Saturday, April 2, 2016

B is for Brave - #atozchallenge 2016



On the flip side of being afraid from Day 1 of the A-Z Challenge my mind went to BRAVE. What if for one moment each day we take the plunge of taking the steps to be brave to try something that we always shied away from. Being brave doesn’t necessarily mean, putting yourself in harm’s way and running into a burning building. It doesn’t have to be huge. It can be something simple, such as, instead of staying on the sidelines you join in on the fun on the dance floor and not worry about how you look to other people. Believe me it will rejuvenate your soul and get your endorphins going, that you may even find yourself joining in on the next karaoke song.

Quite a few years ago, I ventured out of my comfort zone and conquered up bravery to go zip-lining in the Dominican Republic. I almost chickened out when I saw how high the scaffolding ladder went to get to the position of being secured to the zip-line. With the encouragement of my husband and daughters I took a deep breath and went for it. The experience was exhilarating to say the least and I haven’t regretted it for a minute. If I hadn’t dug deep down in myself to bring my bravery out I would have missed out on an amazing experience that I would never have been able to relish in the memories with my hubby and girls.

What have you done lately in being brave? Looking forward to hearing about your experience! Thanks for visiting!

Be sure to visit fellow A-Z Challenge 2016 participants!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Multi Award-winning Children's Author

Ignite curiosity in your child through reading!

Connect with

Dee and Deb Off They Go Kindergarten First Day Jitters ~ December 2015 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2016 Story Monster Approved

A Sandy Grave ~ January 2014 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2014 Purple Dragonfly 1st Place Picture Books 6+, Story Monster Approved, Beach Book Festival Honorable Mention 2014, Reader's Favorite Five Star Review

Powder Monkey ~ May 2013 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2015 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Historical Fiction 1st Place, Story Monster Approved and Reader's Favorite Five Star Review

Hockey Agony ~ January 2013 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ 2015 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Honorable Mention Picture Books 6+, New England Book Festival Honorable Mention 2014, Story Monster Approved and Reader's Favorite Five Star Review

The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ~ Literary Classics Silver Award and Seal of Approval, Readers Favorite 2012 International Book Awards Honorable Mention and Dan Poynter's Global e-Book Awards Finalist

54 comments:

  1. I've done zip-lining before. It's a lot of fun. I'd call doing the blogging from A to Z challenge brave, haha.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Zip-lining is definitely fun. I agree #atozchallenge is brave... it's hard to step outside of one's comfort zone for 26 posts in one month! Thanks for visiting!

      Delete
  2. Hi there,
    Yes, when people see the word brave they mostly think it bravery means to have a face off with a hungry lion. But you're right, brave is to get out of the comfort zone. Most of the time we are held down my small fears that define our lives...and brave is to face those fears one by one..

    Seena from
    Thinking Aloud

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like that facing one's fears one by one! Thanks for visiting!

      Delete
  3. The bravest person I know is my daughter. She's a widow raising 4 kids ages 6-10 on her own. Just getting out of bed has to be the bravest thing anyone can do. https://mhsusannematthews.wordpress.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. God Bless your daughter! I'm sure her husband is looking over her!

      Delete
  4. I haven't done anything as spectacular and I commend you on your zip lining! I know there are things I'd love to do so I'll have to take a leaf out of your book!
    Fran
    @FranClarkAuthor
    Writing Women’s Fiction

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Baby steps is all it takes and then there is no looking back. Good luck!

      Delete
  5. I think doing the A to Z challenge is the bravest thing I've done recently. Not knowing if anyone would be interested in what I had to say. Can I actually keep it up? etc etc. But I have been so happy with the support and response so far - even if it is only B day :) Really enjoying reading other people's blogs, including this one :) Thanks for the great post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hear you! Yes, I'm interested and I look forward to engaging with you throughout the #atozchallenge and beyond!

      Delete
  6. Donna, I have to agree A to Z challenge is brave and just writing in general putting it out there. I'm sort of afraid of heights so I agree that's definitely brave and I've found that with heights and other scary things it really does help to just go ahead and do it. Sounds like fun. I'd just want to be quadruple sure I was secured to that line though otherwise no way!! I bet you had a great view!
    Anne from AnneHiga.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amen to a secure line! Love... just go ahead and do it! Continue best wishes for the A to Z Challenge!

      Delete
  7. Accepting new opportunities to teach English to new people from all around the world. Even for a teacher like myself, it can be scary at times. So there is an element of bravery venturing into the unknown in this small way.
    Open Minded Mormon A-Z

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow! Good for you! You definitely have achieved being brave! Keep up the great work!

      Delete
  8. A wonderful choice of word. I agree bravery does not always have to be extra large magnanimous acts of heroism, the small ones are equally important.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for visiting Sunday! Continued best wishes for a successful A to Z Challenge. Thanks for visiting!

      Delete
  9. Being brave can be as simple as getting up, getting dressed and showing up. Each brave step is empowering. Look forward to reading more.

    Visiting from the A-Z Challenge

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Showing up is crucial! Thanks for showing up today and I look forward to engaging throughout the month and beyond!

      Delete
  10. Being brave can be as simple as getting up, getting dressed and showing up. Each brave step is empowering. Look forward to reading more.

    Visiting from the A-Z Challenge

    ReplyDelete
  11. Lovely post. I try to challenge myself every year to move country, change job, try something new...live. Good luck with the challenge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow moving to another country! I've never been so brave! Continued best wishes for the A to Z Challenge and beyond!

      Delete
  12. Great post!

    What I've been brave lately? Well, this will make you laugh. I've taken photos of me as a flapper.
    This is how it went: I visited a friend in the US, and she showed me around. We went to Salem as well, and there we found a place where one could dress up the way they wanted and have photo taken.
    I've been working to a story set in the 1920s for six years now. When my friend saw the flapper photos, she told me I should have mine taken.
    Well, you see, I dont' mean I'm old, but I do think I'm too old for this stuff.
    Still, it was fun, and with some encouragement from my friend and her daughter I finelly gave in.
    And it was great fun... but still I've showed those photos only to a few friends ;-)

    @JazzFeathers
    The Old Shelter - Jazz Age Jazz

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You go Sarah! Sounds like a splendid time! Kudos! Best wishes for your continued success throughout the month and beyond!

      Delete
  13. I like it. Bravery is rarely something gigantic or heroic. Bravery is sometimes just getting out of bed, leaving the house, saying hello to a stranger. The bravest thing I've ever done is telling those most important to me that I love them. What a risky thing to do, exposing oneself like that! The best part is not regretting the decision

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Opening up one's heart definitely takes bravery! Kudos to you for doing so! Thanks for visiting. I look forward to engaging throughout the month and beyond!

      Delete
  14. Sometimes just making it through the day takes bravery. Job. Wife. Kids. Life. Giving up yourself to help others. Challenges from all directions. To overcome one needs to be brave and courageous.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Yes, indeed there are challenges that surround us every day. To do so with dignity is bravery! Thanks for visiting!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Brave is such a great choice of word for B. The bravest thing I'll be doing this month (apart from the A-Z, that is) is present my poetry in a poetry festival. Big-time butterflies! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, presenting at a poetry festival. You go girl. Congratulations! Thanks for visiting!!

      Delete
  17. Ziplining? Definitely Brave!
    @simplymarquessa from
    Simply Marquessa

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. An experience I will never forget. Thanks for visiting!

      Delete
  18. The little things can sure be brave too. Not much I fear at my zoo.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Zip lining is one brave move, Donna! I might have looked over the canyon and backed away. I did consider bungee jumping in Australia once. That's about as close to leaping off high places as I've gotten. I do run rivers. Somehow I feel more comfortable being threatened by water than heights.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bungee jumping I would never do. I'd be too afraid that it would ruin my spine alignment. A fun river...sounds scary too. I'm glad you enjoy it!

      Delete
  20. Zip lining is something I've been wanting to try, but have been too afraid to give it a shot. Maybe one day I'll pluck up my courage and do it.

    ~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
    Story Dam
    Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi Donna!

    I’m stopping by from the #AtoZChallenge. I like your B word and think all writers have to be BRAVE if we are going to keep writing every day...;~)

    I have two blogs in this challenge…my author blog at THE STORY CATCHER (www.donnalmartin.com) and my KICKS Kids Club blog (www.kickskidsclub.blogspot.com.

    If you get a chance, check them out and good luck with the challenge!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for visiting and enjoying my post. Yikes, two blogs in the challenge for one writer. Now that takes bravery!

      Delete
  22. We have a Sunrise service on Easter, which is attended by only a handful of people, and I had to open service, lead Praise & Worship by myself, without music.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How lovely on the Sunrise service. Good for you. That would scare me to my core. I'm sure you did wonderful!

      Delete
  23. one had to be brave to vrave the ups and downs of everyday life... I like the way you have put forwad Brave!

    http://meotherwise.com/2016/04/02/beaches-and-taste-buds-atozchallenge/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed my post! I agree everyday life is a challenge. Good luck with the A to Z challenge! Thanks for visiting!

      Delete
  24. Bravery is indeed going outside your comfort zone and it could be a big thing or a small thing. One person's comfort zone is another's place of terror!
    Good luck with the challenge!
    Amanda (from www.amandafleet.co.uk)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So very true! Everyone is different, that's what makes life interesting! Good luck with the challenge!

      Delete
  25. I like how you point out that bravery is specific to the person. What might be brave for one person, might be a cake walk for another. It's about getting outside of your own comfort zone.

    Cheers - Ellen | thecynicalsailor.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ellen, thanks for visiting and commenting. Glad you enjoyed my post. Good luck with the A to Z Challenge!

      Delete
  26. Thanks for stopping by my blog. You are brave, in blogging, sharing your words, and that big adventure, Yes! I am afraid of heights, so I probably wouldn't be able to do that. I have been brave in my career by starting theatre classes for kids in the area. It's a blast.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Learning to conquer fear and be brave is the most rewarding things anyone can do for themselves!

    I talk about that a lot on my blog, Under Jazminn Skyes. I haven't been Zip-lining, but when I was in India I went bungee jumping and white water rafting over the ganges river and it was such a rush!

    Best of luck for the rest of the challenge.
    Jazminn #A to Z Challenge

    Under Jazminn Skyes

    ReplyDelete
  28. You're so right! I recently summoned up the courage to present at an online conference about something I feel passionately about - the racial health disparities in our community. I was nervous, but it felt good to be working on something so important.

    Good luck on the challenge! We're doing “I’ve Got The Music In Me” this year on The Road We’ve Shared. – looking at how important music is in the Down syndrome community. I hope you’ll stop by and see/hear! http://theroadweveshared.com/category/a-to-z-blogging-challenge-2016

    ReplyDelete
  29. I scrounged up enough courage to start my blog The Musings of Estacious at estaciousw.com. I was afraid to walk out on that limb but I did it. It really has not attracted a lot of readers but I keep plugging along. Signing up for the a to z challenge was nerve wracking too but I decided to give it a shot. I hope I make it to the end.

    AtoZ Challenge Estaciousw.com

    ReplyDelete
  30. I hate to admit it, but for me, sometimes being brave means leaving my bedroom.


    Sue Hernandez
    Wordpress Blogs: writing and A to Z Challenge

    ReplyDelete

Thank for you taking the time out to visit with me and to learn about my writing career.

Please be sure to leave your blog address so I can reciprocate.

I look forward to visiting you too.