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8 TYPES of COURAGE (C.)

♣︎ Creative – The drive to discover new ideas, propose untested patterns, & bring original symbols or works into the world in spite of the risk of failure

♣︎  Emotional – The ability to allow yourself to feel a full range of emotions  – pleasant & unpleasant – without numbing out. Have the C. to sit with old pain when it comes up.  Use feelings to guide healthy, values-driven actions.

EXP  – Committing to regularly attend therapy and 12 Step programs — for mental health, addictions, domestic violence, childhood trauma …

♣︎ Endurance : Facing prolonged suffering, pain, or life’s unknowns with dignity, faith, & a sense of enduring purpose.

EXP : A patient managing a chronic or terminal illness with grace while maintaining hope for their family

♣︎  Intellectual – Willing to engage with challenging ideas, admit when you’re wrong, & learn or unlearn things to help your personal development, with an open, flexible mind.

EXP : A researcher publicly acknowledging that new evidence contradicts a long-held theory they’ve published

♣︎  Moral : Standing up for your beliefs in the face of popular opposition, shame, scandal, or personal loss. Doing the right thing based on your ethics & values, espevially when faced with disapproval from others.

EXP : Whistle-blowing on a company’s illegal dumping activities in spite of the real possibility of being fired

♣︎  Physical :  Able to act bravely in the face of bodily injury, pain, threat of death, or extreme physical hardship.  This is the most well-known form, involving bravery to respond in spite of the risk of bodily harm or death.
EXP :  A firefighter running into a burning building to save a trapped person  

♣︎  Social : Being your True Self & standing up for what you believe. To form genuine, vulnerable relationships in spite of potential rejection, social embarrassment or exclusion

EXP : Defending a peer at school or work who is being bullied, even if it makes you unpopular

♣︎  Spiritual : God’s def. of Courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to follow God’s positive plan for our life, relying on His strength & guidance through life’s challenges & uncertainties.
Developing Biblical courage
In the Bible, courage is rarely about human bravado or the absence of fear.  Scriptural themes emphasize that God is our Strength & Protector. It encourages believers to stand firm through His power rather than their own, which they can do because of the unshakable confidence that God is present.

📕 Courage as an Antidote to Fear : “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power & of self-control” 2 Timothy 1:7

📕 Courage through God’s Presence: “Be strong & courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

📕  Courage in Times of Trouble : Jesus modeled courage for his disciples when experiencing trials, saying “Take heart! I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33
And David, pursued by King Saul, wrote “The Lord is my light & my salvation – whom shall I fear? ” Psalm 27:1

RESEARCH : Courage is one of the most significant psychological constructs for society but rarely studied.  It is made up of the deliberate evaluation of a trigger involving = 1. an actor, 2. a situation & 3. an analyzed decision on how to proceed.
The main issue of this process is an approach-avoidance conflict, the ‘actor’ having to choose between their realistic evaluation of the risk vs. the potential noble outcome of acting with courage.

Before taking an action is a stressful situation, the person must make 4 key assessments, about the:
(a) Immediacy of the situation  (the trigger : how urgent is it?)
(b) Meaning, value, & relevance to the actor
(c) Having enough power to act, and
(d) Willingness to be courageous – assuming it satisfies:
✒︎ intentionality (is the choice to act aligned with the actor’s core values?, not just going on autopilot)
✒︎ the risk is both objective (measurable) & substantial (likelihood that harm will occur, so ignoring the situations would have severe consequences)
✒︎ a noble purpose (see INTRO)
✒︎ meaning in time & place = the specific moment it’s happening (when) & location (where). OR the memory of a similar event. (MORE….)

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