Greetings! Welcome to another edition of the Monthly Connection. I would like to introduce a new segment called…
Previously, on The Monthly Connection
This feels like a perfect spot to queue up “The Steps of Connection Box”!
Ok so lets get right to the HEART of our topic for this month, BRAVERY!
There are many definitions of the word BRAVERY and all are welcome.
When we think of Bravery, the one that immediately comes to mind for many of us is that of an exceptional, out of the ordinary, BIG Brave action.
This type of above and beyond Bravery is an Action that happens out in the world, outside of us. It happens fast, sometimes without thought to self, to life or limb, producing a BIG outcome, a BIG CHANGE, many times resulting in life saving actions.
YES! These BIG external Brave acts are extraordinary! Wildly impactful! They are very valuable and important! YES, let’s celebrate them and the people who do and have done them! YES! Let’s send gratitude and appreciation for these BIG Brave actions! THANK YOU!
Now, did anybody out there think these Special Brave acts are reserved for very special brave people, who have very special Brave abilities that only they and other special Brave people possess. (Unlike me?)
“Home of the Brave” is not just about our outside Home. Home is also an inside job. It is here, in the internal landscape of our “Homes” (of ourselves), where another, less told story about bravery exists. Here, another model of Bravery emerges (remember our friend the Both/And!)
In our Home, Inner Bravery is not exceptional, it’s well, common, ordinary. It’s not shiny or splashy. It happens in a quiet, unassuming way, everyday. Inner Bravery is not just going to include those “special Brave people” out there, it exists inside each and everyone of us! So here is Connection Coach Cindi’s definition of Inner Bravery.
Inner Bravery… Choosing and doing an action, that’s in alignment with our Authentic Connective selves, even when it produces feelings of discomfort, in ourselves or in others, in this moment in time.
It’s Quiz time
Q1: So what is the first step of Inner Bravery?
A: Choosing to act/doing something? (nope)
B: Getting in alignment with our authentic selves? (hmm, cart before the horse)
C: Gulp, look at our feelings of discomfort? (you are getting warmer)
D: Be in the present moment? (Ding ding ding! )
Q2: How do we get into the present moment?
A) We have to STOP, LINGER and Be Here Now? (Winner, winner chicken dinner!)
Bonus question from our studio audience for the win!
So you are telling us Cindi that our first Action step of Bravery is no action?
YES!
Think about it!
In our Western world of faster is better, idleness is a sin, and multitasking is a contact sport, it truly takes an act of BRAVERY to go against the speed train and STOP. It’s even a BRAVER act to STAY and linger in the details of the now… now… now! Going inward First to examine which system we are using, Connection or Disconnection, is at the heart of us matching, or not matching, with our authentic selves. If we do not match, we cannot ACT in harmony with our true selves. Therefore our actions and choices will be disconnected, unwanted, and even harmful.
This brave act of slow, deliberate, sometimes painful, data collection, is where all those important details exist! This new system of speed(lessness) will feel very unfamiliar, even painful at times.
If we want healthy connective Change we must be BRAVE and look inward First, to find out what our thoughts, feelings, and actions are telling us in this moment in time, and hence forth every moment in time. In other words, Inner Bravery is our ticket to Know thy self.
The know thyself recipe
Stopping - the first ingredient on the path to Knowing thyself,
Lingering(stay) - this ingredient is how we begin to Hear thyself,
Longer Lingering(staying longer) - this ingredient allows us to Know thyself,
Stay Lingering(hang out here) - this ingredient will allow us to Be thyself.
This inner bravery work is how we make BIG change within our selves and the world!
Wait! Are you saying by me simply being Authentic me, I will be able to bring BIG change into my world? Sounds hard…are you sure?
Yes! Let me tell you about the story of Snow flakes in July!
Being Snowflakes in July!
Many of us want the chaos and difficulty around us and in us to Change. I think many times we are unaware how to do it. Lets see if this story helps.
Now I know Snowflakes get a lot of bad press these days, but just stay with me for a moment.
Let’s think about being our authentic selves as a Snowflake. Unique, beautiful and one of a kind. As they say no two snowflakes are alike. Our job, and the job of every snow flake is well, to simply be the snowflake that we are.
Now lets think about change as an avalanche or movement down the mountain. If we want things to be different, none of that can happen with just one Snow flake. It takes lots and lots of snowflakes, remaining true to who they are, to cause that avalanche of change.
None of this would occur without the Bravery of each and every snow flake staying, lingering during difficult, uncomfortable times. Our job is to learn to be brave, like those Snow Flakes in July!
Until next time,
Connection Coach Cindi