It’s that time of year again where everyone gets to take a look back at the mental snapshots they have collected, put them all together, and decipher what meaning they gave to three-hundred-and-sixty-five days. Was this a “good” year? Was this a “bad” year?

My year was great.

I’m not trying to gloat here – I made my fair share of mistakes. I had a good amount of rainy days. At points I felt completely exhausted, overwhelmed and clueless as to what direction I’m headed in. But throughout all the ebbs and flows, I can confidently say that in 2017 I was the bravest version of myself yet. I have stepped out of my comfort zone and into a new direction in almost every area of my life. I’ve been leaping a lot (often without knowing where I’ll land).

Stepping out into new horizons does not always comes easily to me. As a chronic people-pleaser and the type of person with a “safety hat” always on, I have a tendency to color within the lines. While I consider myself adventurous, I am simultaneously cautious to avoid any backlash. This started to change for me throughout the past year. I’ve always been an occasional solo hiker but often depended on the company of others while enjoying time outdoors. I came to realize that while there are a different set of precautions you have to take alone in the wilderness, you can still get out with nothing but your own two feet. I felt this change in my attitude seep into other areas of my life – I finally made a career move, I traveled and maneuvered unfamiliar places more than I ever have, and I have re-found my courage to be vulnerable with others after a long period of keeping walls up.

After thinking about this on the trails, I came home and decided to look up the definition of “brave” to make sure I fully understood it’s meaning before declaring 2017 the year of bravery. So here it is:

Brave
\ˈbrāv\
Adjective

1. The quality or state of having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty: the quality or state of being brave: courage
   1. showing bravery under fire

Synonyms:
courageous, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, gutty, heroic, intrepid, lionhearted, manful, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, undauntable, undaunted, valiant, valorous

That definition sums up 2017 nicely for me. However, I noticed that “bold” was not a synonym, even though I always hear these words being used together. How could that be? So I went and looked up the definition of that too:

Bold
/bōld/
Adjective

1. (of a person, action, or idea) showing an ability to take risks; confident and courageous.
   1. “a bold attempt to solve the crisis”
2. (of a color or design) having a strong or vivid appearance.

Synonyms:
adventuresome, adventurous, audacious, daring, dashing, emboldened, enterprising, free-swinging, gutsy, hardy, nerved, nervy, venturesome, venturous

Although they do have similarities, I specifically noticed the words “confident” and “vivid” in the definition of bold. While bravery to me equates to stepping outside of the lines, being bold would translate to trusting myself as I take risks, and speaking out when I get the feeling of needing to say something but don’t. It goes far beyond just showing courage and flexibility throughout changes in life. Bold means stepping out of the lines with conviction, and taking risks while believing in your own personal flair.

I do not like the word “resolution” because it refers to fixing an issue or problem, but I will be making a focused effort and commitment to being bold in 2018. I will be mindful of opportunities that allow me to be vivid – whether it is in the form of communication with others or in my own personal dialogue when I take on challenges. What would happen if you were bold in multiple areas of your life? I imagine this would lead to a higher level of self-accountability and personal growth throughout the year. Perhaps you will come to another great finding that is just waiting to be discovered. I hope you will join me.

Cheers to a great new year!