"When we think of bravery, we think of larger-than-life people who have made headlines and graced history books following their extraordinary acts of heroism and valor. Think Nelson Mandela or Martin Luther King. Or John F. Kennedy and Profiles in Courage, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks. These folk have reached super-human status for having the courage to defy the status quo, or they stood up for their beliefs in a revolutionary way. Some acted on behalf of others who did not have the courage to speak out for themselves.
"Sometimes we forget that despite their lauded status, they too were ordinary human beings who made a choice to tap into their courage. And just like them, we all have the opportunity in our daily lives to make the world a better place or to stretch outside our comfort zones and do something revolutionary for ourselves.
"It's easy to get hung up with the inner voice that says, Let's be real, I'm not Amelia Earhart. Or to pooh-pooh our own courage and limit our own behavior. 'I'm a gutless wonder' becomes our mantra. Or 'I've never been the brave type.' As we researched this book, time and time again the people we reached out to told us: 'Oh, I'm not courageous. I just did what I had to do.' Or 'I just did what anyone would do. No big deal.'
"We disagree. We believe that it takes guts to meet certain challenges of daily living and we applaud those who face their fears and don't take 'no' for an answer. We consider these 'random acts of courage.' Our hope is that they will inspire you to move beyond your comfort zone and to know that you are not alone in the moments when daily life seems scary. All of us face challenges the make us shake in our boots. But we also believe that inside us lies the power to triumph over our fears and to tap into our brave hearts to create a life beyond our greatest expectations."
