On Being Brave

I took a big decision last week to leave my part-time job at Subway and focus on the business that I love. I was growing tired of doing work that was not meaningful to me and that went against my values in some ways. My boss and coworkers were very pleasant to work with and so there were no issues in that department. They were very understanding when I told them the news. I felt a sense of freedom that day I told my boss I was leaving. I went for a swim in the ocean and celebrated the big step on my journey with Eco Connects with my husband Miguel. I felt like I was being brave, but not in the way we traditionally think of bravery.
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I picked up a great book recently called “Brave, Not Perfect” by Reshma Saujani. She explains how girls are trained from an early age to be pleasant, pleasing, and take low risks whereas boys are trained to dare, go on adventures, and take bigger risks. When we think of brave we often think of male characteristics and images like the masculine brave warrior. She points out that there are many examples of women being brave all the time and that we need to value that bravery. For example, the woman who leaves her abusive husband, or the woman who decides to go back to school, or the woman who says no to a corporate job in order to follow her dream of being a stay-at-home mom.

I can relate to the desire to please people (especially my parents) and do things perfectly. When I was in University, I aimed to do it all. I got excellent grades, volunteered with multiple organisations, and even worked for a short time. I started to get burnt out and my body started reacting to the stress. I was striving for perfection in all that I was doing and my body was paying for it. When I entered the workforce and worked for environmental non-profits, I kept working at a very high standard for myself. I applied to numerous grants, got them, and proceeded to get burnt out again. I then went traveling and learned a new way of working, this time on permaculture farms. I enjoyed the hands-on work and laid-back volunteer lifestyle and let go of working with my mind for a time.

When we strive for perfection, it’s easy to get burnt out. We also miss opportunities because we won’t attempt the activities or projects if we feel we don’t have the experience or skills necessary to do well. Back when I was working at the non-profit, I started dreaming of having my own business. I didn’t have any business background, but I did have experience with facilitating educational workshops. That dream stayed a dream at that time because I chose to go traveling. It stayed a dream until very recently, when I was given the opportunity to join a self employment program that helped to cover my expenses while getting the business running. It reduced the risk, which made it much more attractive to give it a shot. It also provided ample learning opportunities to build the skills I would need to run a business.

Reshma encourages us to redefine bravery. We need girls and women to see that they can be brave in their own ways. Imagine what our world would look like if more women and girls took risks to do what is right for them, follow their dreams, and make a big impact in the world. My way of being brave recently was quitting my job and focusing on the business. What is your way of being brave?