Courage.

Angie, I really liked that idea from your last post, so if I was in fact going to do that my word of the year would be courage. Just so you all know. :) It's part of the young men/young women theme this year (Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.")

Courage is an interesting thing. Once upon a time I used to believe it meant not being afraid of anything. Which- I knew- I'll never be. :p Now, I think courage is more just being brave and doing what's right even if it's scary. I found a definition that explained my idea of courage perfectly:

"Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, risk/danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. 'Physical courage' is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, or threat of death, while 'moral courage' is the ability to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, shame, scandal, or discouragement. Courage is the mental and moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty."

This year I think I need to use courage where my well being is concerned. For me, standing up to people and not being a pushover or totally passive is scary. But I've discovered it's not exactly healthy to be used as a door mat either. Sometimes courage is just something that helps you keep yourself safe. Sometimes you have to forget how you feel, and remember what you deserve.