I DARE YOU TO LIVE YOUR LIFE
Bold decisions made without regret. Courageous conversations. Trusting our instincts. Leaning in. Making fierce eye contact. Respecting ourselves. Understanding that “no” is a complete sentence. Finding our bliss. Living out loud as women of substance because that’s what women of influence do—we show up to help change the world.
But women keep going. Many of us are the glue, the center of gravity for everyone around us. Our families, friends, community, and world count on us. Navigating life’s journey often feels like a steep hike up Mt. Everest, but the journey teaches us about the resilience of the human spirit. We are merchants of hope. Even when running on fumes, we perceive our cups as half full. We are miracle workers, survivors who never quit.
Through the years, I have met my share of phenomenal women who have nurtured my soul and fueled my passion. They revive and resuscitate my spirit while breathing new life into both heart and soul. How? They dare me to live my life and remind me, “Yes, I can.” I keep their words of wisdom tattooed against my chest and on my nightstand as a constant source of inspiration:
We don’t see things as they are—we see things as WE are.
Maybe we cannot be whatever we want to be—but we can be a lot more of who we already are.
It’s time to shake hands with our imperfections. Make peace with the not-so-shiny parts, the damaged, broken pieces, and befriend all those secret parts we would like to improve or erase. We are all beautifully flawed.
If we don’t know where we’re going, any road will get us there. Let’s make a pact to build the life we want. Believe in ourselves. What are we waiting for?
Be awake. Alive. Stay in the present tense. The only time that matters is now.
Times are tough. The world wants and needs more from us. Let’s venture out and invent new possibilities—find new ways of doing old things.
Surround ourselves with people who believe in us. We all need back-up singers. Find your tribe and love them hard.
There is power in the word “no,” in creating boundaries for your time with phrases like, “No thank you,” “Not now,” “Not today,” “Maybe never.”
Slow down. Give yourself recess. The dishes and laundry can wait.
Every day, do something new or something that scares you. Fear is what stops us—not lack of talent. Stop being afraid of making a fool of yourself. Try being brave five minutes longer.
Make time to unplug, refresh, recalibrate, and rejuvenate. “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” (Anne Lamott)
Be still, find a safe place to receive courage and remember—we can reinvent ourselves as many times as we wish. There are no restrictions, quotas, or limits.
Never settle. If you’re the smartest person in the room, then you’re probably in the wrong room. Find your people. Chase your wildest dreams until they catch up with you.
And remember, how you do anything is how you do everything.
Life is full of lessons and teachable moments. Sometimes, sitting still and being quiet while listening to the sound of our own breath is more powerful than hearing the roar of an ocean. “Breathe, baby, breathe” is a perfect mantra. Let’s promise not to wait for the “too-muchness” of life to morph into a catastrophic event and force us down.
I have a better idea. Let’s calendar regular time-outs and find rest stops along the often-times tricky and perilous path to our destination/destiny, even if that means going into hiding—placing ourselves in protective custody. There is power in powering down, logging off. Rebooting.
We are in this together—all of us. We must lean on each other. And learn from each other. Practice radical empathy and self-care. Why is it we have such a hard time asking for help? If we see someone drowning in the undertow of life, say something. Do something.
Women thrive in a perpetual state of becoming. We must embrace life’s mysterious, wondrous, and sometimes unthinkable roadblocks and detours. Make our mess our message. At the end of the day, it boils down to this: if we try too hard to simplify the journey, we won’t have a journey at all—just a little road trip.
May is a month of metamorphosis: a time to peek at our insides, take a closer look at ourselves, and hold a hand mirror to hopes and dreams, especially the outlandish, outrageous ones that keep us awake in the middle of the night. Maybe it’s time to dig deep and explore our inner voices—the ones asking what if, if only, and why not. There’s never been a better time to be a woman of influence.
Ask yourself, “Who am I when nobody is looking?” Then dare to set her free.
And finally, whatever life throws at you, wake up each morning and whisper to yourself, “Today I’m going to give the world the best I have to offer.”
Features Contributor Armen Bacon
Photographer Gina Taro
