This week I am launching a challenge to myself and to you. I want to begin to think differently, to shake things up a little and consider, “what are those things that I have always wanted to do?” Some people call it a bucket-list or a bag-list but I’m going to call it my List of Daring Desires. 

‘To Dare Mighty Things’ comes from a Theodore Roosevelt quotation (see below) which I’ve always known, as it was stuck to my Dad’s office wall as I grew up. I used that mantra to help me to be Daring and Mighty in life. I chose adventure; I didn’t always follow the crowd; I went to a different school from my friends; I moved countries; I never lasted long in a ‘permanent’ job, instead choosing to freelance and travel. However, soon my daring and mighty journey evolved into something much bigger. Indeed, much deeper. It involved daring to love myself in order to live a truly mighty life.  Although my adventurous travels, interesting boyfriends and successful career in events management was nearly always something to write home about, it was more about keeping up appearances rather than being an authentic reflection of what I was really about. On the back of a decade long personal and spiritual development journey, I now feel authentic in teaching and mentoring women around their self-worth and self-knowing.  I feel I am making a real contribution to others in teaching self-love. It lights me up and feels right. I genuinely feel I have found my purpose.

So now we come to the present and I am continuing my inward journey – my soul-searching if you like – and I feel compelled to consider how I can make my life even more daring. Even more mighty. An even greater authentic expression of my truth. Because if I have learned one thing, it’s that life is much easier when we are living our truth. I have a feeling you agree!?

So, I have recently been asking myself, what it is that I’ve always wanted to do – things that feel like a bit of a stretch, perhaps a bit daunting or at least a step away from the mundane and everyday. How could I be more ‘me’? How can I walk my talk, even more? How can I live my brand, even more?  How can I express myself better. Be more creative. Feel more feminine. Experience more adventure. Contribute more. We are lucky to now live in a Western Society (generally) that gives us ladies the permission to achieve what we set out to do but do we give that permission to ourselves? I am having fun playing with my List of Daring Desires and will share it with you in next week’s newsletter but I challenge you to ask yourself, “what is it that I have always wanted to do?” 

Now the things on your list need not be ones that set the world on fire. You don’t have to be posting selfies as you take a skydiver’s leap from 20,000 feet – unless that is your bag! In truth, the daring thing about your desires might actually be the fact that you are allowing yourself to express them. Your list might involve small things like walking a different way to work, calling an old friend whom you haven’t called in ages, opening a holiday savings account, giving yourself a lunch-break for a change, or choosing to start your day with a cup of hot water and lemon rather than a caffeine hit.

Although I am still compiling my own list of Daring Desires, recently I began consciously acting upon a few ideas. For example, I’ve always wanted to know what it would be like if I had sheep mow my lawn! Admittedly this was easy to achieve given my rural locale – I simply had to ask my neighbours if I could borrow a few sheep! My son and I had such fun out there with the sheep, being headbutted and getting (perhaps a little too) up-close and personal with them. These creatures were not afraid of anything and they ate everything EXCEPT the lawn – the catflap, the plants, the pathway lighting… Anyway, my son and I got huge enjoyment giggling, laughing and taking videos. We had FUN! Daring Desire, ticked!

Another thing I’ve always wanted to do was see a cat rescue centre. I adore cats and have driven past the Cat Protection Society many times and have always meant to go in and find out what they are about, why they are there and what they do. Well, I finally did it this week and my son and I had a lovely time meeting the rescue moggies and learning all about the society. I was in my element. Daring Desire, ticked!

Last week in LA I dared to take myself out for a drink, on my own! I found myself in the rather swanky roof-top bar of the Shangri-La overlooking Santa Monica beach and had no trouble making friends. It was such a riot and I felt so liberated, so feminine, so gregarious and oh so ‘me’. Daring Desire, ticked!

A few weeks ago I took my son to test-drive a BMW Z4 – my dream car. I wanted to experience how it would feel to own a car like that because it features on my vision board. Feeling the leather seat cradle my bum and the electricity shoot up my arms as I placed my hands on the steering wheel simply lit me up. I felt so excited, extravagant, luxurious and again, in my element. Daring Desire, ticked!

So it’s actually quite easy. Injecting some new experiences that make you feel more ‘you’ is liberating. As I said, I’m working on my List of Daring Desires. Are you?  Will you give yourself permission to be more ‘you’? I would love to hear what you have planned!

Big Love,

Katie