Courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. When you feel afraid but you do it anyway, that’s being brave.

This is a popular quote that has normalized courage and brought it from the forte of a few to the world of the common man.

There is one more truth that lifts the drapes even further.

When we have that “perceived” moment of bravery, we don’t get a sudden flood of courage and break free of fear’s chains. More often than not, our bravest steps are taken when we have hit rock bottom and we feel like the worst cowards.

Strength and clarity do not rush in after that first step either. It takes consistency, support and a lot of small treads to get there.

The path to bravery becomes obvious only in hindsight, never in the moment.