Wear these to increase your courage...

In A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles", Marianne Williamson says, “It takes courage...to endure the sharp pains of self discovery rather than choose to take the dull pain of unconsciousness that would last the rest of our lives.”

Self-discovery is hard work, and for me, much harder work than sitting in the dull mud of what I already know.

When I make the decision to really hear what my heart, mind, and body are saying, I become aware, and when I become aware, that uncomfortable gnawing feeling sets in that signals "I can either choose to move on this, or stay stuck, at my own peril".

"Moving on this" is uncomfortable because it requires change and the flexing of muscles I usually don't have yet.

For me, I don't know about you, change requires a great deal of courage.

I choose to wrap myself, when I am facing the change required for self discovery, in imaginary Courage Capes. I keep a big store of them in my mind so that I have many to choose from.

I have thick warm ones for when I am making a steep, long emotional climb; I have nearly invisible ones for when I am doing quick, fast, heavy lifting and I have soft, comforting capes for when my courage requires me to stay in place for the long-haul.

Somedays, when I'm on a steep climb and am feeling confident, I throw my Courage Cape back over my shoulders and stand and gaze out over the landscape - I can see where I was and can take stock of my progress. I breathe and appreciate.

Then I turn, face forward, and continue my climb, knowing that I carry my courage with me wherever I go.

It is heart-opening and slow medicine to move, with courage, into self-discovery.