A Year Ago
In June 2024, one of my LinkedIn friends, Sejal Thakkar, was planning a trip to Chicago and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to meet her in person after years of online encounters. At first, it was just going to be at a networking event, but then another friend, Jonaed Iqbal, told me he was coming in town at the same time for another event the previous day.
Inspired to meet them both, one event turned into two as I purchased a ticket to the World Gay Boxing Championships in Chicago during Pride Month. It turned into an adventure of community, connection, and courage that built into an experience of what living your values really feels like.
Martin Stark, the founder of the World Gay Boxing Championships, has a story of courage and resilience that impressed me and gave me new ways to experience this value. It can be challenging to venture into the unknown, but when you listen to the stories told of what others have endured to arrive to where they are … you grow.
Here’s a bit more of the story and a few photos.
“You can choose courage or you can choose comfort, but you cannot choose both.” – Brené Brown
Courage is not Comfortable
Brené Brown is the queen of vulnerability, and let’s face it, vulnerability requires courage. It’s not easy to:
Accept our flaws and imperfections
Understand things or people we disagree with
Try something new that you have never done before
Speak-up when we feel a line or boundary has been crossed
Love is not complacent. Complacency is like a virus. It may seem comfortable in the moment, to avoid confrontation, however in the long run it can breed apathy, distrust, and/or a lack of communication and joy.
When we care about someone or something, we don’t ignore or avoid the uncomfortable. Rather, we make space to listen and offer the grace of attempting to understand. No one is 100% correct at all times. Even when we disagree, we must make space for the percentage of truth in the other person’s explanation.
Carl Jung, the famous psychologist said:
"What you resist, persists"
We will all encounter things that make us uncomfortable, if we want to “nip it in the bud”, we must address it in a constructive way. No matter the size of the challenge, my SHAPE A4 Framework offers a constructive way to work through whatever you’re grappling with.
When Courage Turns to Fortitude
Most of us understand courage, but when asked about fortitude it’s not as clear. When we’re experiencing challenges, especially those without an end date, it helps to have both. Here’s a simple explanation from 'This vs That':
Courage is the ability to confront immediate dangers or challenges, often associated with bravery in the face of fear.
Fortitude refers to the mental or emotional strength to endure long-term hardships and persist through difficult situations.
Courage is about facing challenges head-on, while Fortitude is about enduring and persevering through prolonged adversity.
The US Values Alliance (USVA) has chosen Fortitude as one of the 6 key values we believe are needed in 2025. We will be exploring this value on September 18, 2025 at 1pm Eastern (save the date). If you would like to attend and/or participate in any of the USVA free online events, reach out and I will pass along more information.
2025 Values: Hope, Honesty, Community, Fortitude, Compassion, Trust
Let Your Values Support You
In my last newsletter, When We Speak … Things Shift, I reflected on the power of storytelling, truth-telling, and connection. It takes courage and fortitude to rediscover our purpose and story. Allow your values to give you the support you need to lead you forward.
June Events
June Events have been about “Advocacy in Action” supporting Women’s Health Partners across the Midwest (in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin). The best part … You can have a good time while supporting important causes too.
July Events
Now is a perfect time to strategize for the 2nd half of the year – that’s what we’ll be doing. Join us for a presentation on The Power of Strategic Partnerships in Kara Redman’s Brand Insiders Community.
Live Workshop: The Power of Strategic Partnerships with Susan LePlae Miller, Founder of Pieces of I
Thanks for being here and experiencing the values of Courage and Fortitude this month. I'm an author, speaker, and consultant who helps organizations build strategic partnerships and create impact. If you’re looking to bolster your partnership ecosystem, let’s connect. ✨Susan
PS: When have you had to lean on courage or fortitude this year?