Take the Reins and Let Your Brave Self Lead
Updated: Jul 27
As a Life Mastery Certified Coach®, Susan integrates spirituality with practicality, guiding women to discover their unique Soul Goal™ and chart a personal path to success and happiness. Unlock your inner wisdom, align your heart with your mind, and uncover actionable steps that resonate with your authentic self.
I’ve always loved The Wizard of Oz, especially the Cowardly Lion. His famous question always makes me smile: “What have they got that I don’t got?” The answer? “Courage!” Isn’t that how it feels sometimes? We get these great ideas, ones that light us up, excite us, and make us think, This could really be something.
For a moment, we feel energized and inspired. Then, it’s time to actually do something about it. That’s when self-doubt quietly creeps in. Who are you to do this? What if people don’t get it? What if they think you’re being too much or not enough?
Suddenly, all that excitement gets tangled up with fear. Old stories resurface. Past experiences try to hitch a ride on your new idea. Before you know it, you’re hesitating instead of moving forward. But here’s the truth: You don’t need more courage. You already have it. You just need to let that brave part of yourself take the reins.
When fear tries to take over
Fear has a way of showing up right when you’re about to grow. When you have a new idea, you may feel excited at first, but then the questions begin: Is this realistic? Am I qualified? Will anyone care?
When it’s time to be visible, sharing your voice, your work, or your vision can feel vulnerable. The fear of being misunderstood or judged suddenly feels very real.
When the past shows up uninvited, old doubts, past failures, or limiting beliefs may try to convince you that this time won’t be any different. These thoughts can feel convincing, but they are not the truth. They are simply fear trying to keep you in the familiar.
Simple ways to let your brave self lead
Courage isn’t about eliminating fear. It’s about moving forward anyway. Here are a few ways to step back into your power and take the reins.
1. Call out the inner doubt: That voice in your head? It’s not always right. In fact, it often speaks from old fears, not current reality.
Action step: When you hear, “Who are you to do this?” respond with, “I’m someone who is willing to try.” Let that be enough.
2. Separate the past from the present: Just because something didn’t work before doesn’t mean it won’t work now. You’re not the same person you were then.
Action step: Remind yourself, “That was then. This is now.” Give your current self a chance to show up differently.
3. Take one brave step: You don’t have to do everything at once. Courage builds with action, one step at a time.
Action step: Identify one small action you can take today toward your idea. Send the message. Share the thought. Start the draft. Momentum begins with movement.
4. Stop waiting to feel “ready”: Feeling ready is often a myth. Most of the time, confidence comes after you begin, not before.
Action step: Instead of asking, “Am I ready?” ask, “Am I willing?” Willingness is where courage lives.
5. Claim your power: There comes a moment when you have to decide that your dreams matter more than your doubts.
Action step: Say this out loud: “I’ve got this.” Even if your voice shakes a little, say it anyway.
The wise woman says
You don’t need permission. You don’t need perfection. You certainly don’t need to wait until fear disappears. What you need is already within you, the brave part of yourself that knows there’s more for you, believes in your ideas, and is ready to step forward even when it feels uncomfortable.
So, when doubt shows up, and it will, acknowledge it, then gently move it aside. Let courage take the lead. Let your voice be heard. Let your ideas come to life. Because, at the end of the day, the question isn’t, “What have they got that I don’t got?” The answer is simple: Nothing. You’ve got this. Now it’s time to take the reins and prove it to yourself.
Read more from Susan F. Moody
Susan F. Moody, Intuitive Business, Life, and Success Coach
Susan F. Moody, Wise Woman, is dedicated to empowering women to tap into their own inner wisdom and discover the power of intentional living. Along her personal journey, Susan became a wisdom seeker looking for ways to connect with the divine for inspiration and guidance. She started working with the I Ching, angel cards, wisdom cards, runes, and pendulum work over 20 years ago and now offers these spiritual insight tools as an option to her clients. She has also developed a tangible technique, the Soul Goal™ finder, to help clients answer the contemplative question “Why am I here?”
