I’d Rather be Brave than Perfect

I had to laugh when I finished this piece, I actually forgot the word ‘perfection’ and had to add it back into the mix. Seems that my experience/mistake worked out very well for this quote. I actually thought about doing the piece again, then reread the quote and figured it was time to embrace bravery instead. Sometimes we have to choose to be brave which means we may show a little weakness. Weakness is not always a bad thing, it lets people know we are human.

When was the last time you were brave? I mean really brave? When you asked the question that made you uncomfortable because you were not sure of the answer? When you put your neck on the line not knowing if you would be successful or not? What about talking on a difficult topic to someone who may not give you the answers you want to hear? Or maybe ending a valuable part of your life in order to move forward – like a relationship, a beloved hobby, a friendship or a favorite role at work? Having courage does not always mean life is in danger, it mostly means moving from our comfort zone into an unknown zone AND doing it willingly.

Bravery allows us to test ourselves, our stamina, and our temperature around being uncomfortable. It forces us to take a big gulp, a deep breath and do the thing that scares us most. Change, bravery has a lot to do with change. It changes us, it changes the way we see ourselves, and it certainly changes the way other people interact and respect us moving forward. Whether we are successful or we fail, either way the fact that we tried and gave it our all speaks volumes about who we are as people. Being brave means being willing to risk and deal with the consequences no matter what. It means holding our head up high knowing that we faced the unknown darkness and came out wiser, bolder, and stronger.

Tomorrow, or next week or next year we will be called upon to test our bravery again. By being brave today we strengthen that muscle and will be better equipped to do it again in the future. I’d rather be brave than perfect.