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 Donna McDine on Google+
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
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.
ReplyDeleteZip-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!
DeleteHi there,
ReplyDeleteYes, 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
I like that facing one's fears one by one! Thanks for visiting!
DeleteThe 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/
ReplyDeleteGod Bless your daughter! I'm sure her husband is looking over her!
DeleteI 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!
ReplyDeleteFran
@FranClarkAuthor
Writing Women’s Fiction
Baby steps is all it takes and then there is no looking back. Good luck!
DeleteI 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.
ReplyDeleteI hear you! Yes, I'm interested and I look forward to engaging with you throughout the #atozchallenge and beyond!
DeleteDonna, 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!
ReplyDeleteAnne from AnneHiga.com
Amen to a secure line! Love... just go ahead and do it! Continue best wishes for the A to Z Challenge!
DeleteAccepting 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.
ReplyDeleteOpen Minded Mormon A-Z
Wow! Good for you! You definitely have achieved being brave! Keep up the great work!
DeleteA 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.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting Sunday! Continued best wishes for a successful A to Z Challenge. Thanks for visiting!
DeleteBeing brave can be as simple as getting up, getting dressed and showing up. Each brave step is empowering. Look forward to reading more.
ReplyDeleteVisiting from the A-Z Challenge
Showing up is crucial! Thanks for showing up today and I look forward to engaging throughout the month and beyond!
DeleteBeing brave can be as simple as getting up, getting dressed and showing up. Each brave step is empowering. Look forward to reading more.
ReplyDeleteVisiting from the A-Z Challenge
Lovely post. I try to challenge myself every year to move country, change job, try something new...live. Good luck with the challenge.
ReplyDeleteWow moving to another country! I've never been so brave! Continued best wishes for the A to Z Challenge and beyond!
DeleteGreat post!
ReplyDeleteWhat 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
You go Sarah! Sounds like a splendid time! Kudos! Best wishes for your continued success throughout the month and beyond!
DeleteI 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
ReplyDeleteOpening 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!
DeleteSometimes 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.
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed there are challenges that surround us every day. To do so with dignity is bravery! Thanks for visiting!
ReplyDeleteBrave 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! :)
ReplyDeleteWow, presenting at a poetry festival. You go girl. Congratulations! Thanks for visiting!!
DeleteZiplining? Definitely Brave!
ReplyDelete@simplymarquessa from
Simply Marquessa
An experience I will never forget. Thanks for visiting!
DeleteThe little things can sure be brave too. Not much I fear at my zoo.
ReplyDeleteGood for you! Thanks for visiting!
DeleteZip 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.
ReplyDeleteBungee 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!
DeleteZip 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.
ReplyDelete~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
Good for you Patricia! I was a blast!
DeleteKudos on zip lining!
ReplyDeleteThanks a bunch!
DeleteHi Donna!
ReplyDeleteI’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!
Thanks for visiting and enjoying my post. Yikes, two blogs in the challenge for one writer. Now that takes bravery!
DeleteWe 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.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely on the Sunrise service. Good for you. That would scare me to my core. I'm sure you did wonderful!
Deleteone had to be brave to vrave the ups and downs of everyday life... I like the way you have put forwad Brave!
ReplyDeletehttp://meotherwise.com/2016/04/02/beaches-and-taste-buds-atozchallenge/
Glad you enjoyed my post! I agree everyday life is a challenge. Good luck with the A to Z challenge! Thanks for visiting!
DeleteBravery 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!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the challenge!
Amanda (from www.amandafleet.co.uk)
So very true! Everyone is different, that's what makes life interesting! Good luck with the challenge!
DeleteI 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.
ReplyDeleteCheers - Ellen | thecynicalsailor.blogspot.com
Ellen, thanks for visiting and commenting. Glad you enjoyed my post. Good luck with the A to Z Challenge!
DeleteThanks 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.
ReplyDeleteLearning to conquer fear and be brave is the most rewarding things anyone can do for themselves!
ReplyDeleteI 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
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.
ReplyDeleteGood 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
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.
ReplyDeleteAtoZ Challenge Estaciousw.com
I hate to admit it, but for me, sometimes being brave means leaving my bedroom.
ReplyDeleteSue Hernandez
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