You’re Already Brave, Even If You Don’t Know It … Yet.

Some people are really into Disney. I am not one of those people. But when I saw the trailer for Brave, I knew I was going to go see it in the theater.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, I’m sure you’ve seen the trailer, too. But just in case, here’s a quick synopsis: The story takes place when arranged marriages were the normal thing to do. Merida is a princess of “eligible age,” and her mother is set on finding her a man.

Merida, however, isn’t your typical Disney Princess. She is adventurous, has actual skills (in this case, archery),  and is set on staying single until she decides she wants a husband, which might not be for a while.

I’m not going to tell you how the story ends – you’re just going to have to go see it for yourself. And if you have a daughter, a niece, or some other young girl in your life, TAKE HER with you!!! Merida is probably the best Disney role model out there for a girl!

That being said … Being brave isn’t just a good message for young girls. It’s a good message for you, too.

When I was a teenager, I thought I was going to really be something. I thought I was going to move to New York City and become a writer. You want to know what happened? I met a guy when I was 19, fell in love, married him when I was still very young, and I became a housewife. True Story.

I guess I did some brave things. Like moving to Alaska when I was 23…. But overall, I didn’t feel very brave.

In the summer of 2006, my mom sat me down for a talk. This was the summer that I turned 29. It was the summer that I first got the idea for this website. And back then, I knew nothing about how to make a website.

My mom said I needed to start getting serious and to make some decisions. That I should be buying a house and having kids. I told her that I wasn’t ready for that. That wasn’t how I saw my life at that point.

So, she asked me to tell her how I pictured my life.  I told her that I was going to start this website, that I saw myself traveling to new cities and speaking  about new ways of marketing a business. I told her that I wanted to  be friends with my favorite bands and other people who inspired me and hang out with them when they came to my town or when I was in their town.

That sounds like a far-fetched plan, doesn’t it? But you know what? It came true. All of it. I’ve done absolutely everything that I said  I pictured myself doing.

I’m not saying that any of this was easy. And, no, I’m not married anymore. I didn’t throw that marriage away in favor of a more adventurous lifestyle. There was a lot going on in my marriage that is no one’s business, and I’m certainty not going to blog about it. Suffice it to say, it took a lot of courage to leave.

I’ve learned a lot about being brave in the last six years. Actually – the phrase that I use is “Be Courageous,”  but it’s still the same thing.

We’re all afraid of things. I’ve had to remind myself to be courageous with each new step I took.

And I’m still scared of a lot of stuff…  like opening up to people. (writing all of this in a blog post is kind of a big deal.)

But I’m trying. I keep telling myself to be courageous. I’m conquering new fears all of the time.

I hope my story will give you the courage to be brave, too. Whether it’s starting a website, quitting your day job, or starting a whole new life, I hope you’re brave enough to do those things.

Trust me – you’re already brave, even if you don’t know it…. yet.