“Courage, Dear Heart”—The Practical Side
The title of this blog is in quotes because it is from a movie or book from some years ago. I cannot remember the name of the movie or book, but I do remember hearing the phrase and it being quite significant. While I am not one of those people who easily memorizes movie or book lines or readily quotes them, this particular line has stuck with me. I think it is because courage is something I find myself often needing.
The definition of courage according to Google is, “the ability to do something that frightens one.” And the definition of frightened is, “afraid or anxious.” While I am not sure that many people would say they need courage, I am convinced that a large percentage of people in the world find themselves feeling afraid or anxious.
How about you? Do you feel afraid of the future? Or do you struggle with anxiety on a daily or weekly basis? If so, what does that look like for you? Some people deal with upset stomachs, others have insomnia and still others have full blown panic attacks where they struggle to breath slowly, break out in a sweat and/or have a rapid heartbeat. What do anxiety or even fear look like in your life?
I want to point out here that some anxiety and sometimes even a little bit of fear is not unhealthy. It is expected to feel nervous about starting a new job, having a baby or moving. And you may even feel frightened when doing big things—things like starting a new business, buying a home or changing career paths. Experiencing some anxiety and fear is not wholly bad; however, these emotions become negative in your life when they take up too much space, consume too much of your thought life and even begin to affect you physically.
How is your courage lately? Do you often feel afraid or anxious? And do these feelings become overwhelming to the point of interrupting your daily life? If so, we can help. Life Enhancement Counseling Services has trained and experienced therapists who are able to help you identify best practices to treat and reduce your anxiety. Please contact us today at 407-443-8862 to schedule an appointment with one of our mental health counselors.