Finding The Courage to "Just Do It"...Whatever "It" Is

Hope is wishing something will happen.  Faith is believing something will happen.  Courage is making something happen. - anonymous 

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This past week was an immeasureable test of courage, strength, and hope for our family.  My mother in-law (I call her mom) recently found out that she had a heart condition that would require open heart surgery. While just typing the words "open heart surgery" is mind blowing to me, it does not compare to the overwhelming fear that my mom was facing. Where do you get the strength and the courage to go through something as life altering as this? Many tears were shed along with the the"what if's?" What if she didn't get the surgery? What if she is not mentally or emotionally strong enough to go through with it?

Mom and I playing dress up in an antique shop last year.

It didn't take very long for my beautiful mom to make her decision to trust the doctors and have faith that everything would go well. After all, what were her options if she didn't go through with it? She was not willing to find out, so she chose to overcome her fears.  With all the strength and courage that she could muster, she decided that she can do this. Her faith kept her going.  Fortunately, the surgery went really well and my mom is doing great today as she recovers. As she laid in pain in the hospital bed after the surgery,  she had a smile on her pretty little face that almost seemed like a sense of peace had come over her.  Was it relief that it's over and she is alive? Was it a sense of  accomplishment of overcoming something this major? She did it. She overcame her biggest fears.

Mom and I at a Nordstrom Makeup event a few years ago.

This tiny woman that I think of as my hero and my best friend,  pulled through and showed us all that no matter what life throws at you, you have the power to pull yourself together and find that inner strength and the courage to "just do it".  What do you have to lose if you don't?

A true life lesson that makes one think.  It may not be major surgery that you are facing,  maybe you are thinking about starting your own blog, or you need to get out of a bad relationship, or maybe you are unhappy at work and are thinking about switching jobs or careers. Within each of us, there is a small piece of us that is not affected by all of the external stuff… that place is calm, unfazed, unwavering.  Calm gives you strength, courage and peace to move forward in life.  Through deep breaths and visualization of the positive, you can get to that place of calm - and before you know it, you will find that courage you need to move on.

Thanks so much for reading! 
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