to ask whats the bravest thing you’ve ever done?

[lemonpepsi]

as the title says

I went through and got through 7 miscarriages.
I just kept on and on because I was convinced it would be ok in the end.

Each time I thought I needed to give up. I couldn't.

Genetic testing for BRCA 2 and subsequent double mastectomy.

I also have fought off 2 muggers at once, but I consider that more a combination unlucky and foolhardy, as I'd clobbered them before I had a chance to think.

Ran towards a disaster in central London, only to be stopped by some jobsworth security guard who refused to open the fire exits to let us out. So, not only could we not get out to our safety muster point, but I couldn't get out to help. Not sure if it counts as it still feels like I failed the people who were injured and trapped before the emergency services arrived.

My sister had years worth of cancer treatment, ultimately dying last year, because she was utterly failed by the NHS who ignored her repeated visits about a lump in her breast - she stepped up to the plate because she had no choice. She was only in her mid-40s when she died after her treatment was withdrawn without explanation.

Some cool people on this thread - sometimes you don't know what you're capable of until you have to step up and do it.

Put out someone who was on fire.

Told my mother what impact her horrendous emotional abuse had on me knowing there was a big risk that I would lose my entire family (of origin) because I stood up to her. and I did.

The decision to let my unborn DD2 die naturally and not have a paediatric team on standby to resuscitate her at birth to try to keep her alive for up to 6 months, potentially in pain and never leaving hospital. That wasn't that brave. Driving her coffin 150 miles to be buried in the area we'd bought a house in but hadn't completed the sale yet so she'd be where we were, took reserves I didn't know I had but I was so worried that the funeral directors might go too fast or bump her around that I had to do it.

Meeting my father who'd abandoned me with my abusive mother 32 years before because it was 'too hard' to fight for me and telling him what I thought of him is another one up there.

Having to fight back against my horrifically low self esteem to get educational support for my SN son, when he was dismissed as badly behaved, takes ongoing courage.

I'm sorry to anyone who's seen me post this before but I have a couple, two involving burning buildings -

As a 9 year old I went back upstairs in our smoke filled house to the to my phone to call the fire brigade and somehow managed to get back down 2 fights of stairs in the pitch black acrid smoke from burning oil on the ground floor.

Second one was escaping our flat above a shop when 200 rioters were setting the shop alight beneath us and lobbing Molotov cocktails up at the windows. Genuinely wasn't sure what was going to happen to us when we left tbh.

When I was 24 at uni my mum died during surgery and I had to come and say my last goodbyes whilst they kept her body alive for organ donation. I wish I could remember what I said but it didn't feel real at the time.

To recently admit to myself that I was still grieving for my older brother who died of cancer over 30 years ago. Explains why my emotions are often a rollercoaster.

Telling my family I had cancer. Telling them last week that I had good scan results, and my chemo is stopping until scans tell the doctors otherwise was much easier.

Serious bravery from you guys here, hats off to you! Even mine, and I'm bald and it's cold.

Giving evidence in court to convict my work colleague who had stole millions

I used to think I was brave for leaving home at 17 - but really I was terrified of making proper decisions for my future after a series of traumatic events - what was genuinely brace was coming home afterwards with my tail between my legs and asking for help (financially, emotionally, mentally).

Other than that, I've never been a brave person.

Kicked out my absuive ex husband.
Had a baby with a new man after 6 months dating. Now happily married to him!
Brought my family together.

I'm in a rollercoaster too. My darling mother passed away 4 years ago. I had only just got back to being her daughter after years of control by my ex.

Told I need counselling as to angry when talk about my ex.

Turned off my mums life support after she’d had her face cut off

Calling my mum and telling her I was thinking about suicide and I couldn’t look after my three month old baby any more.
Walking into a psych hospital knowing I’d be there and away from my baby for at least a month.

Cancelled a wedding. Telling everyone, and everyone (seemingly) knowing my business was quite painful as my relationship broke apart afterwards (yes - afterwards). 8 years down the pan.

I’m really glad I only had to deal with the aftermath of unravelling finances and a rental house, rather than divorce and property assets.

I left a job with excellent benefits and a good wage (it was my graduate job and I’d been there ever since) to jump 5 career levels into a new role in a smaller company and start a whole new department from scratch. No stability, and because I was only 27 I wasn’t respected initially.

I worked my bollocks off and now run the most profitable arm of the business with a massive team under me and nothing else to prove.

It could so easily have ended in disaster and meant I lost my home, my relationship etc but I made it work because I kept a single phrase in my head (thank you Aslan)

The phrase:

Courage, dear heart.

Moved continents to be with my then boyfriend - away from anything and everything I’ve known my whole life - I knew no one here and still have very few friends (I’m working on that!) That boyfriend is now my husband and we have two beautiful children and two dogs. Life is good and I was right to move.

I donated platelets the day my DF died.

He passed away in the morning and I had my appointment at 2pm. I was with him when he died and had been up all night, but I started donating because it’s something he did and was proud of me for, so I did it. I sat in tears for 90 minutes hooked up to the machine while the nurses brought me tea. They kept asking if I wanted to stop and go home but I gave my full donation despite my heart slowly disintegrating.

I was immensely proud to be his daughter that day.

Climbed into a derelict building when I was meant to be at school aged 9 to rescue a stray dog that was trapped in there. Got in so much trouble from the school and my Mum but I still think I was brave! Travelled a lot on my own (Africa, Asia, Australia). Left an amazing secure job to open my own shop, and various other brave career moves throughout my life. But the day I manage to leave my abusive partner will be the most brave and proud I could ever be. It is the only thing I have ever been truly scared to do, and I just hope I can change that somehow. Really love reading about others who have managed it as i know how much courage it must take.

Gave up heroin.
Emigrated to NZ with a tiny baby
Bought up a family alone.
Went through Interfernon Treatment working as a single mum.
Step parenting
Just outing myself on MN

so much braveness going on

There are so many stories here - not of bravery (which suggests daring), but actual courage, which is altogether a different thing IMO. I thinks it means you know the shit you're facing, but you do it anyway.....
However you read this, whatever you take from it, to you.

My bravest moments have been these past 6 months, finally walking away from my 7 year physically, emotionally and mentaly abusive relationship. Cut contact with narcassist family members and moved far far away with my 2 babies,

Had help from the police & court and i feel a lot of relief knowing hes not allowed near any of us. Im so proud of myself, ive stopped this cycle of abuse thats occured in his family and mine. My children are under 3 and i just hope i got out soon enough that it hasnt affected them severely

Asking for help.

I’ve done things others would think were brave - pressing charges against my dad, testifying against my rapist and leaving home when I was young but they were all things that felt easy in comparison to telling someone I needed them to help me

You're all pretty amazing!
Not sure it's brave, but it was scary - I resuscitated my son when he was 5 weeks old and stopped breathing. Luckily he was fine afterwards!