What’s something you did alone that you didn’t think was a big deal at the time but now when others mention it, you realise it was actually brave?

[MyAmusedOpalCrab]

For example, maybe you travelled solo, went to an event where you didn’t know anyone or made a major life change without much support. At the time it felt normal but now you hear people say, “Wow, that was really brave” and it makes you see it differently.

Curious to hear what things others have done that seemed ordinary at the time but in hindsight, took a lot of courage!

Intervened in an escalating scene in MacDonalds where a man with SN was screaming at the poor girl behind the counter and being verbally abusive. Everyone was just watching and the girl was in tears. Managed to calm the chap down and get him on his way with his order,but I suppose he could have been armed or something.
I'm not a MH specialist so probably didn't use the right language but my maternal/ teacher voice kicked in along the lines of
" Right,sir,let's stop.shouting and I can help you to get your order. No, she isn't a cnt and that's not a nice thing to say,is it?
What do you want me to do? Do you want to put this in yr bag?" Etc.

DH removes our spiders despite being scared of them himself, as DS and I can't deal with them. One of many reasons I love him.

DD(9) doesn't mind them so she actually catches the majority now!

Thank you so much.

Going to hospital by ambulance whilst pregnant with DS2 after a bleed. It was the middle of the night and we didn’t want to disturb DS1 so husband stayed at home with him and came to the hospital the next morning. It was what it was - sometimes you just need to get on with life.

I donated a kidney to a very sick relative

Moved countries solo (multiple times).

Travelled solo.

That’s amazing.

You first OP

Thank you, but this relative and their siblings helped me through very difficult times in the past and it was such an honour to be able to do something in return.

Flew to NYC on my own last year after spending the last 8 years battling serious mental illness, including anorexia, agoraphobia and being hospitalised under section 3 times. I was pretty proud of myself for that!

I think anything that pushes you out of your comfort zone and makes you nervous is brave! That’s different for everyone. For me, some things that have made me nervous but I did anyway are: travel solo for months around Europe and Australia, move to a city 500 miles from where I grew up knowing nobody, doing talks for my work in front of hundreds of people.

Told my MIL what l thought of her behaviour, despite having little support from my husband and being in Pakistan without my mum

Not killing myself. I went through two years where I had to talk myself out of it every day. But I have never told anyone, not even DH ( he knows a bit, but not the full extent).

At the time, in my muddled thinking, I assumed that most people went through a similar process of talking themselves out of suicide. It's only when I confided in a health professional that I realised that it wasn't an ordinary thing.

Travelled around the country (and abroad on occasion) to work in various strip clubs.

I don't regret it, but I do sometimes look back and think I'd not feel safe doing that now.

Left my family's home on xmas day after my Dad squared up to me (my Dad is an ex bodybuilder, fat now but a LARGE man).

Pregnancy, birth & motherhood

Left home at 17 and moved 3000 miles away.
Driving a motorbike.
But - my favourite - walked on a glacier in high heels 😊

I travelled to a war ravaged city by myself. The fighting had stopped, but travel was regarded as dangerous. In the end it was rather straightforward, but when I think about the risks I shudder.

The year my husband died I went to Nashville on my own for the country music awards. It was wonderful I met so many lovely people who loved me just because I was Scottish! The awards night was brilliant I saw the Eagles live and the atmosphere was something I’ll never forget it was daunting at first but you just have to carry on

I emigrated to the USA on Christmas Eve in 1979. Landed at JFK in a blizzard, and newly wed husband arrived 4 hours late, thanks to a traffic pile up. He was the only person I knew in the USA, but the hours waiting were scary. I had no money of my own to get back, although in retrospect, I know my mum would have found it. The days after that were adjustment, but a few days later I took acquaintances into NYC on public transport, and then I knew I was a competent adult. They had lived 30 miles away for 25 years, and I was the person who understood the subway map!
That moment crystallised my self-belief.

This was very brave. Much love to you x

Moved to a Middle Eastern country when I was 3 months shy of my 25th birthday, with an almost one year old. I knew two people, my DH’s boss and his wife, whom I’d met twice. It was completely out of my comfort zone and I hated it for the first 6 months but ended up making some lovely friends and stayed there for almost 4 years. I’m not sure it was necessarily a brave thing to do but I look back and realise it was such a good move work wise for DH and financially for us both plus we learned such a lot about ourselves.

Went to Paris on my own at 17!

Gave birth in my kitchen

I jumped in between 2 massive blokes in a pub when I was around 15 - one had grabbed a picture off the wall and smashed it around the other guys head and was about to do it again until I jumped in the middle.

I didn’t think anything of it at the time, I just knew I needed to stop him. Only now I’m older do I think that was either really brave or really stupid (it was my parents pub, I was pretty confident no one was going to hurt the landlords daughter).