Courage.

Almost 3 years ago (has it really been that long!) in Thailand, I came face to face with a gentle giant. Elephants are strong, majestic creatures.

Sifting through old Thailand photos, I was reminded of a story I once heard about an elephant and a rope. Have you heard it? For those who haven’t, here’s the long and short of it:

A man was passing some elephants when he noticed them tied to a post by a small rope around their front ankle. That’s it. No chains. No cages, just a small tiny rope held each of them captive. Confused by this, he stopped to ask the trainer how this worked. These gentle giants could break free at any moment, and yet they stayed. Captive.

The trainer explained that when the elephants were young, the small rope was enough to hold them. As they grew up, they were conditioned to believe that the same size rope could still do the trick so they never attempted to escape. Instead, they stayed, bound by something they had the strength to break if only they had the courage to try once more. 

#block-yui_3_17_2_1_1599936802006_21746 .sqs-gallery-block-grid .sqs-gallery-design-grid { margin-right: -20px; }#block-yui_3_17_2_1_1599936802006_21746 .sqs-gallery-block-grid .sqs-gallery-design-grid-slide .margin-wrapper { margin-right: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; }

Every time I hear that story, I’m saddened. And outraged. It makes me think of the line from Glennon Doyle’s Untamed, “You are a goddamn cheetah.”

But then I stop and ask myself where am I doing the exact same thing?

Where do I choose comfort over courage? Where do I second-guess my true strength? Where do I let the lies I’ve been told and continue to tell myself hold me back? Where do I conform to society's definition?

Yikes. That’s a tough answer to swallow. 

Where do I begin? Maybe with success….

The title of workaholic was my badge of honor. I am no stranger to hard work; however, I got a taste of freedom when I traveled and knew I never wanted to go back to that old way of living. And yet, I find guilt creeping back in when I take my afternoon naps, choose not to start my work day until 10am or hold true to taking Friday afternoons off. That rope - what a “real job” looks like - is getting tighter on my ankle as I type.

As I reflect on success and other areas where I find myself going back to what’s comfortable and known, like finances, relationships and body image, I remind myself of my courage + strength.

I’m the woman who left when society said she should stay. I’m the woman who quit when everyone said she was crazy. I’m the woman who flew halfway across the world to countries where she didn’t speak the language and lived to tell about the trip. I’m the woman who built a thriving coaching business from the ground up.

Me. I am her. 

And so are you.

You are strong + courageous, sweet friend. You have done amazing things, like birth babies and change jobs. You made hard choices, put boundaries in place and focused on your own growth even when others said it was selfish.

Take some time this week to reflect on the places and spaces in your life where you are dissatisfied. Can you identify where you’re staying comfortable and captive? Where are you second-guessing yourself? Where are you going with the flow when you really want to swim upstream?

Choose courage. Choose life. Choose you. You can break free of those old habits, expectations, societal norms, ways of living and the lies you tell yourself at any moment. Stop choosing to stay comfortable.

I’ll say it again for those who missed it the first time -
You are strong + courageous, sweet friend. 

Choose courage over comfort.