I made a cursory Internet search about ‘living boldly’ to get a feel for what people considered a life boldly lived, because I needed a boost to nudge me past ‘to boldly go where no man has gone before’ looping through my mind like a don’t worry, be happy earworm that takes over rational thinking and blocks out all efforts to come up with an original idea.
These are a sampling of descriptors people have listed as qualities of a boldly-lived life.
- live fearlessly
- be ready to take on anything
- be confident
- take chances
- don’t hold back
- don’t regret
- live purposely
- be authentic
- create positive vibes
- love unconditionally
I thought on these bits of mini advice for a good long while. I determined that, commendable as they are, they don’t quite capture the essence of what a boldly-lived life means to me.
A passage from Carlos Castaneda’s book The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge rose from my subconscious as I ruminated on this topic.
It’s been 25 years since I’ve read his books, and I don’t have them readily at hand to check for the exactness of the quote I pulled from the Internet, but ’tis enough, twill serve.
A path is only a path, and there is no affront to oneself or to others, in dropping it if that is what your heart tells you. Look at every path closely and deliberately. Try it as many times as you think necessary. Then ask yourself alone, one question. Does this path have a heart? If it does, the path is good. If it doesn’t, it is of no use.
I think to live boldly means to live a life that honors you and is worthy of who you are.
Until next time,
Kaye Spencer
writing through history one romance upon a time
*Image:
© Can Stock Photo / ivelinradkov