This month's question:
37
When was the last time you felt brave? What were you doing that made you feel that way?
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Stories from Strangers
We’ll have a new question here every month for you to answer and engage with. Think of this as an online journal, except everyone gets a page in the book, and no one knows who’s written what (fun!).
Pour your heart out or read through the pages of someone else’s heart. Either way, we hope you find comfort in reading these stories from strangers.
Pour your heart out or read through the pages of someone else’s heart. Either way, we hope you find comfort in reading these stories from strangers.
When was the last time you felt brave? What were you doing that made you feel that way?
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Cards for Conversation may look like a small box but the questions it contains are big. Play it with friends, family, and strangers to move past the ‘howzits’ and create spaces for connecting, processing, and feeling known.
Buy a boxFrom the archives
September 24's question:
6
Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to your 16-year-old self?
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July 24's question:
109
Are you where you wanted to be at this stage in your life? Why or why not?
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June 24's question:
9
What has been your biggest victory in the past year?
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May 24's question:
6
What is your happiest memory of your mother or a maternal figure?
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February 24's question:
17
When it comes to work, what is your negative self-talk?
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January 24's question:
November 23's question:
9
What is one event in your life that you wish you could change, and how would you change it?
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October 23's question:
24
When you think of the word ‘rejection’, what memory comes to mind?
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September 23's question:
17
What is the most intense pain you’ve experienced that wasn’t physical?
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August 23's question:
18
When you think of the word ‘disappointment’, what memory comes to mind?
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May 23's question:
6
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in the past year?
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May 23's question:
23
When was the last time you felt lonely, and what made you feel that way?
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April 23's question:
9
Is there a family tradition from your childhood that you have instilled, or would like to one day instil, in your own family?
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March 23's question:
17
Who was your most influential teacher in school? What impact did they have on your life?
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February 23's question:
15
What is the kindest thing someone has done for you in the past year?
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January 23's question:
29
What has been your biggest victory in the past year?
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Anonymous
I handed my notice in at work and chose the harder route of being real about the toxic work culture rather than come up with another excuse. It led to difficult but raw and wholesome conversations.
Anonymous
Right now. Facing the Christmas season again, and after 9 years of being without my husband of 58 years, I still have to summon every ounce of courage to get through this time with a carefree smile on my face! Somehow I still feel like half a person at this time.
Anonymous
I got baptized recently.. To me this was a show of bravery because I was finally able to declare my faith publicly not just to friends and family, but to absolute strangers as well! Accepting possible judgement was what made me feel brave x
Anonymous
The day my son was diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic. He was 18months old and I was a complete wreck. I was petrified of needles. Having to learn to inject your child knowing that too much or too little insulin could be life threatening. Learning to navigate through this life and educate others who are so misinformed. I found a voice I didn’t know I had. He now is 14 years old and he is the most well managed insulin dependent and bravest kid I know. He made me brave.
Anonymous
When I quit my very toxic toxic and very draining job without a backup plan. We don’t always know what we want, but we do know what we don’t want. I believe in abundance and I took the major risk to let past, present and future me know that there is always more. Risky and brave!
Anonymous
Two months ago.
My dad passed away on the 26th of September after being in a coma for over two weeks. I went to the hospital every day, stood next to his bed and held his hand while telling him that I’m taking care of his garden, my mom and their fur-babies and that he doesn’t need to worry about anything… that we are waiting for him to get better and come home.
Deep down I knew he wasn’t getting any better. He wasn’t responding to treatment, his organs were failing but I went every day. Seeing someone you love struggle and suffer so much and there’s nothing you can do is one of the hardest things you will ever go through.
When the hospital called and told us we had to go and say goodbye, that nothing was working, was honestly the worst day of my life. I felt brave as I pushed my 80 year old grandmother to my father’s bedside so she could say goodbye to her only child.. It broke my heart listening to her praying over him and telling him how she was blessed with him for 55 years of her life and although she’ll miss him dearly, heaven is so lucky to welcome him. Saying goodbye in that way, holding my grandmother’s hand, telling my dad it’s okay, that we will be okay without him not knowing if we would, was the bravest thing I’ve done. ????
Anonymous
4 years ago.
I felt brave giving my relationship another shot after the ultimate betrayal. The whole world knew what happened, I was afraid of being judged. Afraid that people would look at me and think I was weak. Afraid that it would fail.
A solid marriage, children and a beautiful home later I’m glad I was brave enough to give it another go. People make mistakes, it’s what happens after it that’s important.
Anonymous
My best friend, Sophie, our family companion and pet dog, sadly went home 2 weeks ago. We had to say goodbye to her, surrounded by all the people who loved her deeply for 11 years, we gave her one last kiss, scratch, and hug. It was one of more challenging and raw experiences of death I’ve felt in a long time. I felt brave because that morning, she gave me a different look, one that wasn’t familiar. I knew. My folks were away (2 hours) and I needed to be with her, love her, and then take her to the vet. I carried her from the house to the car, with my partner. Then from the car to the bed in the vet. I dealt with the doctor and stayed by her side until my parents arrived. It was raw, and incredibly difficult. I felt I needed to be strong for my her, and for my parents. I cried a lot, our lives together flashed before my eyes. The day I dreaded came to be. We said our good byes and watched her fall into a deep sleep. It was deeply sad and there is a massive hole left behind. She loved me unconditionally and I loved her with everything I had. She changed my life and played the biggest part in my whole families lives.
I was brave because I needed to be, but being brave doesn’t mean that you’re ok. You’re just being stronger than usual and experiencing the pain differently. You’re fine, but with difficulty.
Anonymous
When my husband and I hit rock bottom. Baby #2 had arrived. All our cracks were turning into canyons.. out of desperation with no support system around I called a friendly neighbour to help with the kids, so my husband and I could have some space to work through our problems. We have since been for counselling and our marriage has done a 180! Very, very scary showing others that our lives/marriage was not perfect.. or even close…
Anonymous
This week! I was on a speaking panel with some people I really admire and are heroes in my eyes! I had a moment where I easily could have performed but chose to be brave and just be myself. It felt brave.
Anonymous
I openly wept during a root canal. I couldn’t feel a thing. My mouth wasn’t in pain. It’s just that my mother was with me the last time I required advanced dentistry, and she’s in heaven now. Openly grieving a loss without fear – big bravery.
Anonymous
Starting a business from scratch at the age
of 55 took a lot of courage! It’s been going
for some time now, but a couple of months
ago | launched a new line in my clothing
range which has been really stretching and so
rewarding at the same time… Customer
feedback has been wonderful which I’m so
grateful for! I guess that’s taken bravery…?
Anonymous
We have just moved to a new country and literally every little thing I do requires bravery on a whole new level. I’m proud of myself for not letting my anxiety control the narrative, and for doing things scared ✨
Anonymous
Every week, most recently yesterday. I made a significant career shift in the middle of the year, a complete 180 from the industry I’d been in for 16 years. I certainly don’t have the energy to cultivate a new career nearing 40, as I did when I was in my early 20’s. Sometimes it’s really hard, sometimes it seems infinitely challenging, often I wonder what the heck I was thinking leaving my comfort zone. Sometimes it’s really difficult to get past the first hurdle of showing up every day. But I do. And I’m willing to try, to step into the unknown and get intimate with the discomfort of it all, and that makes me feel brave.
Anonymous
This year actually, October to be specific. Decided the medical field is not for me, made the decision to leave my career at the end of 2022 and go into the world of aviation and travel the world. It was a bold move and little people supported me but I got the job and I’ll see you in the air in 2023 ????????
Anonymous
For a long time, I was terrified of rejection. Although no one likes rejection, this fear was really holding me back. To the point where I wouldn’t even want to initiate a coffee with a friend – if they said no, I would take it as a personal rejection of my character.
I’ve been working hard to overcome this, and now every time I initiate something fun with a friend (I made a plan this afternoon), I feel brave!
Anonymous
I felt brave today. The rug of the next twelve months, regarding my work situation, was suddenly pulled out from underneath me and rather than despair or worry, I felt filled with hope for the future and excitement about a blank page. I feel brave when the circumstances all point to fear or anxiety, but when my experience of it speaks of the opposite: joy, hopeful anticipation, and a sense of adventure.
Anonymous
3 Years ago, struggling with anxiety and depression (albeit unbeknown to me) took a leap of faith, left a toxic environment (work related) packed our vehicle and drove to Cape Town on a whim a week later… No idea what the future had in store for us. Alas, 3 years later here we are married, expecting our first child, personally working through therapy to better myself and don’t recall ever being this happy and content in my life. It’s amazing how liberating it can be to take control of a situation and just trust your gut and make assertive decisions.
Anonymous
I launched a card game which I’ve been working on for the past 6 months (*read: 3 years), and with it, my heart was launched out into the world too.
This is my moment of bravery. Thank you for being here with me.
Anonymous
It felt very brave to ask my boss for reduced hours last week. And very brave every day since asking to smile at her each morning without getting an answer
Anonymous
Most Sundays I feel brave going to church, surrounded by people I don’t know. Coming from a church where we knew everyone and it felt like home to now feeling out of place in a new church (that we love).
It takes a little bit of bravery every Sunday to walk into the building, a little bit more to not know every song but embrace it & a large chunk of bravery to smile at and engage with people who are still basically strangers.
But the bravery pays off every week because one day this church will feel like home & these people will be family.
Anonymous
My job requires me to speak to a large number of people often, and it always makes me nervous. So the last time I felt brave was last week, speaking confidently in front of people sharing my heart on all that I’m passionate about
Anonymous
I said yes to a social situation with people I didn’t know too well and went all by myself. It was scary but everyone was lovely and I felt so welcomed and included.
Anonymous
2 weeks ago. Ive decided to tackle all of our home diy projects all by myself. As a female that weighs 55kg, some of those power tools can be pretty scary and hard to handle. I felt brave then. ???? And I must say that our deck looks flippen good.
Anonymous
The last time I felt brave, was having to make the decision to leave my job to allow for someone else to run the race and fulfil my role.
I wasn’t 100% there for my team members, so the best decision was to leave.
Anonymous
I recently re-sparked a passion and played music in front of people again after many years of being out of practice. I was nervous that I wasn’t good enough anymore, but having bravery in spite of the fear was freeing!
Anonymous
When I made a big decision with a great amount of faith and hope in things not yet seen. Sometimes I find it hard to make decisions. I feel brave when I do & I live through that decision & embrace all that comes with that decision.
Anonymous
Every time I see my psychologist I feel brave. It’s scary walking into a situation knowing you won’t be comfortable but it will benefit you in the outcome. Every time I go and actually commit to digging in, I feel brave!
Anonymous
I have made clothes for a couple years, for myself & family members. Last week was the first time I’ve made anything for friends (and I made for 9 of them no less) and this week is the first time I selling something I’ve made! Bravery in backing myself, my abilities & my creations.
Anonymous
This year I went through a depression for the first time in my life. It was terrifying, exhausting, debilitating, overwhelming and all the horrible things you could think of.
There were days when I couldn’t get out of bed because the weight of depression lay so heavy on my chest. But there were also days when I got up, and days when I met with my psychologist, and days when I healed parts of my heart that I didn’t even know were broken.
And that all brought me to today. Healed and mostly whole, and bravely taking every new day as it comes.
Anonymous
Last week, I led a knowledge sharing panel at my global company. Despite being incredibly nervous that it would flop (and it almost did), bravery won the battle, I pushed through & had a successful event & a little moment of realization that I am more capable than what I think!
Anonymous
Jumping off a cliff in Turkey with my best friend in October!
Anonymous
Learning how to trust someone when they say they won’t run away after all the previous ones did.
Anonymous
I moved abroad about four months ago, away from all my family and friends. I did not feel brave doing it. I still don’t. But when I look back at every day since getting on that place, it sure is the bravest I have ever been. And the most scared. But I am learning that I can be both scared and brave at once.
Anonymous
Last week i hiked to some pools in the mountains near kogel bay. There was quite a high rock you could climb up and dive off into the pools, but its the sort of rock that once your on it the only way down is jumping. Safe to say that no beautiful diving took place that day but i did fall in style.
Anonymous
Yesterday. I spoke to my mother about her feelings when learning that my father had a child with another woman.
Anonymous
When I went on my first date with a boy I liked, after a year of mending my broken heart.
I felt brave because it was hard, scary and like I was opening up to being vulnerable again.