I don’t consider myself especially brave.

Yet I’ve been called that a lot recently.

It all started with my solo trek down the length of New Zealand.

But I definitely didn’t feel brave when I stood at the northern tip of New Zealand about take the first step.

In fact, I was a total bundle of nerves and riddled with self-doubt and fear. I’d never done anything like this before. Who was I to think I could walk 3,000km (1,864 miles)?

But if, as they say, bravery and courage is taking action in the face of fear then, yip, OK I’ll put my hand up.

And I met a lot of brave people on the trail.

The 55-year-old woman who had recently left her cheating husband.

The middle-aged man who was going through a very messy divorce.

The young guy who suffered from depression.

The girl who was scared of heights.

The American who was going through a mid-life crisis and wanted to lose weight.

The policeman who was missing his family something chronic he was this close to giving up if it wasn’t for the fact he was walking for charity.

And all the ordinary people like me who were unfit, hadn’t trained properly, had no idea what they were doing and who worried they weren’t good enough to do it.

We were all brave – not because there was anything particularly special about us but because we tapped into our inner strength, our source of courage.

Everyone, no matter how ordinary, has the capacity for courage and bravery.

Even you.

You’re stronger than you think.

#ownyourawesome