Tolfioow: How did courage become your topic?
Bea Engelmann: On the one hand, I needed a lot of courage myself when our daughter was born and it turned out that she was very ill. I had to make many brave decisions and face my fears. On the other hand, in the course of my professional life, the central importance of courage and encouragement became more and more clear to me – as a feeling, as a great strength that we simply need in life.
What does courage mean to you?
For me, it’s the ability to do what I really want. To say what’s on my mind. I find it courageous to recognize your own goals. Knowing what I want in life. Courage is the opposite of fear: It takes courage to overcome fears, to set a new course in life and to get up again after defeat.
How do you encourage other people?
As a coach, I give them impulses that help them to stand up for themselves – their strengths and weaknesses. You will learn how to deal with mistakes in a healthy way, with praise and criticism. Above all, they discover the often buried resource of courage within themselves. This brings them into a dynamic process. Courage means something dynamic, it goes forward. It is an attitude to life in which one can freely develop as a personality .
What protects against arrogance or cockiness?
In this case, we tip to the other extreme. It’s not just about digging out desires and longings, but about finding the balance between opportunities and risks. Finding yourself, being authentic has nothing to do with wanting to be the best. On the contrary: It makes you more alert and sensitive when dealing with others.