Embracing Courage: How to Face Your Fears and keep walking

Fear has a way of sneaking in quietly.

It doesn’t usually shout.

It whispers.

It sounds practical. Responsible. Protective.

And before you know it, fear is running the show - keeping you holding on to situations, expectations, or versions of your life that no longer fit… because letting go feels too risky.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not broken. You’re human.

And you’re exactly who Brave Enough to Let Go was written for.

The Real Problem With Fear (It’s Not What You Think)

Most of us think fear is the problem.

But fear itself isn’t the enemy.

Fear is a protector.

It’s trying - sometimes desperately - to keep you from being hurt, rejected, or disappointed again.

The problem begins when fear goes unquestioned.

When we let it:

• decide what we attempt

• determine what we tolerate

• convince us that staying stuck is safer than moving forward

  
  

That’s when fear quietly shrinks our lives.

And that’s why the first step in my Courage Map is always the same: Wake Up Your Courage.

Not by getting rid of it.

But by noticing it.

By facing your fear.

Meet Fred (Yes, Your Fear Gets a Name)

During a particularly vulnerable season in my life - dating again after heartbreak - I was terrified.

Paralyzed, really.

A coach I was listening to offered a simple but powerful suggestion:

Stop fighting your fear. Name it.

So I did.

I called mine Fred.

Giving fear a name creates distance.It moves fear out of your head and into something you can observe.

Fred isn’t you.

Fred is something happening to you.

And once you see that, everything changes.

A Simple Way to Stop Letting Fear Drive

Here’s what I do when Fred shows up loud and convincing:

I acknowledge him.

I say something like:

“Thank you for trying to protect me. I know that’s your job.But I’m going to take this step anyway.You can go sit in the corner and eat a cookie.”

It may sound playful—but it’s grounded in psychology.

This kind of distancing helps your nervous system calm down.It reminds your brain that you are still in charge.

Fear can come along for the ride.It just doesn’t get the steering wheel.

Courage Is Built in Small Moments (Not Big Leaps)

We often think courage means being fearless.

It doesn’t.

Courage looks more like this:

• shoulders back

• chin lifted

• heart pounding

• choosing to act anyway

Not in giant, dramatic ways - but in Tiny Brave Steps. (If you want the steps to help you find your courage, try my own AI Tiny Brave Steps Generator. It's free.)

That’s how real change happens.

You don’t wait until fear is gone. You move forward with it.

And each time you do, you build trust with yourself.

A Gentle Reflection to Try Today

Here’s a question I often invite readers and listeners to sit with:

“What is my fear trying to protect me from right now?”

Not to argue with it.

Not to shame it.

Just to notice.

Then ask:

• What can I control here?

• What can’t I control anymore?

• What would one small, brave step look like today?

Awareness is courage in its earliest form.

What Happens When You Stop Letting Fear Decide

When you begin to notice fear instead of obeying it, something softens.

You stop gripping so tightly.

You start breathing again.

You create space for clarity, peace, and forward movement.

Courage isn’t about eliminating fear. It’s about learning how to take steps anyway - even when fear is present.

That’s what Brave Enough to Let Go is really about.

And it’s a journey you don’t have to take alone.

A last encouraging Word

If fear has been loud lately…

If life hasn’t turned out the way you hoped…

If you’re tired of holding it all together -

You’re not failing.

You’re waking up.

And that’s where courage begins.

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Want a "secret solution" to any problem, anytime, anywhere? My Tiny Brave Steps Generator is a companion to my Little Books of Courage. You can get it free here.