Hello ,

When is it brave to surrender?

In last week’s email I mentioned three guiding words for this year. One of them is surrender, and so this week I've been really reflecting on what that means for me - an odd choice, perhaps, for someone running The Brave Collective.

So what surrender looks like. When do you take a stand on something? And then at which point do you surrender?

The events unfolding in the US over the last week have answered this. Did you watch the incredible prayer service at the Inauguration of Donald Trump. Did you see or hear the words of Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde? It was incredible. I am now officially in awe of her. 

During her televised service she asked Trump and those present to "have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now." She mentioned immigrants, members of the LGBTQi community, children. Simple words, humanising all those affected by his new policies.

Trump's response? To label her as 'nasty. She now faces retribution, and has already received death threats from his followers. But she is keeping on going as she is, not faltering.

Here's what I loved about what she did: she showed two profound moments of surrender. First, surrendering her fears to speak truth in that moment. Then surrendering to the consequences, knowing her power lies not in controlling outcomes, but in living her truth.

This isn't the surrender of a white flag. Unlike many other leaders who've surrendered all their principles and taken a bended knee to the 47th President. 

Instead, it's surrendering to something deeper - the knowledge that once we speak our truth from a place of love and kindness, what happens next is out of our hands.

And that's okay. Because that in itself is power. From within. 

True bravery often lies in this kind of surrender. In knowing when to stand firm, when to speak up, and when to let go of controlling the aftermath. 

This is something we can all play with - we need to, because by the looks of where things are going, we need to prepare. And the more we can speak truth and live truth the stronger we and those we support will be. So, try it, test it out in relationships at home and at work. 

The concept of speaking our truth, or speaking truth to power has come up time and again over the last few months in The Brave Collective, it is something we all grapple with, and feel brilliant when it works.

Are you curious about how this could work for you? 

We have spaces for BE which, for the next few months, will be on a Pay As You Can basis. Reply to this email and we can have a chat. Or forward this to anyone you think would be interested. You don’t have to be in a ‘leadership role’, you just have to give a sh*t and want to connect with others who feel the same.  

Explore BE here

Here’s to your brilliance

Kirsty x

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