Financial Courage

We’ve all seen stories of great courage when friends or loved ones have found themselves faced with an uncommon challenge.  We’ve all seen individuals deal with illness or sorrow with grace and strength.  These stories are inspiring.
But we rarely associate money with courage. Courage seems so lofty and money so ordinary.  And yet, there is such a thing as financial courage and it can be inspiring too.  It can be recognized by its realism – a willingness to look a difficult financial situation square in the face and not be afraid.  Or even more inspiring – to be afraid but still make a courageous decision.
Years ago I knew a woman whose husband left her with two young children.  She didn’t have too much money but she did have some earning power.  She was a nurse and could easily have stepped out and found a decent job.  This is what most of us would have done, especially given the responsibility of the two children. 
But she decided that she was ready to step up and take a chance.  As much as she enjoyed nursing, her heart told her that her real gifts were in education.  And so she took a giant leap of faith, borrowed some money and went back to school for an advanced degree in nursing education.  She knew this was where she belonged and she was willing to take the financial risk to make it happen.  And she has never looked back!
The inspiring part of this story is that she listened to her heart and then made the financial decision to support it, even though that decision must have caused her more than a little fear.  I think the majority of us in her shoes would have taken the sure thing – and there would have been nothing wrong with that.  But there’s no question that she is a far happier woman today because she followed her heart back then and didn’t allow fear, uncertainty or finances to hold her down.  Yes indeed, there is such a thing as financial courage.