Living Bold

My husband, Jared, and I recently came up with a mission statement for both our companies (Serene & Co. and Coco and Viv) and one of the things we realized encompasses a lot of what we do is the idea of being bold. Obviously, my interior design style isn't for the faint of heart. I've never been one to shy away from color and if I get the chance to add in a bold stripe or some glitz and glam, I will always take it. Nevermind the fact that red lipstick and statement earrings are some of my favorite accessories.

Additionally, I've never been afraid of change and am the friend that always gets "nominated" to speak for the group (not sure how I feel about that- ha!). And obviously, cheering on my husband as he quits his job that supports us so we can move 1,400 miles from our friends and family to pursue our dreams isn't exactly a subtle move. And this is just one of the "wild hairs" we have pursued.

All this got me thinking that we really do stand by the idea of "going bold" and that tends to overflow into our life on The Gram. Jared and I both tend to be very firm on what matters to us and like to major on those things. We don't want to sit on the sidelines willy-nilly while life passes us by. We want to seize the day, as they say, and not miss a moment of the opportunities in this great, big, beautiful life. Let's be honest, I could probably have the phrase YOLO tattooed on my arm.

A note on this before we go further:

I do want to say, I think it's very important to distinguish that "going bold" isn't something one does blindly or every time. There is a time for boldness (think, statement pillow) and a time for restraint and I will never tell you that I think if you always go bold you will "win" at life or whatever the latest self-help books are saying. I mean, if you are always bold, then what qualifies the daring? I will say, that I think a lot of people are afraid to go bold and I yearn to encourage those to step outside of their comfort zones once in awhile as I believe that's where true growth comes from. Plus it's just pretty darn exhilarating.

I remember being a teen and having a friend ask me how I incorporate color into my clothing. I was surprised by this question as it was second-nature to me and something I didn't even realize I was doing differently. If people are afraid to interject jewel tones into their home or wardrobe, how much more are they afraid of taking risks when it comes to the big decisions in life? So, what if when you are feeling that way, you asked yourself this...

"What's the worst that could happen?"

Really though, what is it? And then go deeper... what's worse than that? And then ask yourself, how likely is it that that will happen? This question doesn't solve everything but I think it lays to rest 98% of the usual arguments about why one feels they can't go for something.

The fine print: please also use common sense, wisdom from friends and prayer while staying true to your values, personality and passions. There is absolutely times to stay put, be content, create space or tough it out and you will have to be the one to distinguish what time it truly is. But also, just make a decision!!

Right after we decided to move to Florida, the "what's the worst that could happen?" question was a frequent one for me. I knew we weren't doing anything inherently wrong but it was still so scary so I laid it out... what really was the worst thing that could happen if my husband quit his job and we moved across the country? Well, it really came down to the fact that we could lose all our money, I would look like an idiot and then possibly have to move all the way back home (haha that actually does sound totally awful!) But even that wasn't enough to stop me from going for it. 'Cause what if it worked? What if we really were able to work full-time together for ourselves all while living in our favorite place and growing closer as a family unit at the same time? The strong possibility of the good, outweighed the fear of the bad.

I don't have all of this figured out. I have gone bold and had it crash and burn (thank you, therapy, for helping me through this). I have gone bold with my knees shaking. I have even bought the wrong neon pillows and have had to return them ;) But each time, I have learned and I've gained confidence, clarity and faith for the next bout. I've also had some incredible wins that I never could have foreseen had I not taken a step of faith into bold and unknown territory.

I would love to talk about this topic and where you desire to go bold but simply feel stuck. It can be design-related or life-related. Hit me in the comments!