Getting creative with how to find courage. Sometimes you just need to sit on it. © Kathy J. Sotak, 2012

TOTAL READ TIME: 3.5 MINUTES

Our family has a tradition called “Saturday Night Movie Night.” The kids gorge on bowls of popcorn, the dogs grind on their favorite toy and my husband and I put up our feet. Over the past two years we’ve watched many series such as: Marvel (over twenty-five – I’ve lost count), Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Jumanji, Ghostbusters and more.

Last Saturday we watched The Wizard of Oz, the classic created eighty-five years ago. While it’s just a fun children’s movie on the surface, there are hidden meanings behind the movie which are fun to explore. One says it was a fictional representation of the political climate of the late 1800’s. My favorite theory is that the characters and journey depict the path to enlightenment.

The punchline of course, applicable to any of the above interpretations, is you already have what you seek. We learn that Dorothy had the ability to get home the whole time. The Scarecrow didn’t need someone to give him a brain. The Tin Man already had the kindest heart ever, and the Lion was able to muster great courage before he knew he had any.

I have a special fondness for the lion. I’m born in the astrological sign of the lion (Leo), I have lioness hair and I’m fiercely independent. Most importantly, like the lion character in the movie, I have shed layers of my own fear along my life journey and have had to muster my own courage.

From my lens, courage comes in only two forms: the courage to do something and the courage to say something. One of these two has been harder for me – the courage to speak my truth. My whole life I’ve eagerly listened to friends’ desires yet held my own locked in my heart. I’ve encouraged others to set boundaries but never bothered to speak my own. I’ve cheered on stories of those who stand up for their beliefs while I’ve nodded my head in silence.

Two girlfriends have called me over the past 24 hours with embers of courage catching fierce wind within them. Take gauge of your courage level. Are there sparks that are asking to be ignited?

Courage is asking to be unleashed this week.  I’ve learned the only way to loosen one’s throat chakra is through exercise. Writing to you today, having this courage to publish my voice in blog and print publications is creating new muscle memory.  This has led to further stretching and strengthening, such as my newfound skill of setting boundaries, communicating my needs and prioritizing my wants. This exercise has helped me find my courage along my yellow brick road towards enlightenment.

Back to the punchline, I’ve had it all along. You do too. You already have what you seek. It just takes seeing it and believing it. If we don’t pay attention to what is igniting within us, we will only travel in circles on our yellow brick road.

Let’s lock arms together and muster our courage within to take the next step. Will it be scary at times? Incredibly. Will we see new sights, make new friends and reach our own Emerald City, however each of us define it?

Without a doubt.