3 Steps of Courage to Choose Your Own Path: Stay Safe or Be who you are?

My hand trembled as it hovered above the send button. On the screen was my resignation letter. This was one of those hard things in life.

After sixteen years of working side by side with the Director of Addiction and Mental Health, I stood at the crossroads between the safe path and the one my heart yearned to walk. 

The voice of conventional wisdom shouted that leaving was foolish. But a quieter voice whispered that staying would cost me my soul.

You know that feeling. The weight of others' expectations pressing against the excitement of your dreams. The gap between where you stand and where you long to be. The fear that choosing your own path means walking it alone.

Nobody should sacrifice their authentic calling for the comfort of anything - the crowd or finances or imagining how you might fail. 

You can learn to trust your inner compass, even when it points in an unexpected direction.

Are you ready to step onto your true path?

Step 1: Recognizing the Signs

The first hint that you're walking someone else's path is that constant ache in your soul. I ignored mine for years, pushing down the yearning to write, to speak, to coach. I became expert at explaining why playing small was playing smart.

Life has ways of getting our attention. Sometimes it drops bombs - sudden changes that shake our foundation. 

Other times it places boulders - persistent challenges that won't budge until we grow. 

And then there are the rocks - daily reminders in the form of others' judgments and criticisms.

If you skip this wake-up call, you'll spend precious years building someone else's dream while yours stays locked in the realm of "someday."

Watch for these signals:

• Sunday evening dread becomes your weekly companion

• Your creative energy flows everywhere except your work

• You catch yourself saying "I have no choice" often

• Your dreams feel like guilty secrets

• Your body speaks through stress, fatigue, or illness

  
  

Step 2: Writing Your Own Permission Slip

Remember being a child, needing that signed slip to step off the usual path? Somewhere along the way, we gave others the power to grant or deny our permission to live authentically.

I kept waiting for someone to tell me it was okay to be different, to choose an unconventional path. The breakthrough came when I realized: I was the only one who could sign that permission slip.

Without this step, you'll stay trapped in the "should" cage, measuring your choices against others' rulers.

Free yourself with these practices:

• Write yourself a permission slip to change

• List the rules you've inherited about success

• Create your own definition of a life well-lived

• Release the need for others' approval

• Celebrate each authentic choice

Step 3: Walking Your Truth

The path of authenticity isn't always smooth. When I first shared my vision of teaching courage, some people were openly skeptical. Others worried. A few tried to "protect" me from disappointment.

But here's what I learned: your path emerges step by step. You don't need to see the whole journey - just the next right move.

Miss this step, and you'll mistake others' resistance for reality, letting their fears fence in your dreams.

Build momentum through:

• Taking tiny brave steps daily

• Finding allies who believe in your vision

• Creating evidence of your capability

• Learning from each setback

• Keeping your eyes on your own path

Your Path Awaits

Picture yourself a year from now, walking tall on your chosen path. 

Your steps align with your values. 

Your work flows from your gifts. 

Your example inspires others to find their way.

This journey begins with a single choice - the choice to trust your inner knowing above outer noise. You already have the wisdom to guide you. Your courage is waiting to be claimed.

I believe in your power to create a life that reflects your truest self. The world needs your unique path, your special light, your brave example.

Ready to take your first step?

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