Brave: Ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage. – Oxford Dictionaries

At The Brave Ones Therapy Center, we know that times have changed. No longer are courage and bravery solely associated with fighting enemies and protecting our families from the elements or the wild beasts lurking outside.

In modern times, we are more likely to need to call up our courage to face less obvious dangers that threaten our sense of safety and our place in this world. Dangers such as risking vulnerability and overcoming shame in order to experience connection and maintain relationships; weathering the storms of health issues; grieving the loss of a loved one or the loss of a lifelong dream that will go unfulfilled; or healing from and forgiving past trauma or grievances in order to regain control of your life. These dangers might not be as sexy as fighting off a savage animal in the wild, but research shows that our brain often responds as if that is exactly what is happening.

Slaying the proverbial dragons like those listed above require mindfulness, intention, and a whole lot of courage. If we are not careful, our fear and anxiety can drive us towards numbing the pain rather than facing it. Numbing can take many forms. Everything from drinking too much, overeating, burying ourselves in work or other forms of “busyness”, affairs, blaming or bullying others, zoning out in front of the TV, or even disconnecting and hiding from the things that scare us or just seem “too hard” are all forms of running away from the battle at hand. While numbing can certainly provide relief in the short term, it will, without a doubt, lead to an overall lack of satisfaction with life in the long run. And considering we are only given one life to live, practicing bravery is certainly the harder yet more rewarding option on all counts.

Most of us were not taught how to be brave in the modern world. Neither were our parents or the generations before them. It wasn’t a part of our coursework in school and, until recently, it was not a skill set that was widely researched. The good news is that with the rise of research in neuropsychology, emotional intelligence, shame, and vulnerability, we now have an understanding of what it takes to practice courage in the face of modern day challenges. And the even better news: the data reveals that while our IQ may be fixed, it only accounts for 20% of success. Emotional intelligence, on the other hand, can be learned at any age and accounts for 70% of our success in life.

It’s never too late (or too early) to learn how to show up and live life bravely. If you are ready, or even if you are not sure if you are ready but are willing to try anyway, we are here to help.