Courage - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

**Ann** · 04-23-2005, 12:57 PM

You are reading from the book Today's Gift.

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear not absence of fear.
--Mark Twain

It is not unusual to feel afraid. It is unusual, however, to hear anyone admit to feeling afraid. Sometimes we think there are some people who are so cool and calm that they never feel afraid. This may make us think we're not as good because we know how often we feel afraid. This is why it is important to think about what courage really is. It is not the absence of fear. Courage is not letting fear stop us from doing what we need to do.

We might have to get up in front of a group to give a speech. We could give in to our fear and not give the speech, or we could admit our fear to those who love us, and then go ahead and do the best we can. To go ahead in the face of fear is courage.

What am I afraid of?

Gabe · 04-23-2005, 01:16 PM

You know, I read this at the Hazelden site this morning...and that phrase about courage not being the absence of fear, but instead not letting fear stop us from what we need to do really hit home with me. I've been feeling like I must be doing something wrong because fear still gets to me on occasion. It gets to me big and deep. But it doesn't stop me in my tracks and it doesn't keep me from doing what needs to be done. So I guess I've got some balance of fear and courage going on.
I'd really like to get to that point where I live in faith instead of fear though.
Still a work in progress I guess.

**Ann** · 04-23-2005, 01:30 PM

Fear sneaks up on me too, Gabe, and can paralyze me for a while. I rarely see it coming. This is when I have to grab every ounce of faith I have, even blind faith and let it pull me to a safer place.

Faith helps me to not obsess about scary things, and therefore avoid fear, but it also is my life jacket when I am sinking fast. I'd like to live in faith too, instead of having it as my safety net. Don't know how to do that yet.

Hugs
Ann

oncewaslost · 04-23-2005, 05:04 PM

very well spoken you 2...there's nothing better i could add...i've had my own experiences with paralyzing fear...but im w/ gabe now...i think i've found a balance with fear and courage....i, too, am still a work in progress...

04-23-2005, 12:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ann Forum Leader Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: By The Lake Posts: 25,192	Courage You are reading from the book Today's Gift. Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear not absence of fear. --Mark Twain It is not unusual to feel afraid. It is unusual, however, to hear anyone admit to feeling afraid. Sometimes we think there are some people who are so cool and calm that they never feel afraid. This may make us think we're not as good because we know how often we feel afraid. This is why it is important to think about what courage really is. It is not the absence of fear. Courage is not letting fear stop us from doing what we need to do. We might have to get up in front of a group to give a speech. We could give in to our fear and not give the speech, or we could admit our fear to those who love us, and then go ahead and do the best we can. To go ahead in the face of fear is courage. What am I afraid of? __________________ “Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” ~Winnie the Pooh~

04-23-2005, 01:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ann Forum Leader Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: By The Lake Posts: 25,192	Fear sneaks up on me too, Gabe, and can paralyze me for a while. I rarely see it coming. This is when I have to grab every ounce of faith I have, even blind faith and let it pull me to a safer place. Faith helps me to not obsess about scary things, and therefore avoid fear, but it also is my life jacket when I am sinking fast. I'd like to live in faith too, instead of having it as my safety net. Don't know how to do that yet. Hugs Ann __________________ “Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” ~Winnie the Pooh~

04-23-2005, 05:04 PM	#4 (permalink)
oncewaslost Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Clarksville, Ar. Posts: 23 Blog Entries: 2	very well spoken you 2...there's nothing better i could add...i've had my own experiences with paralyzing fear...but im w/ gabe now...i think i've found a balance with fear and courage....i, too, am still a work in progress... __________________ "Peace is not the absence of conflict but the ability to cope with it"

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04-23-2005, 01:16 PM	#2 (permalink)
Gabe Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 4,955	You know, I read this at the Hazelden site this morning...and that phrase about courage not being the absence of fear, but instead not letting fear stop us from what we need to do really hit home with me. I've been feeling like I must be doing something wrong because fear still gets to me on occasion. It gets to me big and deep. But it doesn't stop me in my tracks and it doesn't keep me from doing what needs to be done. So I guess I've got some balance of fear and courage going on. I'd really like to get to that point where I live in faith instead of fear though. Still a work in progress I guess.

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