Brave Goals

I learned cutting classes as early as six years old. 😁   I was a transferee then in St. Mary’s and so when I arrived in school earlier than usual one day, I decided to explore the whole compound (all four buildings, I guess. Even the garbage dump of the school!).

It was too late when I realized that classes were already starting! I was gone too long that recess has already passed! What will I do? I was afraid to go back to my classroom where my teacher was already discussing the lessons. Will I pretend that I just came out from the comfort room? I don’t know what and how to explain to my teacher.

Peeking through the door of our classroom, I decided to just roam around the school that day. But when I turned around to run away, my teacher caught me, scolded me and asked me to go inside. 😰

Seven years after that incident, I found myself crying towards the gate of the same school. My classmate embarrassed me in front of our classmates. She accused me of so many things just because her cousin who is in senior year asked me a favor instead of her. I did not do anything wrong but I remained immobile while listening to her insults. I couldn’t defend myself.

This is me; I am always too afraid and never brave.

If I could spend a day to think of the many instances where I wasn’t brave enough, maybe I could fill this blog up more with similar situations above.

But then remember when someone wise says that whatever we focus on grows? And so instead of magnifying my mistakes and not-so-brave moments of the past, I resolved to focus on what more I can do today. Specifically, what brave thing I can do from now on. ☺(OMG, this is fun! This should be fun!)

So far, I listed down four brave things for me to do. Wah!!! Here are they:

1. Travel Alone

I have never loved traveling so much than today, I mean this moment of my life. (Big thanks to my job and to my boss! :D) When I was younger, I get motion sickness and so traveling never excited me. But growing up, I was able to conquer each motion sickness after the other. Suddenly, I found myself to be a travel addict! I love seeing new places, talking to locals and eating their delicacies.

Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience.

-Francis Bacon

For my brave goals, I decided that I will travel alone soon. I wish to visit Vigan or Bohol later this year and maybe South Korea next year? Hahaha! (Lakas ng loob oi!)

 

Stride through the Haji Lane (SG)

 

 

I CHALLENGE YOU: For this brave goal, I am also challenging people who have been through a break up recently (though I didn’t… OR maybe I did! :D) and the people who are in search of meaning (well, you can read Viktor Frankl, but travel should do you good). Maybe for the longest time, you have always been with someone – dining out, playing sports, watching movies, eating ice cream with that someone, then suddenly, the moment’s gone. TRAVEL ALONE too! (And tell me about it! Maybe I can blog you! :P)

 

 

 

2. Go on Fasting even when it’s not Lent

Catholic teachings dictate that Catholics aged 18 to 60 should fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday while people aged 14 and up should abstain from meat on all Fridays of the year. Yes, Catholics are just asked to fast twice a year and yet most of the time, I fail here.

My brave goal from now on is to be faithful in fasting in these two important dates of the Church calendar and to fast more often to acknowledge that God is supreme above all my earthly desires. (Takot kasi akong magutom lagi.)

 

The purpose of fasting is to loosen to some degree the ties which bind us to the world of material things and our surroundings as a whole, in order that we may concentrate all our spiritual powers upon the unseen and eternal things.

– Ole Hallesby

 

I CHALLENGE YOU: For this brave goal, I challenge the people who are seeking God’s answers or those who have special intentions. Deny yourself to yourself and witness how God will reign over your circumstances. 😉

 

3. Lead a Light Group/Disciple Group/Caring Group

I have always evaded leadership posts ever since I can remember. In school, I would usually be selected as a leader and I hated it. That’s why in situations when I have a choice, I choose to just follow and not lead.

Now that I’ve grown up, I want to blend the wisdom I gained over the years to a braver version of myself. And I want to do this while glorifying the Lord through leading a light group.☺

I CHALLENGE YOU: For this brave goal, I challenge everyone to belong to a light group! C’mon! You can’t do this journey alone, you need friends. 😉

 

4. Fall in love

Just a heads up before I proceed further:

• Putting this item on this list is a brave thing for me already. But I know you won’t be all convinced if this remains to be on the list forever. Hihi!
• It’s actually and supposed to be ‘walk in love.’ I read somewhere that we don’t fall in love because everything that falls breaks. We walk in love. 💛

This brave goal was not forced on me by anyone else, much more by myself. I put this here on my own will after my own decision. Haha!

Seriously, when I think about allowing a person other than myself to know everything about me, stick with me through thick and thin, and grow with me, I feel daunted.

But it dawned on me that as long as I’m doing every step out of faith and out of reverence to the Lord, it is not impossible. If the Lord shall put me in another season, I realized, I can only thank Him for bringing me here, for molding me into what I am today, and for continuously working in me to fulfill His grand plan. And as you may know, if He puts us in it, He brings us through it. Right? 😉

I CHALLENGE YOU: For this brave goal, I challenge everyone to give love every single day – to your family, friends and even to strangers. I believe we all have a love in our hearts that can accommodate the world. Whether it’s a sandwich for a street kid or a smile to a fellow commuter, give your love away. ☺

Once I’m done with each brave goal, I promise to share them here, so you better return on this site! Haha! If you want to create your own brave goal or if you want to suggest a brave goal for me, please let me know through the comments below.

Let’s be brave? ☺