Courage and Change

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

The Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr; it’s tempting to finish right there.  I mean really, what else is there?

With thanks to Jenn Manning & Random Thoughts n’ Lotsa Coffee

Courage and the capacity to adapt to change are learned skills and no one is without the capability to acquire them with practice.

That’s also pretty simple, and I’d be inclined to just leave it there too.

Also worth mentioning of course: that courage does not mean we do scary things without fear.  And, what’s more, the things we’re afraid of doing may not even be scary to the majority of people.

♥

Right now, I’m riding a bus – I don’t do buses.  But turns out the car keys were elsewhere (miffed moment) on the evening I’ve had planned with a best girlfriend for ages.   Momentarily ready to postpone nonetheless, my son scolded me with “Mum, you can take the bus there – I take the bus there every week!”  Short instructions later – two buses it is, and across town – and here I am.  On a bus.   And there are advantages to the bus that the car does not afford – not least of all I get to turn my laptop on and type.

The more scary things you do, the more you acquire faith in your own ability to survive.   That’s courage.  That’s capacity to change.

If you’ve grown up with a lot of change, you’ll find it easier to take on new things.  If you’re younger, you’ll find it easier to take on new things.

There will be a multitude of things – stuff – scary stuff! – monsters-under-the-bed stuff – that will appear to stand between you and your Vision.

So?!

I promise you this: every time you do something new and scary – and survive – you will feel more confident next time; you’ll feel proud of yourself this time; you’ll almost certainly wonder what you were worried about.

The adage to try something new every day doesn’t count for squat if your commitment is to try a new cafe every day – unless of course you’re agoraphobic.  There’s stepping shyly and quietly out of your comfort zone – in other words, relatively comfortably – and then there’s taking a giant stride.

And believing.  Trusting.  Knowing that when you do, the Universe will step forward to assist.

Okay.  Total of about five anxious minutes…  Got of bus one in Courtenay Place at rush hour Someone I know might see me!  Potential dealing-with-snob-acquaintance moment.  The way I read that schedule board there’s no more buses to Karori for an hour and a half.  But my son said to get off here.  Maybe he meant I should have gotten off up there.  Logic says bus two will be along momentarily.

Voila!

I’m on bus two.  Desperately thirsty.  Hope the beer’s cold when I get there.

Sue xo