This morning I got a Glitterbomb in my email.
(I do every morning, and this is where you can sign up for that glittery goodness from Tiffany Han.)
It said, “Your bravery looks different than you think.”
And that made me stop, and think.
It made me think about how, these last few weeks, what keeps me from opening up a “New Post” page in WordPress and just typing what I’m thinking, feeling and wanting to tell others, and hitting “Publish,” is that there is a voice in my head that tells me, “Maybe you shouldn’t do that.”
It says, “Who do you think you are, to be a so-called leader?”
It says, “You have everyone fooled. You won an award? Big deal.”
It says, “You don’t have all the answers for the problems Cape Breton has, so why are you even trying to help solve them?”
It says lots of things to try and keep me quiet.
And I listen, because I think that bravery in the face of this voice and in the face of (possible) failure must mean a huge blast of courage, or a bold and reckless action taken.
But my bravery isn’t what I think it is. My bravery is the quiet but steady existence of a tree, always reaching for the sky and the sun, flexible enough to sway in the winds.
My bravery is my “willingness to say something out loud, just once.”
And to tell you all — I do not have it all together, all the time. But I have a voice, and a belief strong and crazy: that Cape Breton (and the Earth it is part of) is my beloved home, and that we and it deserve success, and sustainable lives that we can pass on to our children and our grandchildren, and their children too.
And I don’t know what it all looks like yet, but I am willing to put my time and my voice into finding out.
So here’s me being brave: I’m going to write more, despite that voice inside me that tells me all the mean, untrue things to keep me from hitting “Publish”. Instead of stopping writing, and thinking that that will help me figure out what I want to do with my blog, I’m going to figure it out in writing, here on the blog. Take that, voices!
🙂 Have a good day, friends.
Always enjoy reading your blogs. Learning the thoughts of the younger generation (for me) gives me food for thought too.
Thank you so very much. 🙂
Google “impostor syndrome” if you don’t already know about it, and then go look in the mirror and say out loud (with that fabulous smile) “I, Leah Noble, am the real deal.” Because you are.
Ha! I did Google it and it made me feel better right away, Marian. 🙂 Thank you!
“Promise me you’ll always remember you’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” A A Milne
You are one of the bravest people I know Poopsie!! ❤️
Awwww, I love you so much, Flossie. You are the very best.
Glad to hear this because I love reading your blog!
Thank you!! That comment means more to me than you know. 🙂
leah, i’ve been following you from afar (shores of lake superior in ontario) for months. once upon a time my cousin (well first cousin once removed) adele leblanc must have sent a link to one of your posts. i’ve never responded to your blogging but this time i had too. you are doing an excellent job of sharing the island with the world. i love reading about your adventures and getting a voyeuristic peek at cape breton through your eyes. please keep sharing your stories, your enthusiasm (did you know this word comes from the Greek and means “a little god inside”), and your life with us.
Oh thank you so very much!!! I didn’t know that about the word “enthusiasm” but I *do* love word etymology so I will go to my dictionary at once and look that up. 🙂
Welcome back, Leah and your brave voice, and congratulations on the award (saw your name listed in the paper today)!
Awwww thank you Susan!!
Well said 🙂
The trick is figuring out a way to hush the stopped voices and give the nice ones a mic. 😀
I love reading what you write and will keep reading. Congratulations on your award! That’s great!
Also, thanks for the Glitter Bomb info. How fun!
Not “stopped”. StOOpid.
As in, “StOOpid autocorrect ruined my comment.”
😛