When I think of “finding” your courage, I think of the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz.

What I love about his story is that many individuals need to find their courage. I used to be one of them.

In fact, when I was younger, I knew I had courage inside, but I didn’t know how to tap into that energy. Through my own struggles and enduring the ups and downs of life, I found a way to tap into that inner strength.

In my new book, Become Empowered, Take Charge of Your Life, I dedicate an entire chapter to courage, as I feel it is so important, and to what I call “Courage Enhancers.” I wanted to share some of them with you today:

>>It’s okay to be different. So often, I’ve seen people conform to what is around them because they  are too scared, nervous or lacking the strength to be their true selves. Once you understand this statement, it will help you come one step closer to finding your inner courage.

>>Forgive yourself. Yes, we hear about forgiving others, but what about forgiving yourself? Often times, when you continually harbor negative thoughts and emotions, you are the one beating yourself down and making yourself not feel complete. Let the past be the past and learn to forgive yourself.

>>Learn to face your fears. Fears are powerful because they so often become magnified in one’s mind. Once the event you feared is over, you often realize it was worse in your mind because it built up and snowballed into a life of its own.

So, if you ever feel like the Cowardly Lion, know you have the inner strength to be the best version of yourself. You just have to allow yourself to open up and find that inner strength and courage.

Aimee Hoefler, MBA, RYT, is the author of Become Empowered, Take Charge of Your Life. She is an international marketing professional and owner of the lifestyle website www.aimeehoefler.com, which is focused on health, wellness and much more, and is co-founder of the marketing and design firm Malen-Dyer. The passion Aimee has for helping others become empowered and live a positive life truly embodies so much that she does. Her professional experiences, from working as an investment banker in London to co-managing a multimillion-dollar retail store in Las Vegas, have propelled her to the forefront of the business world. Through living out those journeys, she has come to fully comprehend the importance and power of leading a positive and empowered life. Be sure to follow Aimee on Twitter @aimeehoefler, like her on Facebook and watch Aimee Living Yoga on YouTube.

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Assistant Ed: Stephanie V./Kate Bartolotta

Photo sourced from photobucket.