Brave

[Not Alone]

Many people have told me I am brave and courageous for dealing with CSA, for telling a secret, etc. I realize that I automatically dismiss those words as not being true about me. I don't know why. 

[Three Roses]

It is brave to stand up for what is right - to point out what is wrong when it would be easier to be quiet - to speak up and call attention to outrages and injustices that others don't want to see - to enumerate the crimes done to you, your body and your soul - it is brave because not everyone does it. It is uncommon.

[Jazzy]

I think that when we are treated so badly, it becomes hard for us to believe anything positive about ourselves. But, it is still true, and we should work on trying to believe it! Take care!

[woodsgnome]

This is also something I frequently come up against. Objectively, yes I can see where huge parts of what could be called courage (especially in the form of empathy) in many, if not most, of my actions in spite of (or because of?) my trauma-laden background.

My T especially has pointed this out, and yet -- while I'm not exactly resisting the notion, but also don't feel it's worth shouting about. I feel almost more like crying about it, given that even if true, how it came about is so hard to live with no matter what great traits might be seen by others. The thought of needing trauma to do those things is ... well, I still don't get the gist of what or why it's noteworthy.

Or maybe it's just natural to want to react in what some regard as showing courage, when in fact what I'm really up to is to never ever be like the abusers who surrounded and stifled me for so long. In other words, I'm more fearful of being at all like they were. Fearful maybe, but mostly sad. 

[JRose]

Wow - Brave is a wonderful word!  I think some of my parts are very brave - and I am proud of them.  Sometimes courageous responses come out of me that surprise me and may even worry me, because they are rather unknown to me so far in my life.  But I like it, I like to find that there is some part(s) in me that won't be afraid to say the truth, on my behalf!