Be Fearless

I got some advice today. I've been collecting it, advice, like little nuggets of chocolate to savor while riding the slow train of getting my degree(s). This latest piece came from a woman who has served in some very interesting positions in government. She is now a teacher and I might even say activist. And she is what some would call a "character." Her advice to me: Be fearless. I believe she was quoting someone or paraphrasing someone but I didn't write it down so I don't feel comfortable quoting her source. But her advice stuck with me.  

Be fearless.

I was in line for lunch a month or so ago with a state representative. I told him that since I had his attention for a moment, I would like to ask for advice. He told me not to "let up". The gist of his advice was to be persistent. And to me, this is related to being fearless.

I don't think I've been fearless lately. I don't think I've been quite fearful but rather somewhere in between. I've been cautious. I haven't been blogging because every time I get an idea of something to blog about, I fear it's too controversial or will pin me down to a position or opinion that I may change later. Or that I might just be wrong and then it will be out there in cyberspace for everyone to see and remember forever!  

The truth is, I have a lot of opinions and not all of them are popular.

But if I wait till I have a safe opinion or a safe topic, I am left with....nothing. Which is exactly why I haven't been blogging. I am (hopefully) on the path to a public life. I haven't decided exactly what I want to be when I grow up but it involves changing the world and that pretty much always becomes public sooner or later. And here's the thing that occurs to me, now as I write this:  

People who change the world are not timid...they are fearless.

Part of my philosophy on how I can change the world starting where I currently live is that I'm going to have to work with "the other side." That means sometimes I'll have to work with people of a different political persuasion or a different religion or just of a different opinion. I have concluded I can do it. There is always some place in common, some common ground, to start from. I have been afraid of alienating the "other side" by putting my opinions and thoughts out there. I realized today, though, that expressing my thoughts and opinions is not the same thing as telling them I won't work with them. How will people know where our common ground is if I don't tell them what my ground is?

I hope to be bringing you more of my thoughts, opinions and insights soon. I may just start with women's rights or another hot button topic. Regardless, I'm going to work on being a whole lot more fearless.