Live boldly. I’d thought it was just another of those sayings which ends up on fridge magnets and social media, representing more of an intention than a course of action. But then something happened, and I realised that I could no longer simply wait for life to begin. The change had to come from me.

The problem with sayings and inspirational quotes is that they are light on detail. They are also subject to personal interpretation. My act of boldness is something that scares me more than a little, but to the next person it might barely raise an eyebrow. In my mind, I can agree that a bold life is the one that I deserve, but the notion of boldness terrifies me more than a little.

What does a bold life look like? Do I say exactly what I mean? Do I take chances without carefully weighing up the consequences? And just what does my true self look like? These are just some of the questions that swirled around me as I thought it through.

And the more I looked, the more inspiration I found. Now more than ever, brave people are stepping out into the world, proud of who they are and of the values and beliefs which make them unique. There are so many trailblazers out there, taking what they want from life, finding confidence in their determination and encouraging others by their example.

Others like me.

I’m participating in this blogging challenge for the month of January, which supports starting the year on the “write” track. You can find out more about the challenge, join in and read other posts here.

Photo: gargoyle from a church in Launceston