“You’ve got to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything” – Aaron Tippin
Bravery isn’t just facing difficulties like a scary diagnosis or other bad news. Sometimes being brave is all about standing up for your personal beliefs or the rights of someone else. Seeing an injustice or sensing a policy or activity is wrong may call for a challenge. Are you prepared to take a stand?
A lot of people don’t want to make waves. They leave advocacy and championing a cause to people who
- Have more clout
- Like to make waves
- Aren’t intimidated
- Or Have authority
Sometimes an injustice happens right before our eyes and there’s no time to wait for someone better qualified to handle things. It’s up to us to be brave and stand up.
- Stand up against a bully
- Stand up against discrimination
- Stand up against a poor policy
When there’s no time to wait for someone else, it’s time to take action. Here are some steps you can take to stand up and be morally brave.
Step one: Know what you believe and why you believe it – You can sense when something is morally wrong because it goes against your grain. Seeing an injustice activates the fight or flight response and you resonate with the fact things aren’t right. It’s important to know what you believe and why you believe it so you can take a stand and confidently stand up for what you believe.
Step two: Stand up for what you believe – This step might be the hardest of the four. Taking a stand, opening your mouth or taking an action will put the spotlight on you. That’s going to feel awkward to say the least. Be brave and open your mouth and take action!
Step three: Be prepared for battle – Most likely, your opponent isn’t going to see things your way initially. Be brave and hold on. Prepare to defend your position or the situation you are in. Use your wits and skills to make the moral points needed to dissuade the injustice or confront the situation. You may experience adrenaline rushes or feel empowered which will assist in helping you hold your ground.
Step four: Confidently face the outcome – You may not get the result you want, or you may completely change the situation. Either way, confidently face the outcome knowing you did the moral and right thing in the face of great opposition or even danger. The most important thing about what has happened is you took a stand and defended a moral injustice.
Being morally brave may require confrontation, but it is worth the effort when it changes things for the better. Be willing and able to confront bullies, discrimination, and policies that are morally wrong.
