Step out into Boldness!

I have always been a very reserved person. I never wanted to upset the applecart so to speak, I did not like drawing attention to myself, and I hated speaking in public. I am not sure how I ever ended up teaching public speaking. Even after teaching over ten years, I still sometimes feel reserved and want to hang out in back of the room.
I just had a birthday this year, and I am hopefully after more than 60 years of living on this earth, learning a bit more wisdom about sharing my views and being bolder. I go to a church where the people are alive--not just alive, but full of life--and people who know how to living boldly and graciously at the same time. It is sort of a balancing act, but these people are daringly bold. The pastor who prefers to be called by his first name, encourages his people to "Be Bold!"
I also love what the mystic Rumi writes about boldness. He says, "Don't run around this world looking for a hole to hide in. If you live with mice, the cat claws will find you." Rumi was a man who refused to allow anyone to define him which took incredible courage and boldness.
Part of being a healthy person is finding ways to continually define ourselves, and we need to be bold to do this with our families, in our workplaces, at our churches. If we do not define ourselves, then others will define us as they like to meet their needs.
In the book The Importance of Living, Lin Yutang says, "Only those who are their absolute selves in the world can fulfill their nature, only those who fulfill their own nature can fulfill the nature of others." We must be bold in taking care of our own selves and our own needs, or we will never be able to help anyone else.
The Universe is waiting to support people who are ready to step out boldy, fearlessly, and couragously. We do not always know the outcome, but we don't know the outcome if we play it safe either. Playing it safe, living small, and not living up to our potential is wasting our gifts. We were not given these gifts to squander. Let's step out of our comfort zone, and begin to take one bold step today. It can be a small step just to get started.
You may stumble, but you can dust yourself off, and get back up again.
Peace