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Page 1 of 2  “She who hesitates before each step spends her life on one leg.” Stepping up reveals our stepping-stones – the defining moments in our life.
Most people's definition of courage has to do with facing fear. In other words, what they are saying is that in order to display courage, you must be feeling afraid such as taking a big risk that borders on being foolhardy. Also, most people correlate courage and being heroic. Men have been conditioned to think of this BIG abstract virtue more than women. Women have a different insight to courage, and sadly, very few self-identify with it. What’s your definition of courage and why is it vital to claim it for yourself? Are you curious about why only 11 percent of more than 750 women I researched for three years perceived themselves as courageous? Interviews with the courageous 11 percent made it clear that these women manifest their courage in specific ways. I call these the 12 feminine behaviors of courage: 1. Affirming strength and determination, 2. Confronting abuse, 3. Conquering fear, 4. Embracing faith, 5. Hurdline obstacles/taking risks, 6. Living convictions, 7. Manifesting vision, 8. Overcoming illness or loss, 9. Reflecting self-esteem, 10. Reinventing self, 11. Revealing vulnerability and 12. Speaking up.  Are you among this 11 percent? What allows only a small percentage of women to actively claim their courage? Perhaps you believe courage is only synonymous with being a hero. Most people believe firefighters and police officers are heroes. They were called heroes after 9/11. However, ask these professionals if they think of themselves as heroes and they will say, “No.” Mary says, “I am trained to do my job. If you call 911, it’s a day from hell for you, not me.” Most people are not “heroes,” but we seem to associate only heroes with having courage. Certainly the hijacked group of 9/11 passengers who curtailed the loss of additional lives demonstrated heroic passenger boldness.
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