bigger one, you must increase slowly. Start with a small experience that you are a little afraid to do, then move forward into something that pushes you a little more. Eventually, you will get comfortable with big courageous acts.
If you are an adult woman that has lived any type of life on earth, then you have probably done things that took courage. Think about those times and allow yourself to remember the feeling you had as you were going through those experiences. That is the feeling you need now.
There is a reason that you want to build up your courage. For example, if you want the courage to move to another state, the outcome is being happy in your new surroundings. If you want to go back to school or college, the outcome is graduating. If you want to get a new job, the outcome may be more money. So, think about the “big win” or the major benefits that you are going to receive when you step into your courage.
These are some simple tips to help you move forward with more courageousness so that you can propel yourself forward toward your best life. Use them and watch as your life improves drastically.
Tiffiny has a B.A. in Psychology, and master’s degree in Public Health Education. She worked in consulting for over 16 years, as well as previously owning a fitness and health business. In her personal life, she used personal development, mindset and health strategies to go from being overworked in a demanding corporate career, emotionally drained in a toxic marriage, physically unhealthy, and depressed to becoming an award-winning figure level bodybuilding athlete and entrepreneur. As a women’s empowerment coach, she works to help women get clear on their goals, build confidence, increase self-esteem, take action on their deep desires and create a life they love