Before Women’s History Month comes to a close, we need to talk about AUDACITY! It’s called audacity for a reason. It’s different than simply being daring, it means that you understand what you are about to do will likely ruffle feathers. Be okay with that, the fact that there will be a season where you will go from being celebrated to being scrutinized. Be okay with that, the fact that there will be a moment you will have to say or do a hard thing that not everyone will find agreeable. Be okay with that, the fact that your audacity, while disturbing and even offensive to some, will bring liberty for more than you know.
Did you catch Adele’s interview in Vogue? If you haven’t, it’s a great read. In the article, you’ll note that Adele really ruffled feathers by making a personally life-altering decision. People were demanding she explain her desire to be stronger than before. They were for real, for real mad they didn’t have 24-hour access to her personal journey. And suddenly, being healthier was not “body-positive” because her figure changed (due to her own will to work her own plan for her life). All of that and the fact that the majority of the backlash about her body came from females is a call to action.
If we as women want to see change in the way women are treated, we must first treat each other better, especially on the come up. Especially in the midst of gut-wrenching transition, especially when the risk is probably greater than the reward, especially when the odds are against her, especially when she’s going for expansive growth that might make her a little wiser than we, a little stronger, a little higher on the totem pole, we must not be threatened or try to thwart that progress.
We lean in with her at best, stand back and cheer if we can’t do that, or at least stay silent and bless her when we just don’t get what she’s going after and why? At no point do we become the very weight she is trying to lift off her shoulders. I, for one, refuse to be that.
Sometimes, when we do or say the hard, unpopular thing, we discover it wasn’t unpopular at all. In actuality, what you are doing is simply underrepresented! It will stay underrepresented until someone (enter YOU) begins to represent that necessary action or say that necessary thing or move in that necessary way. Also, rest assured in this. We are a people of cycles and seasons, the things we use to hate, we eventually love and vice versa.
Listen! Take me at my word. If you’re doing something bigger than life, whether it’s dropping weight, lifting up a new business, or simply changing your corner of the world, hit me up. I guarantee, I’m on your side.
