I just spent three days at a conference where the theme was being bold.
It was run by a foundation I was honored by, a foundation where I am now a grantee. It is a foundation that has style, panache, and is insanely bold in the choices they make every day, about who they choose to fund and what they support.
Being bold, and making bold choices was discussed, highlighted and encouraged.
I met person after person who absolutely blew me away.
Like-minded people who, like me, walk through the trenches of the nonprofit world navigating our dreams, reality, and the sometimes impossible distance between the two.
Be bold was the message. What they told us is that being bold sometimes is stopping, and changing direction. This is not giving up; it is simply re-assessing.
These few days nourished my heart and soul literally and figuratively since they did not stop feeding us.
It reminded me that, honestly, I am not alone, although many days that’s how I feel.
I am seen. I am supported.
And there is someone telling me to, inviting me to
Sit down,
Breathe,
Be.
And be bold.
On my flight home I sat on the exit row.
What a score I thought, win, win, win.
But, alas, my seat was absolutely freezing, and I was cold to the bone. I could feel the flu literally entering my body and making me sick. I had a million deadlines this week.
I had been away for a few days.
I hear the voices saying to me “Be bold. Be bold!”
I knew that being bold would be getting into bed and taking it easy for a few days.
This is a bold moment in time for woman.
The #MeToo movement.
Harvey Weinstein going to jail.
The movie “Bombshell” that I watched on the plane.
We tell our girls to be bold, speak up, and speak out.
It is easy to say and so incredibly hard to do.
You need a cheerleader to stand on the side telling you that you are good, you are enough, and you are worthy.
A few years ago, a beloved colleague came to see my show on domestic violence.
She waited until everyone left.
She came to see me at a location far from her home.
She looked at me.
I knew.
She has two daughters. I love them both.
“Who?” I asked her.
She told me.
We cried.
“She can’t be bold. She is so broken! What should we do?” she asked me.
“Well,” I said. “We will be bold for her.”
We arranged a lunch. I invited her daughter to see the next show.
It was not easy.
She let us help.
That, in itself, was bold.
She got out.
We told the rabbi.
He was incredibly bold.
He spoke up. He took the right stand.
She got a divorce.
You see, people don’t just stand up and be bold.
They need someone to hold them up, to catch them if they fall or, maybe just to say quietly, “Hey, I’m here!”
At this incredible conference I was given tools.
I made new friendships.
I was given important books to read.
It was inspiring.
It gave me the perspective that being bold has many shades and comes in lots of shapes and sizes.
A wise woman told us that if you can’t decide today, sleep on it and decide tomorrow.
Being bold is having the wisdom to wait.
My biggest take away is that it is so much better not to be bold alone.
So why don’t you be the person this week that helps someone else be bold?
That in itself is a super bold move.
Naomi Ackerman is a Mom, activist, writer, performer, and the founder and Executive Director of The Advot (ripple) Project a registered 501(c)3 that uses theatre and the arts to empower youth at risk to live their best life.
