Terry Sidford is a dynamic keynote speaker, bestselling author, and expert in helping professionals and organizations navigate change and overcome adversity. With a focus on cultivating courage and truth in the workplace, Terry empowers individuals and teams to transform their challenges into opportunities for growth and success. Drawing on her personal journey of resilience and nearly two decades of experience in leadership coaching, Terry brings a unique blend of authenticity and expertise to her engagements.
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Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.
— Anaïs Nin
Courage is that part of ourselves that says, “I know the risks, but I’m going forward anyway.” It’s that something inside of ourselves that allows us to do things that at different times, we might think we can’t do, or shouldn’t do because the risk is too great. But our courage definitely is one of the most important elements of the creation of our lives–if we have courage and exercise it, we can make our lives deeper and more full of meaning by attempting things that will expand our experiences, our learning, and our horizons.
Courage isn’t necessarily something that we’re born with, and it’s not blind–sometimes courage takes a great deal of effort to exercise. Sometimes we have to spend a lot of time talking ourselves into doing something courageous, but that doesn’t mean we have any less courage. In fact, simply considering doing something outside of our comfort zone is courageous in itself, and the extra time necessary to decide to do so doesn’t indicate a lack of courage at all.
Our first step in being courageous, then, is considering doing something that scares us, that makes us feel uncomfortable. We won’t always do that thing, but when we decide to do it, we’re allowing our courage to shine, and we’re expanding our lives by being courageous enough to try those things that we’re afraid of, and by dealing with pain without allowing that pain to control who we are and who we become.
Life doesn’t expand for everyone. Not everyone is willing to at least consider making changes that are frightening or intimidating, and their life experiences shrink into complacency and conformity with their refusal to exercise their courage. I want a life that expands, though–I want to allow my courage to be a major influence in my life, and I want to look back on my life one day and think, “I might not have done as much as others, but I did have the courage to try and do new things when the chances arrived.” Otherwise, I’ll have to ask myself just what I contributed to my life, if I didn’t have the courage to contribute in the first place.
Questions to Consider:
• What does the word “courage” mean to you?
• Why do so many people not explore their courage at all, ever?
• How can you make your life expand through the use of your courage, right here and now?
Courage takes many forms. There is physical courage, there is moral courage. Then there is a still higher type of courage—the courage to brave pain, to live with it, to never let others know of it and to still find joy in life; to wake up in the morning with an enthusiasm for the day ahead.
— Howard Cosell
Enjoyed this article? Listen to Terry’s latest podcast episode: Choose Courage Podcast.
Terry is a sought-after motivational TEDx speaker, Author, Television Host and Life Coach. She has assisted scores of people and organizations in achieving their dreams, which she believes is her own life’s purpose. Terry’s greatest joy has always been to help others unleash their potential and live life to the fullest. From captivating TEDx stages to engaging podcasts and sought-after speaking engagements in personal growth and business circles, Terry’s influence is limitless. Her wisdom extends beyond the podium, with two acclaimed books, “One Hundred Hearts: Inspiring Stories from the Women Who Lived Them” and “Truth. Courage. Love.,”