Some girls are just, um, how can I say this nicely…timid. These little sweethearts smile a lot and every man on the planet seems to want to help them. Not trying to be bitchy (okay, yes I am), but every girl over the age of 10 knows that “can you help me” seems to make the male species melt into knight in shining armor mode. I guess some girls grow up with the pattern of always needing to be rescued.
This article is for the rest of us.
I’m by no means an expert on the male brain but I am an expert on kicking ass and make no apologies for admitting it. I’m an X Games medalist in skier half pipe, former professional extreme sports athlete (where I got paid to chuck myself off cliffs, slide rails at ski town festivals to blaring hip hop music and do things like jump over flaming hay-bales on a pair of skis). True story. I did that for twelve years and had 22 broken bones to show for it. That was until, reluctantly at the age of 34. I realized that there were crazier girls than me coming out of the start gate who chewed leather for breakfast and were frothing at the mouth ready to push me off the podium… literally (anyone watched a skier cross event?). Now? I run a successful business that needs me to put my elbows out almost every day as I manage staff, say no, say yes, ask for opportunities that freak the crap out of me, and work my way to the top. Here’s how I shifted from extreme athlete to badass entrepreneur.
Redefining my crazy.
Despite the emergency doctors all knowing me by name and the insurance policies possibly having me red flagged as a liability, I’m a pretty ordinary girl when you meet me. I have that boring mousey blonde hair and now, at forty (with the maturity of a teenager) I have grown out of my body piercings. I’m also making appointments to get my tattoos removed and I no longer rock up to client meetings wearing clothes out of a snowboard movie. But during those quiet moments with myself, I still ironically define myself as badass, impulsive and courageous– as that girl that built a death-defying reputation as being one crazy cat.
My Top 4 Tips for Taming the Beast (without Losing Yourself)
1. Doing One Thing per Day That Scares You Is Relative
You might appear fearless with your adrenaline choices (you’re that girl that skydives and goes into the woods alone) but perhaps you’re shy socially. Today’s scary thing could be putting up your hand in class with the answer, and not caring if you get it wrong. I mean kudos for you for putting your hand up, right? Right. Being scared has to start with being ‘uncomfortable’ – not petrified. Push your comfort zone just a little bit more everyday.
2. Crazy Only Looks Crazy to People Who Don’t ‘Get It’
I never actually felt crazy when I did what everyone else said was nuts. I knew that I could do everything that I did. Why? Because I spent days, months, years practicing and perfecting my skills; so the ‘crazy’ thing was actually a calculated risk. And calculated risks are fun!
3. Be a Productive Badass
The real badasses wind up in jail. So if you’re still roaming around society being what you think is ‘badass’, you might in fact just be the world’s most annoying prankster and petty-criminal-who-hasn’t-been-caught-yet. How about turning that attitude into something productive: write a blog post exposing the truth on something controversial, file a small-claims law suit against someone ripped you off, protest against a cause you believe strongly about. Live smart so you get respect wherever you go; like reading the waivers you sign, and knowing your legal rights so you don’t get taken advantage of. Learn to use wit to call people out, not a teenage pissy attitude. Figure out how to be the motherfuckin’ boss in that job you hate.
4. Dress like a Boss
When I dressed like a gansta I made minimum wage. It’s pretty funny looking back, actually. Thank God my twenties are done with. Gangsta, gothic, rapper, hip hop, alternative, artsy looking chicks work at McDonalds unless they’re in the 1% of the planet who hit the jackpot like Lady Gaga. Sorry-not-sorry to break it to you, but you will probably never be in that 1%. Burn that crap and get a makeover. Now that’s one thing to do today that scares you!
You gain respect from anyone who comes into contact with you. Not to mention you feel like a kick ass chick because of your daring habits and from the past that may have been holding you back-but it’s not anymore. The bottom line is, you’re probably always going to be this bold, this awesome, this whatever-you-are. And that’s not just cool, it’s freaking brilliant. Because bold is about the way you try new things, speak to people, voice your opinion, share your dreams, and follow your heart.
