What is the bravest thing you have ever done?

I’m 54 and won’t even go into a cafe by myself.
Both my grown up boys are travelling around the world, not together but in 2019 they worked out their route so they could be in the same country at the same time.
The place that they decided on was Cambodia. ( I’m in the UK) . During one video call with them they both said how great it would be if I joined them.
First thought was no way, I can’t travel all that way. I hate getting on a bus into the next town.
However second though was.... why not, I wanted to see my boys.
So before I could have second thoughts I booked a flight and a hotel. Wasn’t going to stay in a hostel like my boys. ?
And it was the bravest and best thing I have done.
I now go into cafes alone and I’ve even travelled to Germany just before lock down by myself.

Home alone. 9 months pregnant. Middle of night sound of breaking glass at back of house.
Options - hide in cupboard, flee out of the front door or.....
Run downstairs, hormones flooding thru’ me, grab fire poker, run out the front door and down side alley, wearing only voluminous white nightdress, and run at the conservatory where I was hoping to catch ‘them’ breaking in ......to find the cat had fallen thru’ the old conservatory roof.
NEVER cross a a hormonal pregnant female - insane courage

I take my hat off to all you brave ladies.
I found the courage to leave my abusive relationship while living in France. One morning I packed up my car booked a ferry ticket and drove to the ferry port so scared of that drive.
I hadn’t done it alone before and was worried sick I’d take the wrong exit of the motorway. Came back not knowing a soul where I landed and lived for 7 lonely years before meeting my current partner.

Travelling on public transport alone, going to an unknown place with only yourself to rely on.

Saving two lives, both children. One was on a ward where I was on my own with post op tonsillectomies, a child had a massive bleed and was choking.
A neighbour ran to me with her baby who had swallowed a toothpaste cap, I hung her head down over my knee and patted between her shoulder blades and the cap popped out.
Fighting cancer was something that had to be done, I didn't count myself brave.

When I was 32 I had given up my job as a teacher in a secondary school to look after my two young children. Money was tight and I had the opportunity of some evening teaching when I could happily leave the children at home with my husband.
The job was teaching drama in, what was then called, a Borstal with young offenders aged 16 to 21. There was no syllabus or curriculum. I had a free hand. I will never forget the first time I was led through corridors and numerous doors were locked behind me and I was then confronted by eight young offenders waiting to be “ entertained”. A prison officer sat outside the door and I had a panic button. I was terrified!
The sessions were 90 minutes long and the first one seemed endless. It turned out to be a very rewarding experience and I stayed there for six years until I was ready to return to full time work. I never used the panic button!

I've spent a lot of time in the E African bush and for exercise I used to walk round the research centre 'fire break'. I look back on it now and realise how lucky I was to survive. If you think the Madeira cable car is scary, you should try the cable car up to Big Buddha in Hong Kong. I found it exciting but our fellow passengers were quaking. On second thoughts, you probably need to be brave just to Hong Kong now.

Had 2 very good friends at school at 14 yrs old. One evening they said there was a party at some boys house. We went there and had alcoholic drink. About 10 minutes later these dishes came around with pills on. Think they were called uppers and downers not sure. My friends took one each but I got up and left. Walked home alone and lost 2 great friends. Didn't speak to me after that but I'm proud I didn't take drugs. Was too scared to take them and never have since. It was the swinging sixties so pills were everywhere at the time. I think that was brave as there was a lot of pressure to join in.

During a period of about four years I managed to get out of a difficult marriage (repercussions still scary after 23 years), do a BA honours degree while working part time during a very difficult time financially, new relationship which caused me to climb the difficult path to the top of Snowdon aged 52. Moving to France a few years later was nothing like as scary as those years! I suppose marrying for the third time after 20 years together was also a bit scary.

Went to Australia on my own in 1974. Those blue airmail letters were vital!!

At sixty after leaving a toxic relationship of 20 years, I decided to move 100 miles away to the coast, alone, leaving family and friends behind. Then I started fostering children, something I had always wanted to do and it changed my life. I loved it and all the children. I continued until I reached 70, then went on to respite care to give foster families breaks.

Coming to England alone from South Africa at age 20. Getting pregnant a few months later. Marrying the father a few months after that. Having to get a job while my children were still very small. Bringing them up as well as we could. Travelling to all sorts of countries with them when I was terrified of flying. Going to New Zealand alone to visit my son who was a doctor there. While there went paragliding.
Looking after my husband who had Alzheimers for 6 years. Then travelled alone to many countries including Vietnam, Ecuador, the Galapagos islands. Climbed a volcano. Went to Brazil with my daughter.
The whole thing about living is we are brave every day without even realising it.

I had my first baby on my own no family or partner I was 19 and very frightened midwife was good but I was on my own for most of the 7 hours. When I think back to it I dont know how I did it

Living with my husband when he was having numerous psychotic episodes, and not asking for help. Sometimes bravery and foolishness go hand in hand.

Having to cope with everything and be strong after my baby son died because my husband already suffered from severe anxiety and depression and I had to be his support.

Took the leap and took early retirement from a job I had done for 40 years. Miss it but until I left I really didn't realise what it was doing to me, so much so my husband told me 6 months after leaving that he now had his wife back and begged me not to return to any work. They replaced me with 2 x Sisters, but were happy for me to carry on if I had stayed.

I was going to say presenting at a national conference, on a panel with government ministers... which I had been dreading but which went very well.

Then I thought about my surviving cancer and recovering well and positively. I think that took a lot of emotional resources. So I will go with facing cancer.

?

Becoming a blood donor as a needle phobic. It always worried me that anyone needing a transfusion expects it to be available, and only about 4% of the population donate. I did it 35 times and it was fine. And yes, I’ve had both vaccinations!

Having my cataract operations with local anaethetics?

Visiting my DD in prison and not letting her see me cry. She did a stupid thing and paid the price but to me she was the brave one and I am proud of how she took it on the chin and turned her life around.

Entrusting 10 day old ds to a surgeon for brain surgery.

Take in my teenage and very troubled grandson in the face of his mother's opposition (he was already in an unsatisfactory foster home). We had to go to court - not in my sphere at all. I am still close to my grandson, but lost contact with my daughter over it. It was very painful and stressful in all sorts of ways but I instinctively knew we had done the right thing.

BigBertha1

grannyactivist.

I haven't done anything brave. I have been scared a lot though.

Someone once said to me that you first have to be scared in order to be brave. So if you've been scared but then carried on, you're brave.

Walking into my first AA meeting on 10th March 2000

Such interesting and moving stories! Well done all of us for our acts of bravery, big or small!