Out There With the Brave

At a recent restaurant in which a large number of authors had gathered, Jamie Harrington made a comment that got me thinking. She said, “I love how we’re all just so out-there.” And by we, she meant authors and other artistic-types.

She was sort-of referring to the rainbow of color represented in our many eclectic hairstyles, but also our styles of dress, our conversational topics, our ability to make friends with strangers who live far away. But mostly, I think her comment came down to her loving our bravery.

Later, at a book launch, author Don Carey asked some of us about our chosen styles and hair colors. He wasn’t asking because he believed there was some kind of rebellion behind it, but as research for his work in progress. Because of the nature of his question, I think he got better answers than most of us would otherwise have given.

I told him that for me, it comes to bravery. I AM brave enough to write a book. I AM brave enough to submit and be rejected over and over and over again. I AM brave enough to repeat this vicious cycle continuously until I find success. (Though, I really wish someone would PLEASE help end the insanity soon!)

And if I am brave enough to do all that, well. It isn’t such a stretch to realize that my style choices are a physical manifestation of the bravery I’m clinging to with everything I have. It never hurts to have a daily reminder that YES, I can do these hard things. YES, I can be brave. YES, I can take hard rejections. And also, NO, I won’t quit, however tempted I may be.

Crazy sounding? Yeah, I know. But that’s me.

What do you do to remind yourself to be brave?