For the last 10 years, I have been living my dream, by myself, in a strange land far from everything that is (or was) familiar.
People see that and they think they would never be able to do it themselves, so they tell me I’m brave.
But I don’t really deserve a medal. Living your dream isn’t brave.
To me, brave people are those who risk their own lives or freedom for the sake of others. The people who overcome tremendous difficulty in life and can still find a smile in their hearts. The people who suffer deeply, but don’t give up hope.
Those are the brave ones, and I’m not of their calibre.
All I have done is get sacked from a job, pack a bag, and take off travelling, leaving the demands of modern society behind for some adventure and freedom. How brave is that?
So no, living your dream isn’t brave. I’m not brave. It’s that I have been able to let go of most of my fears.
Many of us are full of fears of all shapes and sizes: fear of losing our jobs, partners, money, or health; fear of losing face, of rejection, of abandonment; fear of gaining weight, not being pretty or good enough.
We fear failure in every way.
But when the fears subside, life begins. Continue reading “Living Your Dream isn’t Brave.”