B.L.O.O.M: Brave Love Opens and Orients Me

{Links are always at the end to reduce distractions.}

When you bloom where you are planted you don't need perfection, you need good soil. Good soil tends to our root system. Bloom is a byproduct of healthy nourished roots. To bloom is about purpose, not preference.

To bloom is to experience unforced, organic growth. And I want to focus on five big ideas in the area of our B.L.O.O.M. (Brave Love Opens and Orients Me):

1. Embrace

2. Embody

3. Develop and Devote

4. Celebrate

5. Set Boundaries

This list is not exhaustive, but it does capture the essential paradigm about brave love being a gateway and orientation in your life (and mine).

What does it mean to be brave in the self-nurture of your soul?

Well, before we explore the five big ideas, I want to reference to Brené Brown's research, she shares:

“We have been taught wrong, being brave is not about being cool, being tough — it is about being vulnerable.” The word courage she reminds us comes from the Latin, Coeur meaning heart.

"Being courageous means sharing who you are with all. Brown classifies bravery as having four key elements, the first being vulnerability, closely followed by clarity of value, trust and rising skills.

If you are brave — and vulnerable — you will fail without doubt, but you will also rise again. It is a myth that vulnerability can be equated to weakness. It is the opposite, if you turn up when you do not know the outcome, that is brave and that is the epitome of vulnerable.”

The Difference Between Bravery and Courage

I agree that a distinction exists between being brave and being courageous, I believe they support one another. It's not a complete picture of your wholeness pilgrimage to be one or the other, we must be brave + courageous.

As I share these big ideas, it's essential to keep in mind that the bravery + courage paradigm offers rich insights, and hopefully, this helps to get you to rethink and expand your definition of courage and bravery and how to notice them in your life.

"Bravery isn't about hero or heroine status, it's about the ability to bring healing to any disenfranchised parts through your vulnerable service."

"Courage isn't about the way we mentally armor up to engage, or waiting to feel confident. Courage describes the resolve of the heart to take action through your fears and shadows."

Which big idea resonated with you the most? For me, it always draws me in that when I set boundaries. I am engaging in self-nurture, and this IS NOT a defensive action against an opponent. It IS love, and it is a healing art form and expression of contemplative activism.