May Challenge: 31 Random Acts of Courage

I hope you found the April Downsizing Challenge as helpful as I did. Mike and I managed to donate or get rid of a ton of stuff that had crept its way into our house. (The fact that we had new flooring installed at the end of the month helped, too. When you’re putting a room back together, you think hard about every single item that needs to be put back in place.)

In fact, I think making challenge my word of the year was the best idea I’ve had in a long time. It’s really forced me to think about the various ways in which I need to challenge myself. Like all human beings, I’m prone to falling into mindless routines. For most of us, I think, those routines are a protective mechanism: we know what to expect, so we don’t have to worry about whether we’re prepared to meet what’s ahead.

That’s why I’m really excited about this May challenge: 31 Random Acts of Courage.

Don’t be too alarmed–I’m not suggesting anyone should climb a mountain (unless you want to, of course. There’s room for that in this month’s challenge.) I’m talking about everyday acts of courage. Like telling the truth when a friend asks for your opinion. Or speaking up at a meeting, even if you aren’t sure how well your idea will be received. Those things are much more difficult than we often consider them to be. In some ways, I think they’re more difficult that climbing mountains. They sometimes have real consequences in our daily lives.

As is always the case with our monthly challenges, some of the items on this list may not apply to you. If you live in a very small town or a remote area, checking out a new restaurant or grocery store might not be an option. If you’re the sort of person who always makes small talk with strangers while you’re waiting in line, you may not think of that as an act of courage at all. Use this list of challenges as a springboard to get you thinking about the things that scare you–and what makes them so scary.

For me, the biggest challenges will be those that require me to be something other than invisible. I’ve made my peace with talking to strangers while waiting in line (in Texas, you honestly don’t have much of a choice), but I’m rarely the person who initiates the conversation. That will require a serious dose of courage on my part. Along those same lines, asking for help is difficult for me. I’d rather struggle along in silence than admit that I can’t handle something on my own. But where’s the shame in asking for help when you need it? Every one of us needs a hand, now and then.

I hope you’ll take the May challenge and share your victories with the She Dwells community on Facebook or Twitter. I’m excited to see what our random acts of courage can help us learn about ourselves!