Every so often, a phrase bubbles up from the depths of my unconscious and bounces around in my brain for a time while I consider it from various angles and think through what it means. The phrase that showed up most recently for me was this:

Slow Courage.

I like this phrase because it contains a kind of paradox or juxtaposition. Most often when I think about ‘courage’ I think of a loud, clamoring sort of courage. To me the word ‘courage’ conjures images of swift and bold movements—the sort one might undertake from atop a trusty steed–or daring acts completed just in the nick of time so that the day/planet/damsel in distress/family fortune/imperiled village is saved, etc. etc. My imagined characterization of courage is usually accompanied by a soundtrack worthy of John Williams, with a momentously blaring brass section, and…I don’t know, timpanis and stuff. You get the idea.

When the phrase slow courage bubbled up into my conscious mind and I began to consider it, I found that I liked it very much. Slow courage bears some resemblance to patience and shares a large Venn diagram portion with faith, but it has a bit less endurance in it, a bit more agency and action. Slow courage is an active and consciously chosen response, albeit a thoughtful and gradual one. It involves showing up in small, consistent ways daily, weekly, seasonally, for what one loves and believes in…and doing it repeatedly and diligently over time, even in the face of obstacles.

Here is why I love this phrase so much: I think it captures what I have been working on valuing and cultivating in myself in my own life. Having a phrase for something I value gives me a ‘touchstone’ of sorts to remind me of when I’m on track. In the past, I have valued the ‘John-Williams-soundtrack‘ version of courage. (I mean, let’s be real: It’s flashy. It’s fun. It’s exciting. There’s often popcorn.) However, I am gradually learning that slow courage is a more sustainable way for me to create the change I want to see in my own life, community, and in the wider world. Putting this deeply-felt experience into words helps me locate it more readily in myself and return to it quickly and easily.

Major Disclaimer Alert:

When I describe slow courage, I am NOT advocating that we soft-pedal on important issues or avoid speaking up in the face of injustice. What I am saying is that, from an individual energy management standpoint, I am more effective in the service of what I most deeply value when I show up consistently over time rather than trying to take one Really. Big. Flashy. Stand.

Don’t worry, I’ll still bring popcorn!

Exercise:

Is there something that you deeply value that you have never articulated for yourself before? If you can, put it into words so that you have a ‘touchstone’ phrase to return to when the going gets tough. (And please feel free to share with me!)