8 Audacious Actions
Embody Audacity
“Audacity is a critical component of change.”
Being Bold And Taking Risks Is Scary
EACH YEAR, MILLIONS OF self-help books are read, thousands of sermons preached, and numerous inspirational quotes are posted on social media. These messages aim to drive us to live our dreams, take better self-care, set appropriate boundaries, and take leaps of faith. Unfortunately, most of us never even take the first step. Why? Because being bold and taking risks is scary. The word audacity comes from the Latin word “audacitas” which means boldness. Often, the word carries a negative connotation, likely because of the two parts of its definition. The first part defines it as a willingness to take bold risks.
Working in high-performing environments often means working with and for Type A personalities who are ambitious and driven. In those places, I had to decide whether to shrink or stand tall.
Embodying audacity is a process. It first requires building our confidence and then preparing to make the bold move. Without confidence, it can be hard to take a risk—terrifying to even consider taking a chance.
"Be more you, more often, and more boldly."
Embody Audacity
Herstory
Kamala Harris
KAMALA HARRIS, Vice President of the United States, was harshly criticized for speaking up for herself during a debate. As Vice President Pence interrupted her sixteen times throughout the debate, she boldly challenged him multiple times.
With a cool, calm, and collected tone, she said, “Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking. I’m speaking.” Mr. Pence continued to talk until she finally said: “If you don’t mind letting me finish, then we can have a conversation.” (UsaToday.com)
Her critics said she had the audacity to ask him to stop talking, insinuating she was rude and disrespectful. Kamala Harris previously had dared to run for president of the United States.
Though she did not win the Democratic Party’s nomination, Harris became the first highest-ranking female official in United States history and the first African American and Southeast Asian person to hold the office of vice president of the United States.
During her acceptance speech, she thanked President Joe Biden for having “the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers in our country and select a woman as his vice president” (NPR.org).
Her unprecedented victory confirms what Laurel Thatcher Ulrich believed: “Well-behaved women seldom make history” (Ulrich, Laurel Thatcher. Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 2007).
