3 Keys to Live Courageously

Live courageouslyWhat causes some people to take life by the horns and others to sit back and wonder about the what ifs?

An ex-boyfriend once told me that I was aggressive in my actions. I also distinctly remember a party where the hostess asked us what flavor ice-cream she should order and then being pegged as rude for immediately answering with my flavor of choice. Am I aggressive and rude for communicating my preferences and taking action towards what inspires me or is there another way to frame this?

Years later, I’ve come to understand that this trait of mine is more appropriately called “courage” and may even be envied by some. Unfortunately, some people even feel threatened by such behavior. Perhaps they wish that they also felt courageous enough to stand up for themselves? Are you someone who has no problem speaking up or taking action in the direction of your dreams or do you beat yourself up and get mad at others who do? When we give ourselves permission to say, ask or do what’s in our pleasure, we give others permission to do the same. Just imagine how much happier and healthier the world would be if this were the case! 

There is a growing trend right now to return to our authentic selves.  This can be downright scary for some because it means taking risks, being vulnerable and inviting in honest feedback, and not everyone’s ego is ready. On the flip side, it means we get to stop hiding and pretending, and instead our health and wealth expand. When we take action in alignment with who we truly are, we no longer condemn ourselves for trying to be something we’re not and we can begin to raise our vibration to attract what we do desire. 

Courage is a skill that you can build, even if it doesn’t come naturally. I was once a shy little girl. I knew I would be very limited in what I wanted to achieve if something didn’t change. This resulted in me facing my fears, taking risks, and putting myself out there. Yikes! However, it’s easier to be courageous when it’s in the direction you wish to grow because you have your joyful exuberance to gain from living a life in alignment with who you truly are, and one that allows you to reach your full potential. In hopes that I may inspire you, these are three ways I’ve been able to courageously keep expanding what’s possible for my life.

Here are three ways I learned to live courageously and listen to my own inner voice:

1. Pushing Myself to My Edge

As a child, I was inspired by an interview article with Madonna. She said she did one thing a day that scared her. I was so impressed by her facing her fears in this way that I believed this was also my ticket to reaching my full potential. I had this vision of who I wanted to be and have taken many small steps along the way to get where I am today, and I don’t plan to stop. Today you can find me expressing more of who I am from sharing about how I’ve finally managed to keep depression at bay to posting photos of my Blythe doll collection to wearing a homemade yarn animal tail around town and to corporate holiday parties to discussing my health challenges to speaking in front of groups at the workshops I co-host with my business partner for our new company Magnetic Explorators.

So practice pushing yourself to your edge, every day, even if you think it’s only a small amount. This risk taking will allow you to build your courage muscle and eventually you’ll be accomplishing things you never thought possible for yourself and gain confidence and a thriving adventurous life along the way. Perhaps you’ve heard that many times our fears are leading us to our deepest desires. 

2. Letting My Intuition Guide Me

It’s easier to be courageousness when I feel guided – I ask and listen to where life is leading me, and then take bold action from answers that come up in the form of dreams, words, or symbols. These decisions methods are often questionable to others. I mean who gets a vision and hears a message to suddenly make a radical change when everything is going well in order to move across country and start all over again?? And this is precisely what I did almost seven years ago when I moved to New York – my soul wanted growth and expansion in ways I couldn’t have foreseen. I now have three new careers, three new certifications, double my previous salary, a flexible schedule, increased connection to my inner wisdom and guides, a sexy and nurturing boyfriend who also holds me accountable to my truth, a fantastic apartment next to Central Park, an expanded circle of friends with many new sisters,  a new more confident view of myself, many skills and tools to help further guide myself and others, Salsa and Bachata dance skills, improved health, and so much more!
From your internal wisdom source, tune into your body and notice what you are feeling. Many times our body picks up on what’s going on before our mind can analyze our environment or situation. Ask yourself what it wants to tell you? What questions do you have in regards to your life? Building a relationship with your inner and outer guidance systems, as well as trusting that the Universe is backing you up, are key to taking confident action. So ask for guidance from your source/higher power/guides/Universe, and then be on the lookout for your answers.

3. Being Curious

Naturally being curious helps me follow through with the answers I receive from my intuition or guides. I also like to challenge myself by asking if I will regret not taking the advice. Since I know that mistakes are one of the fastest ways to grow, taking action in any direction will get me where I want to go faster than not choosing any direction. We only have a relatively short time to exist in our current body, in this earthly dimension, and time seems to go by faster the longer I spend here. My motto is “There’s no time like the present.”
I dare you to experiment as a researcher would, and see what you learn. Think of it as gathering information to do with as you wish. What have you been curious about recently? This may even be a clue from your intuition, leading you to your next steps.

So what did you come here to do? I dare you to start today and do one thing that scares you, just a little bit. If not now, then when?
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About the Author

Screen Shot 2015-09-11 at 3.53.06 PMCindy Nicole playfully guides women into alignment with their soul’s calling and transition into the life they’ve dreamed of. She helps them connect to their inner wisdom, uncover blocks, and champion them to be courageous and take risks in the direction they wish to grow. She brings 20 years of combined life experience as a Certified Professional Coach, teacher, leader, product designer, artist, and intuitive to help you reach your highest potential. Through her journey of health challenges and working in corporate America off Wall Street, she dug in to uncover the root of her dis-ease. She discovered that suppressing who we are, suppresses our immune system and diminishes our light in the world. In response, she co-founded Magnetic Explorators to inspire women to pioneer their own path to success through nature-based discovery workshops. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram and email her at cindy@cindy-nicole.com for a free exploratory session.
Main picture by Cindy Nicole.

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