Courage and Kindness
7 ways courage and kindness could lead to a more balanced life
What if the key ingredients for living a balanced life amidst this crisis are courage and kindness?
“Have courage and be kind” was the advice Cinderella’s mom gave to her before her demise. Cinderella is a classic Disney movie about a young girl who suffered severe injustice from her step-mother. Without losing sight of the advice her mother gave to her, she eventually became the much-coveted Prince’s bride.
Cinderella’s story, though cliché, provides us with lots of lessons that are still applicable in the present day. We may not all have fairy godmothers in the real world that will make our dreams come through and give us glass shoes, but we have a choice to make;
· Either chose to have courage and be kind
· Or not
Courage can be defined as a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear.
Kindness, on the other hand, is a quality of being warmhearted and sympathetic.
Let’s go back to Cinderella’s story, an act of kindness she portrayed was when she summoned enough guts to show up at the ball despite having been forewarned by her stepmother.
With the COVID-19 pandemic causing an increase in fear and uncertainties, courage and kindness may seem like a farfetched illusion. But it’s attainable and just may be the key ingredient required for living a more balanced life.
Here are 7 ways courage and kindness could lead to a more balanced life:
1. It terminates fear and anxiety
Fear is a limitation to innovation and an enemy to creativity. To have courage means to see danger or risk and go right into it head-on! Kindness, on the other hand, is born out of courage. It takes only courage to be kind even when the alternative is caution or simply looking out for oneself.
2. It helps to maximize opportunities
When Cinderella was told to go to the ball by her fairy godmother, she recognized that it was going to be an opportunity of a lifetime, one she had previously only dreamed about. So, she seized it. Courage and kindness position us better for recognizing opportunities and seizing them appropriately.
3. It helps to acquire experience
With courage, you would take chances that you normally won’t take. You get to gain new experiences, learn from them and this, in turn, is what helps you grow.
4. It gives you a sense of security
This may sound quite ironic but in fact, it is true. There are certain strengths that characterize facing danger instead of running away from it. Kind of like when a dog approaches you, you can do any of these things; run away, stand still or squat and run your hands through its furs. Whatever your stance, is a clear indication of your level of courage. (let wisdom guide you when applying this please)
5. It provides you with an opportunity to rewrite your story
How easy it is for one to remain in their comfort zone and embrace the status quo? If success is paramount to you as an individual, if you desire any level of greatness whatsoever, you will have to take the first step. Taking this first step, whatever it entails requires a great deal of courage on your part. And there’s no telling how far you’ll go when this courage is paired with kindness.
6. You become an inspiration to others
This comes without saying; we have all drawn inspiration from success stories of individuals like us who were faced with the kinds of challenges we face but went the extra mile in overcoming them. Examples of such people will include Ben Carson, Donald Trump, and Nelson Mandela etc. When we practice courage and kindness in facing difficult times, we also become a source of inspiration to others and that’s pretty great.
7. You improve your health and overall quality of life
Several studies have shown that courage boosts confidence and kindness. These two qualities have a profound effect on our mental and psychological health.
“Have courage and be kind” — you too can make this your mantra and reap the benefits of a well-balanced life.
How will you challenge yourself to have the courage and be kind especially in this pandemic?
Originally published at https://medium.com on September 1, 2020.
