How to Be Brave Even When You’re Scared
There’s a quiet moment when fear whispers, “What if it doesn’t work out?” And often, we listen. But bravery isn’t about silencing that voice. It’s about gently replying, “But what if it does?” Let’s talk about how to be brave—and perhaps more importantly, when to be brave.
Fearlessness is the ultimate happiness. Feeling safe is essential for those of us who have suffered abuse, fear, or pain in our past. Sometimes we may need a friend, a brother, a sister, a teacher to help us not fall back into the past.
Bravery is about taking action despite fear.
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It’s sending in your job application, even though you’re worried you’re underqualified.
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It’s ending a toxic relationship, even when you fear loneliness.
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It’s choosing your truth over comfort.
Bravery shows up in everyday choices, not just life-altering moments. It’s the decision to live authentically, even when it’s messy.
How to Be Brave
1. Start Small
You can train yourself to be brave by making it part of your daily habits: speak up in a meeting, set a boundary with a friend, try something new, even if it’s uncomfortable. These small wins build your courage muscle.
2. Feel the Fear—Then Do It Anyway
Fear is a natural response to the unknown. The trick isn’t to wait until you feel fearless—but to find ways to reduce the fear. For instance, you might feel less nervous about public speaking if you prepare thoroughly and rehearse your speech in advance. In fact, fear can be useful—it helps you anticipate challenges and take steps to manage them.
3. Lean on People Who Believe in You
Bravery and self-doubt often walk hand in hand. It’s not that brave people don’t doubt themselves—they just learn how to move forward with the doubt tagging along. I used to think that being brave meant I had to be 100% sure of myself. That I had to “feel ready.” But I’ve learned the truth the hard way: you rarely feel ready. You just feel the fear and choose anyway.
Therefore, bravery is reaching out to the people you trust and acknowledging that “I need help.” Courage doesn’t mean doing it alone. Lower your ego and find your tribe—people who see your potential when you’ve forgotten it.
4. Share Your Brave Story
I’ve always been terrified of plane turbulence. There was one time I was flying to Vietnam on a large aircraft when, in the middle of the meal service, we hit a sudden patch of heavy turbulence. The entire cabin went silent—people stopped eating and looked around, trying to figure out what was happening.
Sitting next to me was a young girl who looked visibly anxious. Without really thinking, I leaned over and calmly told her, “It’s going to be okay. I’ve been through worse turbulence than this.”
And in that moment, something shifted. I wasn’t just comforting her—I was reminding myself too. Surprisingly, I felt fearless. I realized that turbulence always passes. And I realized something else: this is the power of sharing. Sometimes, speaking kindly to someone else is like speaking to your inner self, too.
So take a moment to reflect on when you’ve already been brave—even in small, unexpected ways. Let those moments remind you: you’ve been brave before. You can be brave again.
If we’re still running after the object of our desire, then we still have fear. Fear goes together with craving. We can’t never fully satisfy our craving, so we keep running and stay scared. If you stop running after the object of your craving, your fear will dissipate.
-Fear by Thich Nhat Hanh
Bravery isn’t about being fearless—it’s about showing up, even when your heart races and your voice shakes. Sometimes it looks like speaking up; other times, it’s simply staying true to yourself when no one’s watching. The truth is, you don’t have to wait for a perfect moment to be brave. Start with the next one. Choose courage in the small things, and you’ll build the strength for the big ones. You’ve already been brave before—more times than you think. And you can be brave again.