There are many different situations that you will come across in your life. Some of those situations will be stressful, frightening, or hurtful. When you must face times like this it can be hard to feel brave. It might seem easier to shut down and shut out the rest of the world.
Often, bravery is not something that you naturally feel. In most cases, people feel quite the opposite of brave. It is natural and instinctive to want to run from something that feels intimidating. When confronted with a challenging situation, start with asking yourself, is this something that I need to face? When a situation is not right for you don't be afraid to say no. It's ok to advocate for yourself. If you need someone to advocate for you, ask a trusted adult to do this for you.
If after reviewing, you find that the situation must be faced or is something that will help you grow, remember, bravery is a learning process. It's not something that someone teaches you or gives to you. It's taking the situation that you have been given and finding the stick-to-itiveness to find your way through it, then turning around and offering your hand to the person behind you to pull them through the situation they are facing.
Before getting started,
give yourself permission to feel your emotions. Pause. Identify the feelings you are having. Take time to cry when things hurt. Take time to process your thoughts when you must face a frightening situation. Then take a deep breath, dig deep and use these steps to find the bravery that you need to face the situation.
The thing about being BRAVE is it doesn't come with the absence of fear and hurt. Bravery is the ability to look fear and hurt in the face and say move aside, you are in the way.
How do you start down the path of bravery?
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Gather support. Look for trusted adults who will encourage you and build you up. Your support could be parents, family, friends, therapists, school counselors, faith leaders, or
our hotline If you are facing something that seems big, talk to your trusted adult about it so they can guide you through the tough situation.
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Lean on the things that have helped you in the past. Turn to the
coping skills and
safety plans that have helped in the past. Remember how you have overcome other difficulties in your life.
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Be brave for 15 minutes. Then be brave for another 15 minutes. Take things step by step.
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When you don't feel brave, act brave. Sometimes just going through the motions will help you to find your courage.
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Build yourself up. Take time to cheer yourself on with
self-care and
positive self-thoughts. Many people who face challenging times, find comfort in asking a higher power for strength through prayer or meditation.
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Be realistic. Know that times can and will be tough. If you are not surprised by difficult circumstances, they will have far less hold over you. If a situation seems extra-ordinarily tough or unsafe, ask for help. Some situations take a team of support to face and are not something that you should face alone.
By taking these steps, you will be ready to face the things that come your way. You will show life's challenges that you are strong, and you will face your circumstances with courage.
