Start living boldly by asking yourself what that big hairy audacious dream is. Leave that dream just as it is except label it a goal and figure out a way to achieve it. You may just surprise yourself if you put your mind to it.
Many people have an idea or two that they have shelved quickly labelling them as impossible and moving on. If you have seriously done your due diligence and determined it is entirely not feasible, fair enough. However, have you mixed in some inspired ideas that you could accomplish if only you put your all into it with those that are truly not possible?
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain
Broaden the lens
We often have difficulty imagining what is possible. It is easy to slide into our well-worn comfort zone. This is surprisingly similar to being in a rut except we happily march on in ourselves. It may be helpful to bounce your ideas off someone else to help you expand your range of options.
What do you have to lose?
If you change you will lose some things. You may be surprised to find among the things that you are losing are regret, self-doubt, and stress. Change does involve risk. However, it also provides opportunity. Once you seriously consider following through on your plan you may find that you are willing to accept that level of risk.
What is stopping you?
All to often what stops us from living boldly is fear. We may be afraid of the unknown. It is natural to be apprehensive if you are trying something new. Bravery may involve relabelling those butterflies in your belly as anticipation not anxiety.
Prove it to yourself!
If you have a niggly little voice in the back of your head saying, “You can’t pull this off.” prove it wrong. You may just get a boost of confidence once you start to see you plan come together. Self-doubt isn’t a good look for anyone this season.
Recruit a partner in crime.
Having an ally to share the load could be very helpful. Even if you typically prefer to go it alone there may be times or specific goals that are better suited to having a partner. This may also help keep the momentum and morale high.
Bold is not reckless.
Doing something big, new, and exciting does not need to be reckless. Make sure you have a plan of how you can achieve your goal. Make sure to include contingency plans and think through potential challenges along the way. Then you aren’t blindly going forward you are moving with intent and implementing strategies.
Hopefully these tips have inspired you to dust off a couple of those dreams you stuck on a shelf and live boldly.
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