What Does it Mean To Be Fearless?
In honor of yesterday's International Day of the Girl, today's post offers some quick advice on self-empowerment from an iconic and inspirational figure.
Last year I had the honor of meeting Kathrine Switzer at an event hosted by Girls on the Run. You may know Kathrine by name as the first woman to officially register and run the Boston Marathon, but if not you’ll likely recognize her from the iconic black-and-white photos of the race director trying to tackle her out of “his” race.
Based on her experience in the 1967 Boston Marathon, Kathrine created the 261 Fearless movement, which is uniting women globally in the name of overcoming adversity and doubt as they move toward a life of empowerment.
For Kathrine, that empowerment came through running: she was instilled with an unshakable confidence at a young age, and she ended up proving all her supporters (and herself!) absolutely right.
For other people, though, I believe that same empowerment can come from being able to express their own story, whether it’s through writing or speaking. By finding a way to tell your story, you are able to own the events that impacted you and frame them in a way that is most beneficial to your personal growth.
There is real power in this. The ability to see, relate, and interpret personal events in a meaningful way is so critical to understanding the way we allow the rest of the world to view us.
Everybody says hindsight is 20/20, so why not use that perfect vision to get some positive perspective on who we want to become moving forward?
Kathrine expressed three main points as her mantra: Be fearless, be free, and be grateful. In my business, all of these relate to the strength it takes to get your story off the ground:
Be fearless – Never be afraid to tell your story! Set a goal and meet it.
Be free – You are the author of your own story, no matter what events have occurred.
Be grateful – Step into your gift and find your voice! (Don’t know where to start? I'd be happy to help!)
One of the things Kathrine emphasized was that being fearless doesn’t necessarily mean being the BEST. Instead, it means setting a goal for yourself and then accomplishing it.
Whether it’s running a marathon (or fifty!), writing a blog post (or fifty!), or publishing a novel (or fifty!), get out there and tell the world your story!
Do you already use any of these mantras in your daily life? How is it working out? Inspire us in the comments!
If not, which of these do you see the most value in? How can you grab on to one of them and use it to meet your writing goals? As always, let me know how I can help you!
