Being Brave Can Suck

Do You Ever Get Tired of Being Brave?  

You stick your neck out.

You volunteer.

You try to make a difference with people through innovation, relationships, and best-practices


But someone has a vision that does not match yours.


Gif courtesy of http://wilfulwilf.tumblr.com/post/39394125011 from Brave

And along comes someone to ZING you.   It's not nice.  It's not pretty. It's might not be true. Because someone has a different viewpoint than you, arguments ensue. Unkind words are spoken.  Feelings get hurt. It SUCKS.   I had a day like that today.

Gif courtesy of http://notsomemuggle.tumblr.com/post/37937107782/the-hobbit from Harry Potter


And there was no real win-win in the whole thing.  We both clung to our positions.  We both felt rightly justified.


Gif courtesy of http://narudevrem.tumblr.com/post/46210639726/but  from the Fight Club.



So why do I do keep fighting for what I think is right?   I ask myself that a lot, and I ask even more when I am wrong. It's a lot easier to lie low and not bother to be brave.  My life would be a lot less stressful that way.

Gif courtesy of:  http://thehippy-queenofcanada.tumblr.com/post/45840771670/country-roads-take-me-home-for-as-long-as 
from New Brunswick.

But I don't give up.  Why??


I do it for others.  The people in my own life, the ones I teach, my colleague, the people I wish I could reach.  The cookie chuggers.  The hoarders. The dreamers.  Someone needs to be brave for them if possible.

Yup, it's that time of year.   So whether you are fighting for transformation of education in the Iowa Legislature, for a better school for your own kids, or your own students,

HANG IN THERE.

BE BRAVE.

STAND UP AND TRY TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.

Gif courtesy of:  http://bellecs.tumblr.com/post/46241648569 from You've Got Mail.

#youmatter