I’m really needing a dose of courage right now. I’m trying hard to practice what I preach in The Purpose Project (Seems like we teach what we most need to learn, or in my case we write about what we most need to learn.)
I arrived in Toronto late Saturday night for the first international stop of The 100,000 Impacts Tour. Today, I’m sitting in the Ideal Café in Kensington Markets and it’s hit me just how far from home I am. It’s hit me that I’ve left my son, my family, my friends and the wonderful communities I belong to in Melbourne. It’s hit me that I have no home to return to and that all I have is my trusty laptop, my phone, one cabin bag, a backpack and three outfits to get me through the next few months.
I’m questioning myself. Do I have what it takes to make 100,000 impacts (we have 70,000 to go)? Do I have the ability to travel, work and play while also reaching my book sales targets? Will I return to Melbourne feeling like a success or a failure?
It feels okay to admit that the fear is lurking and that courage is elusive. It feels honest and right to acknowledge it, surrender to it and indulge in it, at least for a little while.
So, I sit. I breathe. I look up at the tree right in front of me with the sun peeking through.
I get out my journal. I write for three pages on all the things I’m fearful about and all the things that could go wrong and the things that might fail.
Then I look up at the tree again and I get out of my head and I drop right into my heart. Slowly my writing shifts into new realms. I write about all the gifts of this experience, what I’m thankful for and what’s to come. I write about all the beautiful people who have willingly opened their homes to me on this tour. I write about my friends and family back home who are messaging me and encouraging me each day. I write about the brilliant people I’ll be connecting with at the global B Corp Champions retreat over the next four nights and three days. I write about all the exquisite work and life experiences I’ve had over the past year that have brought me to this place right here, right now.
I write my way to courage. The fear dissipates. The possibilities excite me. I’m now ready to explore Kensington Markets and use my courage for a couple of hours of creative inspiration.
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage,” says Maya Angelou.
What do you need a dose of courage for?