Courage...it Whispers and Roars
By: Alisa Schneidman
Last month I didn’t post my blog (stating the obvious says a part), however, the Self word of the month was Courage and its still important to me to post about it. The last few blogs on Self- Energy I have “explained” a quality of Self. It struck me that I wanted to give vignettes profiles of Self qualities.
Courage is one of the qualities of Self-energy that all of my parts readily recognize and appreciate in another person because Courage is what preserved my voice with my mother’s burdened parts that never healed and lashed out in cruel ways. Courage is what kept me going through uncertainty of my children’s medical conditions and the pregnancy with and eventual loss of my daughter. Courage is the quality that helped me leave life-threatening situations and courage is the quality that led me to pick healing.
My business partner, my friend, Alicia Barnett, I watched her metamorphose and make choices to manifest her dreams and face some of her deepest fears. Every day she wakes up and creates the life she wants for herself, but it took leaving her job of 15 years to embark into the unknown, to pursue her vision, her calling, she had no safety net, she had plenty of setbacks to deal with, and steep learning curves but she made space for her fears-she took time and space with them-listened and honored all of those parts-had courage to move forward in the face of all of it. She lost her father, she lost a location she had originally thought she was going to be in, and she had doubts, but she kept going. I have watched her take a vision and transform it into a store and a beautiful wellness center that people love to come visit, she teaches courses although she started out unsure, and is blossoming into a Reiki practitioner. The amount of courage this takes is inspiring. She shows up every day with more light shining from her-this is Self-speaking for all the parts that are there and mine recognize it.
One of my clients gave me permission to write a bit here (still preserving her privacy) works to be seen at work, get fair treatment from an ex-partner, be heard and valued in her community and with her family, but she continues to show up. She works hard to make a better life for her and her child-even when giving up would have been easier. She has had very little support and felt even less understood, she chooses to face her pain and know her parts, she wants to help them heal so she can heal, even while dealing with external judgment and uncertainty. She has felt alone and lost yet she is searching for a greater truth and has the integrity and courage to stick with her faith. She continues to look for the best in others and finds that little bit of space inside and nurture. The remarkable courage she continues showing up is humbling to watch and she is an example of the amazing people that walk in my office every day. I am so grateful that I am part of their journey.
I have watched my youngest son feel judged, bullied, call himself stupid, and feel disliked. Sixth Grade was one of the worst years, the kids tortured him, and he would come home telling me he was depressed. He went to a small school and there weren’t many options for friends. However, he found some respite in dancing. He still went to school, he didn’t try to stay home, although he was irritable. He had the amazing courage to sign up for the school variety show, and despite being teased and tormented he danced, and when May came, and he got up on that stage his music teacher told me the kid’s jaws dropped. People who teased him shut up and gave him a standing ovation. That kid has guts, and I love it.
It is important to me to communicate I received permission from the people I am writing about to tell, and it that I witness courage from people every single day, whether in my professional or personal life, and for the stories I told here, I could tell you thousands more, I see Self-led courage every single day and it never fails to amaze me.
I am curious about your experiences with courage and would love to hear what you have to share, please share a comment, post a story, or send me an email. If you want to access your courage more regularly or talk about other Self-Energy qualities, please reach out.