Hi First name / friend,
Last week in the EXPOSED: Rumbling with Rejection Sensitivity when Leading Out Loud workshop, we hit on an ah-ha that cracked something open:
👉 Sometimes you need to co-opt your courage.
When your own feels out of reach, being around people who are also doing courageous things can nudge fear out of the driver’s seat. Psychologists call this social modeling → our brains are wired to pick up cues from the people around us.
Translation: courage really does beget courage.
When you cannot feel it in your own body, being around people who are doing brave things can shift fear out of the driver’s seat. Here are a few ways to borrow it when you need it most:
1. Borrow someone else’s energy.
Sit with a friend or peer who is tackling their own hard thing. Even if you are doing different tasks, their focus and grit can rub off on you. The ADHD community calls this “body doubling.” And it works!
2. Borrow a story.
Read or listen to someone else’s courage story. When you hear how they moved through the fear, your brain gets evidence that you can too.
3. Borrow a mantra.
If someone you admire has a phrase that fuels them, use it. Repeat it until your own voice catches up. I'll share mine: “My purpose is bigger than my fear.”
4. Borrow accountability.
Tell another human what you are about to do. The act of saying it out loud makes it harder to back down.
5. Borrow a whole community.
The fastest way to access courage is to step into a space where others are practicing it too. That is what The Leaders Lab is designed for. Inside, you get 1:1 support AND you also get The Get Shit Done Club, a twice-a-month meet-up where we set goals, share resources, and hold each other accountable to the brave moves. It is courage by osmosis.
If this is the kind of support you need, come join us. Use code COURAGE50 for 50% off your first month.
You don’t have to do it alone. Courage is contagious.
Cheering you on!
Andrea xx
