Brave? Me? Heck yes!

Thanks to Bloganuary for really making me think so early in the year 🙂

I\’ve never considered myself to be brave. Early trauma taught me a lot about the difference between brave and stupid (you get to pick which is which in the age-old fight or flight question), so I adopted the fawn option. I have applied the fawn principle for most of my adult life and it\’s only really been in the past 2 years that I\’ve learned to move beyond that, even if only little by little.

PHOTO: SOUTHERN LIVING

Today, with this question, I had to sit back and really think, failing which, this post would have been a very very short one.

I suppose you could say I was brave when I ran away from home at 18

I suppose you could say I was brave when I opted to walk out of my marriage of 12 years instead of stepping in front of an 18-wheeler

I suppose you could say I was brave when I pulled myself together after the worst breakup of my life with the biggest narcissist I have ever known

I suppose you could say I am brave for becoming an activist against domestic violence and opening a safehouse and victim support center (as soon as I can get the funds to do so, which in itself requires some bravery)

I suppose you could say I am brave for just completing the first year of my first degree at the age of 45

You could DEFINITELY say I am brave for buying a motorbike and learning to ride in the past couple of months

Yeah, I think I am brave.

I am brave in the sense that I never give up and I never quit

I am brave in the sense that I always see an opportunity for a solution, instead of a problem

I am brave because I refuse to stay down!