Courage is Contagious

My schedule over the past few months, acclimating to the new (old) job while teaching and maintaining my family life had me make important choices about how I spend my time.

At the top of the list were places and appointments where I was required to be.

Next up was a (re)consideration of the places I wanted to be and how to balance that with family time, time for self-care, time for reading, time for my daily Wordle, Quordle and, Octordle games.

Some choices were easier than others. I let go of one group I belonged to, have taken a hiatus from my mastermind group, and have participated less in Go Go Done. I’ve been less active in my Toastmasters club and the synagogue over the past few months. There is no one reason or provocation for the change in my participation levels.

Some of it is logistics – there are 24 hours in a one day and that’s it. I can only be in one place at a time and do one thing at a time. ?Along with the more recent changes, I also continue to notice a pandemic induced review of my values – what is important to me? How and where do I want to spend my time? What goals are most important to me? Protecting time for self-care, let alone fun, is also part of my thinking.

Part of me recognizes a need to do less. The other part feels a need to be more focused and clearer about what I add to my plate. Every commitment needs to be in furtherance of my goals. And my goals need some clarification. ?

The net result feels like the pause I am taking.

Yet, I also miss the connection and the energy from the different things I have been involved with.

Here’s the thing. I notice that I’m braver when I’m part of these groups. I get courage, ideas, inspiration, motivation, and accountability from being part of these groups, from being with other people who are also stretching themselves outside their comfort zones.

My realization: courage is contagious! Knowing there are friends, colleagues, peers who are in my corner helps me do the next scary thing, even if that scary thing is not actually so scary.

It’s energizing to hear what other people are up to, what their goals are and observe how they get where they want to go. When they take a next step, a scary step, I feel like I can to. It keeps me going. It gives me bravery I might not have on my own.

For me, there is strength in numbers. What about you? What gives you courage to do the next scary thing?