A reflection exercise for you:
The VIA strengths of courage are bravery, perseverance, honesty and zest. The benefits of these strengths include:
- Healthy positive relationships
- Taking personal responsibility for one’s actions
- Increased tolerance for ambiguity
- Increased resilience, personal growth and achievement
- Increased trust
- Increased happiness and wellbeing
- Increased inclusiveness
- Fuller expression of abilities, skills and talents
- Increased resourcefulness
- Increased self-confidence
While the following short clip depicts the courage of Buzz Lightyear, courage is not purely the domain of the heroes in the world – ordinary people have courage too. (Lopez, Rasmussen, Skorupski, Koetting, Petersen, & Yang, 2010). And yet, being courageous … requires courage.
While we know that reflection is a powerful tool for learning, increasing self-awareness, sense-making and more, we often don’t take the time to reflect … as this may take courage. Nonetheless, a reflection exercise for you.
Think of a recent experience in which you demonstrated courage. This may be in the workplace, at home, while out socialising, exercising, engaging in a hobby, or elsewhere. It is an experience of which you are proud.
- What was this experience?
- What and who enabled you to be courageous?
- What was it about you that made this courageous act possible?
- What was the outcome?
- What do you most value about this experience?
- What did you learn?
- In addition to proud, how else did this experience make you feel?
As you reflect on your own story of courage, savour this experience; through this experience, remind yourself that you are already courageous.
If you would like to share your story, we’re keen to listen.
