The Day I Decided to Be Bold Instead of Bitter

I have friends who write affirmations and goals on their bathroom mirrors in erasable pen. What a great way to kick off your day!

There comes a moment in every woman’s life when she stands at a quiet crossroads. Not the dramatic kind with fireworks and fanfare, but the kind that creeps in with the morning light and the weight of too many “almosts,” “should haves,” and “why me’s.”

I found myself at that exact place one ordinary Monday, sipping my coffee, still in my robe, watching the world carry on outside my window. Something about that morning felt heavy. Maybe it was the memory of a friendship that fizzled without warning, or the ache of dreams I’d shelved so long ago they started to gather dust. I couldn’t quite name it, but bitterness had been settling into my spirit like a far-too-familiar guest who overstayed her welcome.

In my heart, I had every right to be bitter. Life hadn’t always been kind. I’d weathered heartbreaks, disappointments, and detours. I felt as though I’d given more than I received more times than I cared to count. And yet, something in me stirred.

A whisper. A nudge. A holy rebellion.

What if I didn’t carry the bitterness any longer? What if I put it down and picked up boldness instead?

Now, boldness isn’t always loud. It doesn’t always show up in red lipstick and fierce declarations (though I’ve done this at times and found it quite cathartic). Sometimes boldness is simply choosing to forgive when no apology comes. Sometimes it’s saying "no" without guilt or "yes" without fear. Sometimes it’s showing up exactly as you are—flaws, wisdom, laugh lines and all—and declaring, “This is me, and it's what I have to offer.”

That day, I made a quiet promise to myself: I will not let what tried to break me turn me bitter. I will let it make me bold.

Bold enough to speak up. Bold enough to love again. Bold enough to rest when I’m tired and rise when I’m ready. Bold enough to chase the joy I thought had passed me by.

It didn’t happen overnight. Bitterness doesn’t pack its bags and leave just because you ask it to. But every day, with each choice to be bold, I felt lighter. Freer. More like the woman I was beautifully, wonderfully and purposefully created to be.

To the seasoned woman reading this: You are not too old, too late, or too worn. You are just right for your next chapter. And it starts the moment you choose bold over bitter. Life is a journey, and this is a crossroad where you get to choose the next step.

The world may have underestimated you—but that’s only because it hasn’t seen you fully alive yet. And oh, when it does…Watch out.

Your Turn to Be Bold Instead of Bitter

What would it look like for you to choose boldness today?

Would it be calling someone you've drifted from? Saying yes to an opportunity that scares you? Letting go of a grudge that's been heavy on your heart?

I invite you to take one bold step today—big or small. Write it down. Say it out loud. Share it with a trusted friend. Let it be your declaration: I choose to live fully, not fearfully...bitterly.

And if you feel led, drop a comment or send a message. I’d love to hear: What’s your bold move today?

Because sister, the world needs the fire of your love and the passion of your abilities—not your bitterness.

And I’m cheering you on, every brave step of the way. 💛

Bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. Be bold - not bitter!