Sat Nam,

How’s everyone doing?  It’s such a strange time!  I have been going through a plethora of emotions just navigating my days and sometimes I’ve managed to feel about 5’different emotions before breakfast! Lol!

What I’ve realised is in order to navigate this crazy time and all my emotions, I’ve needed courage.

I consider myself a courageous person.  Some wouldn’t because I’m also a very fearful person at times but here’s how I see courage.

When I was at the height of my panic attack disorder I couldn’t get on a bus.  The thought of it would terrify me.  Even standing at a bus stop terrified me but through the years I kept attempting to get on a bus.  Sometimes I gave up at the bus stop, sometimes I went a few stops before I had to get off and eventually I made it all the way to my destination.  It took so much courage to do something that most people thought nothing of.  Now I sit on a bus with amazement that something so simple could terrify me so much and I’m so proud and in awe of myself at how much courage I had to face my fear.

That’s what courage is to me, facing my fear.

Whether that fear is doing something or feeling something that scares me, facing it and moving through it.

It doesn’t take courage to do something you find easy.  It takes courage to do the things you find hard.

Right now we are in a time of such uncertainty and sometimes it takes courage to just get out of bed in the morning and face the day.

Every day when I feel fear I say to myself be brave.

That’s my mantra, be brave.

So many of my favourite people’s philosophies are based on courage.

Maya Angelou’s says courage is the most important of all virtues because without courage you can’t practice the others consistently.

Brené Brown says that vulnerability is the foundation of all connection and you must have courage to be vulnerable.  She lives by Teddy Roosevelt’s speech, The Man in the Arena.

Paulo Coehlo says the secret of life is to fall down 7 time’s and get back up 8.

It takes courage to get back up.

So each time you feel fearful and face your fear even if to you it’s seems to be such a small thing, don’t judge yourself as being a coward because you were scared, we all get scared, we just have different things that scare us.

Pat yourself on the back for being brave because you are.

Let me know what courage means to you, I’d love to hear.

I’m missing seeing you in class but until then (which hopefully will be soon!?) join me in class online at www.sydneyyogacollective.com.  All info is on the website.

I’m also running one on one online sessions.  If you’re interested reply to this email for a chat.

Or just reply to say hi!  I’d love to hear from you. ?

Stay well and see you on the mat. ❤️

Love,
Adette