Leaping wood ducklings - photo by Stan Tekiela
Unlike most waterfowl, wood ducks are quite comfortable perching and nesting in trees. Since these ducks can't make their own holes, breeding pairs will search for tree cavities. Generally, these cavities occur when a branch has broken off and the tree's heartwood has rotted. The higher cavities are preferred for a nest site; inside, they can be several feet deep. Ducklings hatch completely alert with a full coat of down. Clinging with the claws on their webbed feet and bracing with their tails, they climb their way to the nest hole entrance a day after hatching. Encouraged by their mother at the bottom of the tree, they leap out, often falling 60 feet. Yet because they are so lightweight, they bounce without hurting themselves when landing. Once all the ducklings have jumped, they follow their mother to the water.
Courage is an important trait because life is constantly full of challenges. How do we react to unsettling or unexpected news if we have not developed the ability to bravely meet life on life's terms? We often shut down and pull the covers over our head. When that doesn't work, we may lash out in anger. Then we might try manipulation, pretending to adapt while really doing our best to get rid of or fix an unfixable situation. Eventually, we become aware of the futility of our strategies. The seed of courage can begin to grow when we soften our heart and 'be with' rather than reject our experience. We can nurture this seed through new behaviors:
1. Verbally label fearful thoughts as such; thoughts are not the same as reality.
2. Redefine failure; instead of seeing it as not getting what is desired, view it as refusing to adjust to change.
3. Gather factual information from reliable resources to help make informed decisions.
4. Manage stress through meditation, visualization, and exercise.
5. Realize that feeling vulnerable is normal; it does not indicate a lack of ability to do something different.
Courage is an important trait because life is constantly full of challenges. How do we react to unsettling or unexpected news if we have not developed the ability to bravely meet life on life's terms? We often shut down and pull the covers over our head. When that doesn't work, we may lash out in anger. Then we might try manipulation, pretending to adapt while really doing our best to get rid of or fix an unfixable situation. Eventually, we become aware of the futility of our strategies. The seed of courage can begin to grow when we soften our heart and 'be with' rather than reject our experience. We can nurture this seed through new behaviors:
1. Verbally label fearful thoughts as such; thoughts are not the same as reality.
2. Redefine failure; instead of seeing it as not getting what is desired, view it as refusing to adjust to change.
3. Gather factual information from reliable resources to help make informed decisions.
4. Manage stress through meditation, visualization, and exercise.
5. Realize that feeling vulnerable is normal; it does not indicate a lack of ability to do something different.
For more information on courage, see this post.
No comments:
Post a Comment