I've developed a new hobby over the last decade: cooking.  I owe this in part to my wonderful daughter-in-law who reads cookbooks like the rest of us read grocery store novels! 

The other day at the supermarket while filling my cart with ingredients for a new recipe,  it occurred to that if we spent as much time planning our courage as we do our meals, we would be ready for whatever came our way.  You see, we can't plan on when we'll be frightened or stressed or meet up with an obstacle (all the very times we most need our courage!).  But we CAN plan what we'll do when one of those pop up in our lives.

A dinner menu has courses and so does our courage menu.  See if these courses and they're corresponding ingredients have a place in your world:

Appetizer:  Your boss has just announced that her boss is coming in from corporate and you've been chosen to give the muckety-muck an update on what your division plans to do over the next quarter.

Ingredients:  Be courageous - and hone your communications skills.  First, list bullet points of what's on the division's horizon.  Next, write it out exactly as you want to present it.  Read it until you're familiar with it, then graduate to using just your bullet points as notes.  And practice.  A lot!  In the car, in the shower, in front of a mirror, until it's as familiar as the words to your favorite song.

Main Course: (Remember this is always the biggest course!)  You just found out that your company is down-sizing, and you're the lucky winner of a pink slip.

Ingredients:  First, you've been setting aside a little money each month, right?  That financial cushion will make the gourmet coffees and happy hours you've skipped really worth it now.  Secondly, make two lists. One is of all your positive qualities and characteristics (loyal, thrifty and true - like the Boy Scouts!).  The second list is of all the experiences you've had in life, including hobbies, travel, education, as well as your jobs.  These lists will be the basis of a crackerjack resume.  Don't be shy - courageously strut your stuff!

Dessert: (The sweet ending)  The woman to whom you report is very critical of everyone's work but her own.

Ingredients: It would be easy to join the others in your department who are criticizing this Attila the Hun.  But it's always in your best interest (and more courage building) to associate with supportive people and avoid the toxic ones.  If word gets back to your supervisor that you're complaining, she may assume you'd rather not have your job.  And complaining plays into a negative self-fulfilling merry-go-round.  The more negative you are, the more you complain.  The more you complain, the more negative you become, and so on.  Not a pretty picture.

So stock up on some courage for your pantry.  You'll be ready for whatever course on the menu (or in life) comes your way!