Dear Ones,
Let’s talk about COURAGE.
According to Brene Brown…
“Courage is a heart word. The root of the word courage is cor – the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage meant “To speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart.” Over time, this definition has changed, and today, we typically associate courage with heroic and brave deeds. But in my opinion, this definition fails to recognize the inner strength and level of commitment required for us to actually speak honestly and openly about who we are and about our experiences — good and bad. Speaking from our hearts is what I think of as “ordinary courage.”
– Brené Brown, I Thought It Was Just Me: Women Reclaiming Power and Courage in a Culture of Shame
I admire and allow myself to be awakened by courageous women… and all courageous people regardless of your gender, status, ethnicity, checkbook, or spiritual path. Not only those outlandishly brave, but the extraordinarily ordinary courageous ones like you and me who whisper our courage in small ways. We all are courageous just by taking this earthly assignment with all its uncertainties and opportunities.
Courage can show up in small and silent ways or in bold and bodacious ways. All are valuable and not to be compared to determine worth. All add to fueling the vibration of love and possibility that makes this life matter and have meaning. This vibration of daring changes the world for the better despite setbacks and obstacles. Ahhhh, to see miracles and happiness where their appear to be none. What a gift!
You can be courageous by just getting up in the morning. You can be courageous by leaving the edge of your comfort zone. You can be courageous singing about courage. You can be courageous from a wheelchair to by confronting your limiting beliefs. You can be courageous sitting day-after-day by the bedside of your child experiencing cancer or autism or anxiety. You can be courageous facing your own brain cancer or the loss of a loved one… or not. That choice, moment-by-monment, is yours. Please don’t forget that forward and backward steps count when your commitment is to get up one more time than you fall.
No matter the form your courage takes I am grateful that you have an inkling that your own happiness and authenticity is the greatest gift you can give to yourself first… and this is what blesses the world. That’s the REAL way it works. It it likely messy yet profoundly important.
Let me share with you about one courageous soul. There are many and I hope to share their stories, too. And today, let this amazing woman’s adventure nudge you more fully into your own as the evidence and embodiment of your strength and courage.
There is extraordinary in the ordinary. Meet Donna Lange who not only lives outside the box, but demonstrates the power that comes when you realize that there is no box. She felt a calling and dared to followed it. Some may think her crazy, but those who know feel the value in her vulnerability consider her courageous. As described on her GOFUNDME page (https://www.gofundme.com/cqx7wnhj)…
Donna Lange is a humanitarian, an RN, a musician, and a master Sailor, a mother and grandmother. Donna is the most grateful person most of us have ever known. Donna is a “giver” and has given of her
time and energy to those in crushingly poor situations. She lives her life helping others. Donna is also a founding member of OceansWatch, a charitable trust created by sailors to protect the oceans and to help sustain the livelihood of Islanders whose homes and reefs the sailors visited. Donna is always involved in helping others and protecting our world’s oceans.
What has She been up to? Donna Lange has been sailing Solo Circumnavigating the World’s oceans in her 28′ Southern Cross Sailboat, INSPIRED INSANITY, non stop since July of 2015!
Her sail is from Rhode Island back to Rhode Island. The voyage was to take approximately 9 months! The trip would bring Donna around both great capes, the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) and Cape Horn (southern tip of South America).
In mid-February, Donna was 1,200 miles from Cape Horn and six and a half months into the voyage. She was knocked over twice, meaning knocked over so her mast was dragging in the sea. These knockdowns damaged her tiny 28′ Southern Cross sailboat and rigging. This forced Donna to make a decision. She decided to change her plan of sailing around Cape Horn, and rerouted to travel through the Panama Canal and so she headed north up the west side of South America toward Panama.
Donna has spent the last 6 weeks sailing to Panama, and she arrived in early April, 2016.
That brings us to today. Transiting up and over the Panama Canal and the unexpected Repairs to INSPIRED INSANITY will cost over $7,000. These costs are unexpected expenses.
We have all dreamed of doing something “crazy.” An adventure so grand most people can’t even comprehend where you could come up with such an idea. Then you wonder how you could accomplish this dream? How could you pay for it?
Donna Lange dreamed big and all planning for the 9 month Solo Circumnavigation were set. But after INSPIRED INSANITY and DONNA were knocked over twice near Cape Horn, Donna lost many systems on her sailboat, and all but a minor communication ability.
Donna’s family and friends have been asking how can we help Donna get through the Panama Canal and get her back on course?
So Bob, and other friends have opened a GOFUNDME for Donna Lange.
Your donations will help provide Donna the money needed to fund her Up and Over the Panama Canal and help with the much needed Repairs for her INSPIRED INSANITY.
Help Donna’s Dream to be YOUR DREAM. How many of us have dreamed this big? Very few of us. Let’s help Donna complete her Solo Circumnavigation around the world and back home.
https://www.gofundme.com/cqx7wnhj
http://www.donna-lange.com/
Your adventure doesn’t have to be this huge to matter. Whether your calling is curing cancer or supporting someone who is walking it’s path, your gift is equally essential.
I offer every courageous soul a deep bow of gratitude for what you do and who you BE. Courage allows us to know that love is the answer to every question and every moment contains a gift worth savoring.
Joy-FULLY,
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