I chose courage as my word for this week’s Franklin Makeover. Out of all the 13 virtues in the Franklin Makeover, this was the only one that scared me. I am naturally hesitant to change and try new things.

Only a few short years ago I was terrified of talking on the phone, especially to a stranger. My anxiety would be so high, I’d have to pray for courage to talk on the phone prior to every phone call. When I was helping my Dad with his gardening business, if I needed to use his customer’s bathroom, it was a struggle to get over my fear of talking to strangers, even when I was in my 20s.

The older I got, I started getting braver trying new things. A few years ago I tried pole dancing (terrifying flying rapidly around a pole but…I did it!), aerial yoga (I’m scared of heights but loved it!), Zumba (intimidating being in a room with experienced dancers and often without a friend but I had fun!), and Burlesquercise (got more comfortable with my body and felt less like a klutz) to name a few.

I am capable of breaking through the cement Buddha and trying new things, but it’s scary to get out of my comfort zone and experience new things. However, once I do try new things and keep trying it, I usually have fun.

This week every time I hear the word courage, I keep thinking of the Wizard of Oz and the Cowardly Lion. I decided this week I’m not going to be a Cowardly Lion. How would I accomplish being courageous? Excellent question.

This week I decided to try something I know I should do to gain the full benefit of a Mastermind Alliance: create a polo video for my tribe. I’ve been quite happy watching and listening to my tribe’s polos. I’ve laughed, felt compassion, been inspired and pensive watching and listening to the polo videos. However, I was always too timid to create my own polo.

What was I afraid of? It’s not like my tribe aren’t supportive of each other, because they’re supportive of each other 100%. I know it’s partly because I don’t like being in videos. I’ve gotten more comfortable being photographed instead of hiding when a camera’s pointing at me.

I just feel more self conscious being in a video. I told my friend about my struggles with creating a polo and decided that since courage is my virtue this week, I was going to create a polo.

Originally I was going to create my first polo in my local library since it’s a safe zone but it was either too quiet and I didn’t want to disturb people who were reading or it was too busy and noisy. I knew these were all excuses.

This evening I decided to send my friend a polo as a trial run. Early on in my Master Key Experience journey my guide told my original tribe that if we didn’t want to be in our polo videos, we could aim the camera at something else. So I aimed my camera at two quotes I had written in calligraphy and read it to my friend.

There is nothing that can have a more powerful effect on your mental health than the spirit of thankfulness.  George E. Vandeman

Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage. Maya Angelou

After I sent my polo to my friend, Marco Polo sent me a message “You created your first polo.” To which I celebrated and told Subby, “I did it! Woo hoo!”

Tomorrow I’ll claim courage as my virtue and create another polo, this time for my tribe.