We’re fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance.
Japanese proverb
Hesitate for only a moment to be sure that even the gauziest of safety nets might break your fall and then go for it.
Marianne McKenna
We are well along into 2026 but sitting at my desk this past week, gazing out the window, I wondered- yet again- how I was going to be bold this year. Despite all the madness in the world, I chose to make BOLD my 2026 word of the year. I am figuring out how to live that one out, hoping some good ideas will present themselves.
A few ideas began to come to light after watching an episode of a BritBox series called Riot Women. It’s about a group of midlife and past midlife British women who are dealing with the frustrations of daily life: brain fog, hot flashes, aging parents, ungrateful and demanding family, annoying co-workers, and a profound sense of feeling invisible to those around them. The usual stuff.
This unlikely group decides to form a punk rock band, belting out their frustrations and fury through their music. It’s a wild woman moment of women telling their story, demanding to be heard.
What a bold move!
Living boldly for me has always conjured up images of a grand venture that is both thrilling and a little scary. Lately I have been asking myself whether it’s a good idea to embark on something thrilling and scary. There are so many reasons not to.
As I get older, fear and apprehension increasingly drive my decisions in the direction of not doing something. What if I get hurt, lost, or can’t navigate my way through unknown territory? When I was younger, I never questioned my ability to get out of a tricky situation. I do now, finding myself perplexed and annoyed by my state of mind.
Two competing emotions feed my indecision- the desire to do something utterly outrageous and the wish to feel safe. Being bold might land me in a place I don’t want to be- leaning over the edge without knowing if a net is there.
The hesitancy in undertaking something new is accompanied by what Jonathan Fields eloquently refers to as “the gravitational pull of the status quo” (friends, family, social circle, usual routines), reinforcing the urge to remain comfortably in place. Why would I want to do otherwise? It’s not a bad place to be.
I decided I needed to look at the idea of a bold move differently.
Bold moves – even small ones- urge us to throw caution to the wind, but what they also do is reveal the parts of ourselves that long to be expressed. It’s the part of us that knows what our soul yearns for. Bold moves can be a potent force for change. If we can let go of the fear, apprehension, and inertia- bold moves give us the chance to re-write the familiar story others think is us and exchange it for one that is truly ours. When that happens, we:
- Realize there is nothing to prove.
- Are open to opportunities when they quietly arise.
- Toss life’s many should’s into the waste basket.
- Imagine possibilities.
- Find ourselves astonished at everything.
- Demand to be heard.
- Seek allies who want to share our adventure.
Like the women who formed a rock band.
The most difficult terrain to navigate is the landscape of my mind where fear finds a comfortable corner to hang out. I must decide if I will be stopped by obstacles on the path or find a way around them. I have learned over my lifetime that when I risk moving forward, it’s usually a good decision. Maybe I don’t get the outcome I was seeking but often, surprises present themselves that I would have otherwise missed.
There’s nothing wrong with being comfortable and enjoying the circle we inhabit, but something inside tugs at me to choose a different path while I still can. Besides, being anxious or fearful gets tiresome. It wastes a lot of energy.
In the end we choose how we want to live in this world.
I decided that if I’m going to live boldly this year, I’d better start. Bold moves can take many forms.
And so, one day I found myself in a spacious lady’s room of an elegant restaurant. As I was about to leave, a lively piece of music came through the sound system. What do you do when you’re alone and no one is watching? You begin to dance and that is what I did. Carefree, easily, and joyfully with no one watching. Needless to say, someone walked in and caught me in the act. I stopped and we both laughed and she said – this is great!
Maybe bold moves mean looking at life differently. Knowing it’s never to late for anything. Remembering to be kind and tender with ourselves.
And so, after months of procrastinating, fretting, and hesitating, I booked accommodation for myself in a far-off place -to walk and explore and write and take in the sky and sea. I knew immediately it was the right thing to do. Not sure how I will pull this off, but I will be astonished by it all, leaning over the edge to take in the breathtaking view.
A little compassion goes a long way. In the meantime, might as well dance.
A friend shared this extraordinary poem that I love. Here is an excerpt:
May I have the courage today
To live the life that I would love,
To postpone my dream no longer
But do at last what I came here for
And waste my heart on fear no more.
A Morning Offering
John O’Donohue from To Bless the Space Between Us
And if you feel like dancing, here’s a song to move to:
Becoming of Age 