Courage

I wrote a post last night that I thought was about hope. I posted it, and then I re-read it and deleted it. It sounded too lecture-y to me, and it was looking from a perspective of fixing things that are messed up.

I had several interesting conversations this week, and some of them directly related to the post I wrote last night---dig yourself out of whatever you're stuck in, have hope.

But, I realized that isn't really the message I want to give.

First, most of what we see as our problems are actually symptoms of something else we should address, but when we keep pounding on the symptoms to beat them down, we get discouraged and we're missing the real issues.

Second, hope isn't about digging or desperately trying to get something.

We're always seeking answers and solutions and the magic bean that will make us achieve our wellness goals. And that's ok, because we have to keep working on ourselves in order for something to change.

I think, though, that some of the underlying factors in change are more fundamental. At least they have been for me. We have to get up everyday and go through what life we have---and sometimes as a result of human nature and the society we live in, we try things that are not successful at helping us reach our goals.

Having hope for some is ...

Going 3 days without a migraine

Walking up 2 flights of stairs

Eating 1 salad a day

Only having 19 cigarettes today

...If you have a goal, good luck. If you don't reach that goal today, keep positively and courageously working toward it.

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying,'I will try again tomorrow.' "
~Radmacher