Are you a Ward or a mouse?

It’s a line I’ve heard my whole life.

“Are you a Ward or a mouse?”

My dad would say it half-jokingly, usually when I was having a meltdown, too scared to take the shot, or spiraling in self-doubt. It wasn’t said to dismiss my feelings, but to remind me of who I am. Of what I’m made of. And more importantly, who I’m capable of becoming.

At the time, I would just laugh. I mean, hello, let me cry in peace. But now, as an adult, I carry those words like armour.

Because life is going to knock you down. More than once. There will be days where you question your worth, your path, your abilities, days where everything feels like too much. And in those moments, that little voice echoes in my mind:

“Are you a Ward or a mouse?”

Not just a name, not just a catchphrase, but a reminder. That I’m not here to shrink. That I’ve survived things I thought would break me. That fear might visit, but it doesn’t get to drive.

And maybe you didn’t grow up with that exact phrase, but I bet you’ve got something like it buried deep inside you. A voice that tells you: you’re stronger than you think.

So how do you tap into that when everything feels heavy?

Here’s what helps me:

1. Say it out loud.
Seriously. Say the phrase, or your version of it. Words have power. Speaking it reminds your body who you are. (Even if you’re crying while doing it. Especially then.)

2. Do one brave thing.
Send the email. Go to the gym. Post the thing. Apply for the job. Start the business. Take the step, even if your hands are shaking. Courage isn’t loud, it’s often the quiet decision to keep going.

3. Make a ‘proof list’.
Write down three things you’ve overcome. Three moments you were scared, but did it anyway. Let your past remind you that you’ve got receipts for your resilience.

4. Move.
Walk. Dance. Stretch. Move the energy around. Sometimes the shift happens not in your mind, but in your body.

5. Let someone hype you up.
Text your friend. Call your dad. Watch that YouTube video or listen to the podcast that always lifts you. Borrow someone else’s belief in you until you can feel your own again.

Being brave isn’t about being fearless, it’s about feeling the fear and showing up anyway.

You don’t have to roar to prove you’re strong. You just have to choose not to hide.

So next time life tries to knock you back into your shell, ask yourself the question that’s been passed down in my family for years:

Are you a [insert your last name]… or a mouse?

And then remind yourself:
You were never meant to be small.