What does it mean to be a daring woman?

We hear those two words when a woman wears a dress or outfit that’s out of the realm of what people consider “normal.”

Or we think it’s when we see another woman — often a public person — do extraordinary things with her work, her deeds, and her life.

Courage.

Risk.

Adventure.

To be so bold as to.

Take the liberty.

How are you being daring in your life? And not just “on occasion,” but as a regular practice?

And if you answer that you wish you could say you were more daring, what would that look like to you?

Daring can sound like a sexy and kind of dangerous proposal — a way of being and feeling that might make some people feel like the stakes are too high and they don’t want to take the risk.

But I think everyday-daring isn’t really about wearing a dress with a wild print or showing up a ½ hour late for work because come-what-may-who-cares-anyway.

Everyday-daring is about vulnerability.

• It’s opening your heart and mind up to the unknown and being willing to hang out for the outcome.

• It’s touching your husband’s hand in the rush of the day as a cue for you to stop and really see one another — if only for a moment.

• It’s taking time to write down your thoughts for a few minutes in a journal or notebook to see what your mind needs to release.

• It’s lacing up your shoes to go for a walk or run, or going into an exercise class on a day where you don’t feel like it or don’t know anyone.

 

It’s any number of simple yet significant decisions you can make at any time that contribute to the art of living your life.

What’s so great about vulnerability and daring anyway? They are quite the buzz words these days with researcher Brene Brown’s books and people talking about what it means to be “authentic” and “real.”

That question I asked isn’t a rhetorical one that I am going to answer for you. I want you to ask yourself what it would mean to you to approach life in this way. What would it mean to you to be a more daring and vulnerable woman?

How do you think, if you decided to practice being a daring and vulnerable woman, that you would feel on the other side of that, if you could experience the best possible feelings you want for yourself?

Here are some that come to mind for me:

• Confidence
• Joy
• Engaged
• Fascinated
• Intrigued

 

I was recently at a funeral for an elderly friend who died suddenly of a heart attack. Those remembering her spoke about her well-lived life where she participated fully in each day — whether that was how she engaged in her marriage, raised her family, educated herself or fought for the rights of others.

She dared to live fully.

She dared to be herself; and I might add, she did so as a member of a generation of women who was often told to muzzle their sense of daring and outspokenness, or someone would try to do it for them.

She wasn’t famous. She wasn’t a red carpet fashionista.

She was passionate, decisive, connected and active with her life.

She dared to live her whole life of 70+ years.

Her own hometown, its history, and its inhabitants were wildly interesting and engaging to her.

• What is wildly interesting to you?
• What pursuits or interests do you have that bring you joy?
• What are you passionate about?
• How do you move your body each day to keep it fluid and strong?
• Who do you have thoughtful conversations with to talk about life and how your day is going?
• What can you do for your community to impact the greater good?
• What’s your next adventure?
• How would you answer this question: “I want to be a woman who _______________”?

 

A woman who asks herself these questions is daring when she has the courage to think about and act upon her answers.

She decides she is willing to risk being vulnerable and open when the alternative — to hang back, to do what she’s always done and not question it — is too constricting or painful to bear any longer.

Are you there? Ask yourself. Be brave enough to listen for your answers.

I dare you.

 

I help women who arrive at this place and are ready to go, but don’t want to go it alone.

Body of Work is my six-week online group coaching program for women who are willing to say to themselves:

• I dare to love my body and offer it loving nourishment, movement and play.

 

• I am willing to take the dare that saying goodbye to damaging diets and restriction might hold the answer for me.

 

• I dare to think differently — to use my mind and my thoughts as my most powerful tool in personal transformation.

 

• I dare to open my mind up to a life of daily adventure — at home or abroad.

 

• I dare to amplify my confidence by thoughtfully considering and curating my sense of personal style.

 

• I’ll take that dare to look at my physical spaces at home (and at work) to see how they support the vision I have for my life and how I want to feel.

 

• I dare to love myself more fully by being conscious about my relationships — to decide who I want to be with and how I want to engage with them, versus sliding into situations where I feel stifled or powerless.

 

With me as your coach, teacher and guide, you’ll be a part of a community of women where we will look at all of these areas and design your specific plan for being a daring woman.

Class begins on Thursday evening, February 23rd at 7:30 p.m. EST. We will meet each week via Zoom, a video conferencing site where we can see and hear one another.

Space is limited to 15 participants, and this winter 2017 class is filling up. To find out more about Body of Work or register for your spot, go to www.laura-wagner.com/bodyofworkcourse.

If you want to have a conversation with me about whether or not this program is a fit for the daring life you want to live, schedule a free 15 minute consultation with me by going to https://laurawagnercoaching.acuityscheduling.com/.