What is Courage?

Courage

noun

The ability to do something that frightens one; bravery.

Recently I’ve been seeing images like this pop up everywhere. While I haven’t really been following Caitlyn’s journey and didn’t even know who she was before her transition made the news, it’s really bothered me.

Now I’m not going to focus on the courage of LGBT people specifically, because so many people have addressed this particular issue already, but instead I want to focus on courage generally. Look at the definition at the start of this post. Where in that definition does it say that courage has a hierarchy? Courage is subjective - it’s the ability to do something that frightens you.

Being in a battlefield is bound to be scary - you’re risking your life every second you’re out there and that takes courage. At the same time, walking into a brand new job or messaging that person you can’t take your eyes off is scary. It still takes courage. Just because other people don’t share this fear of your situation like many people share the fear of war doesn’t mean that your heart doesn’t start racing, that your palms don’t get sweaty and you don’t  stumble over your words.

Recently (as I always bring things back to mental health), I’ve been courageous - I’ve attended doctor’s appointments and opened up to people about my problem and it’s been one of the most frightening times of my life. Other people have no problem walking into the GP’s office, but their beliefs have no effect on how I feel about situations and I won’t let them.

If you’ve done something recently that you found scary or you initially wanted to run away from, you’ve shown courage. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.

Soldiers are courageous. Caitlyn is courageous (god knows how many people saying otherwise would be able to come out as against the ‘norm’ in front of the whole world). You are courageous.

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.

     - Nelson Mandela