Girl Be Brave. Cheryl Hale

      There are times when being nice is the right thing to do. But nice should never come at the expense of your own voice. Learn to be nice to yourself by recognizing what nice truly means.

      day 21

      speak up

      We’ve all been there, wanting to speak up and share our ideas, but instead we shrink back. Out of fear, we silence ourselves without a second thought. The problem is that our voices and thoughts deserve to be heard. They have value.

      What are we afraid of? We worry about being judged or being liked. We all want the approval of others. There is no shame in that. It’s in our DNA to want to stay connected to the group.

      This fear isn’t irrational. Most of us can remember a time when we were rejected or criticized for voicing our opinion. For some reason, that type of rejection seems to stick around, training us over and over again to maintain the status quo. Nobody wants to live through that again, so we play it safe and keep quiet.

      We have no control over what other people think about us, not really. People will think what they want, but you can’t let that silence you. Have the confidence to speak up. Don’t let fear keep you from using your voice.

      DON’T LET

       FEAR

      KEEP YOU FROM

       USING YOUR VOICE.

      YOU ARE ALLOWED TO

      CHANGE

      day 22

       YOU ARE ALLOWED TO CHANGE

      Just because you’ve started down one path doesn’t mean you have to stay there. You have options. When you can’t change your circumstances, you can change yourself.

      Growing, adapting, and changing are all part of the journey. You are not required to stay in the starting position. You are allowed to change your mind and shift your beliefs. As a matter of fact, I hope you do.

      Events can occur in life that instantly alter you. Some of them are tragic, and some of them are glorious. Experiencing the birth of a child can transform your life forever, as can the death of a parent.

      You do not have to go back to the person you were prior to those moments. I’m uncertain if that’s even possible.

      At times we need healing, but sometimes the change is so deep that it brings about growth instead. It catapults you forward to a more empathetic, humble version of yourself.

      Give yourself permission to be the you that you are right now, at this very moment, all of it. Whether you are rejoicing, grieving, or surviving, live fully in your story. Don’t hold back.

      day 23

      you make

      A DIFFERENCE

      YES, YOU DO. The good things you do for others don’t go unseen.

      Take heart, dear friend.

      Everyone is born with a job to do and a space to fill. Your contribution is vital, whether it’s at home, work, or wherever you’ve been planted. The space you fill and the lives you touch wouldn’t be the same if you weren’t here living out your purpose.

      You may not be breaking records or ending world poverty, but your day-to-day life impacts others. The building blocks of change are kind words to strangers and phone calls to friends in need. It starts with you. What you do matters.

      Some days you’ll feel as though nothing you do makes a difference. That idea couldn’t be further from the truth.

      The good you do will come back to you. Give generously of yourself to those people in your life that you’ve been joined to.

      Keep a “giving goals” journal. Make note of some special ways you would like to increase your impact.

      WORDS TO BE BRAVE BY

      day 24

      YOUR

      uniqueness

      is a sacred thing.

      HONOR IT.