BEING BRAVELY HUMAN in UNCERTAIN TIMES
We believe in creating a new goal for ourselves isn’t worth a jot unless it stretches, scares and grows us as human beings. Our core belief is -If we aren’t willing to try, risk, fail and learn about ourselves then why would we expect ANYONE else to?
Colin and I made a pact a few months back to invest the last of what redundancy savings we had, by going back to New York City (a city of people we LOVE) to raise awareness of our Bravery-Building ideas.
When we boarded the plane at Heathrow, our Brave Your Day print magazine was still in it’s ‘diapers’ (only three weeks old).
Our compass was firmly set to ‘BRAVE’ to focus us on living out our personal ‘Brave Your Day’ for a packed 12 days and 13 nights.
Colin’s Fitbit read a steady daily 10 miler of pounding sidewalks and subways to parly with an eclectic schedule of over 95 people, made up from academics, community activists, coaches, social justice movements, singers, sporting types, musicians, therapists, booksellers, designers, hairdresser, people living on the streets, football fans and everyday survivors of life.
Deep and dirty conversation ensued about being human, love, connection, and everyday bravery.
We embraced the riches these conversations reaped, even when one challenged us to derail us from our original route. Instead, we regrouped, took a breath and focused less on the obstruction, to reconnect with trusting our gut to get back on track.
We learned first hand that sabotage shows up not just inside our own heads but also skulks menacingly in the shadows to groom vulnerability, tiredness, unfamiliarity, and homesickness.
Overall our brave adventure was just that, varied, unexpected and a stimulating mindset stretch.
From an early morning subway ride on the #1 train downtown to Liberty street, neighbour to World Trade Center Freedom Tower, to take part in a live studio broadcast back to BBC Scotland, Janice Forsyth afternoon show to the Brave Your Day print magazine launch party on World Mental Health Day. We rejoiced together with bravery storytelling live from inside the pages of the mag with the gutsy New York Sheroe contributors and Scottish tunes, tartan badges (or pins as the New Yorker’s call them) all within the walls of a whitewashed loft studio on West Broadway. We pinched ourselves, surrounded by over 55 people, open and willing to come together to figure out how to keep going despite everyday fears and life uncertainty.
Photo by @kerbster284
Photos by @kerbster284
Colin and I are grateful to everyone who gave us their gift of time and embraces. Your alliance to us both and our bravery building life purpose has left us giddy.
Plans are already afoot to co-create a Brave Your Day NYC Gathering in spring 2019 and Glasgow will host its own celebratory print magazine launch party at end of November with local contributors.
Our big, radical stretch couple-goals continue…
To follow or join our bravery community check out www.braveyourday.com
www.braveyourdaymag.com
Intsagram/Twitter/FB @BraveYourDay @BraveYourDayMag
Love and bravest wishes
Charley & Colin
Photo Glasgow Caledonian NYC