I just came back from a very encouraging and revitalizing course that has recharged my optimism. On one particular occasion someone shared that courage is just fear plus one step. Everyone loved that and as I was thinking more about it I started to think about the other ways you could extend this little clever formula. I started thinking about breakthrough is just being stuck plus taking one action; or happiness is just a smile in the face of sadness. The more I thought about it the more I fell in love with this way of thinking about our negative emotions and the moments we feel low, because it allows ourselves to recognize that the only obstacle that lays between us and a different experience is just one action.
In a different situation we may just think that because we feel afraid, it's probably because we lack courage as if courage and fear were two completely distinct states. We view emotions that are completely human and normal as vulnerabilities and weaknesses that just shouldn't be there. Something else should. Something that wouldn't make it so damn difficult and complicated to get ourselves out of our predicament.
But if fear is just half the ingredient required to concoct courage, then you know you are on the right track. Normalizing emotions such as fear and sadness allows us to sympathize and befriend this feeling and it helps lower the standards that we put on ourselves. While still taking one step may take effort we are the ones who consciously choose to fight back. The quality of our actions might not even matter at first, because all we need is just to take one step, one action and as long as we keep on persevering, we'll just continue to grow and learn lesson after lesson.
Here is a poem from my upcoming poetry collection book ‘The Gardner’s Hut’.
The Taming Power of Pawns
As a master of ceremony I step into the Battlefield, While All Stand Behind me. As common or expendable there are many Like me. Brothers and sisters ready to avenge me I move In the center One step. My myopic sight Forces me to look ahead, and I focus on what’s directly in front of me Cannot go back Can only Move ahead One step It’s my flaw I Take pride in it For if I fall My siblings Stand beside me. I may sometimes Struggle To move when something’s right in front of me But obstacles I sway With such dexterity On passant, or Diagonally I move through challenges Dancing free A knight A king A queen I was never interested in nobility If it means Waiting for others to Move Open the way Feigning intention, retreating to Safety I carry My safety with me And only When I take My Last Step Can I turn Into anything because when you like me have walked your steps consistently facing death and hundred threats can you realize that fancy tricks and acrobatics never mattered in the slightest you only needed to take one step.