Having A Brave Day

I’m not a mental health professional; I’m a writer. So everything I’m about to say to you comes from a linguistic perspective and from the perspective of someone who has struggled with anxiety and depression. And as a writer, I believe words matter—the stories we tell ourselves matter. For example, when someone asks, “How are you today?”, it’s easy enough to say, “Fine.” We may or may not actually be fine, but we’ve conditioned ourselves (or society has conditioned us) to reply in a way that won’t cause anyone concern, either us or our listener. 

When someone asks how my day was, I might respond with “Good” or “Not good” or even “Awful!”, and in the moment, those things may feel like the truth. But what if, instead, I say something like, “I’m having a brave day”?

Why?

Because if I think of my day as “good” or “bad,” I’m labeling the day itself, and in doing so, I’m abdicating my power, giving up the control I have over my experience of my day. I can’t control everything that happens in my day, but I can control the story I tell myself and others about it.

As a person with anxiety, I’ve had plenty of days when I’ve been forced to face uncomfortable or fear-inducing situations. (Thanks a lot, Universe.) My own personal triggers. Having had one of those days recently, a thought came to me spontaneously: I’m having a brave day! It felt childlike in the moment, which was surprisingly refreshing. For a little while, I felt like a young kid, wearing a superhero cape. It was amazing!

Believe me. Given the chance to escape the situation that was making me feel anxious, I would gladly have high-tailed it to another area code. But I had no choice in the matter; I was stuck with the situation. So afterward, I deserved a little intrinsic reward: telling myself I had a brave day. 

With a huge THANKS to my subconscious mind, I can now CHOOSE to give myself kudos any time I have looked my anxiety in the face, said “Hah!”, and kept on moving. Even if my courage later proceeds to high-tail it to another area code, I will reward myself for the brave moment, and similar to what I would have done in the past, when one or two dark moments would have “made” the day, I will allow one rip-roaring moment of wild daring to define my day. I will label my day a BRAVE day.

I’m having a brave day!

The stories we tell ourselves matter. The words we choose matter. So do yourself a favor and write yourself into the role of hero. 

Cape and all.