The Year of Audacity

I started this year the same way I often do: journaling, reflecting, setting goals, asking myself what I want more of and what I'm finally ready to leave behind. Somewhere between jotting down my intentions and next steps, I had a major revelation.

I wondered how much further along in my endeavors I might be if I had just been a little braver.

How many opportunities did I hesitate on? How many doors did I assume were closed because I never knocked? How many times did I talk myself out of asking for help because I didn't want to seem needy, unprepared, or inconvenient?

These thoughts reminded me of an Instagram post I came across last year - a conversation between Kevin Hart and Issa Rae (see below). Kevin talked openly about one of the reasons for his success: he never hesitates to pick up the phone and ask for help - he asks questions, he asks for introductions, he asks for support. Issa, on the other hand, admitted that this wasn't natural for her. She didn't want to bother people. She assumed everyone was busy. She didn't want to feel like she was imposing. That sentiment stuck with me. What's more, it was deeply familiar.

For many women of color, independence is a badge of honor. We're taught very early on to be capable and self-sufficient. And while independence can be empowering, it can also quietly limit us.

That led me to think that perhaps a lack of bravery isn't my issue - maybe it's a lack of audacity.

Many people misconstrue audacity with arrogance or entitlement (sometimes rightfully so), but that's not really what it is. Audacity is the willingness to believe that your needs, ideas, and ambitions are worthy of space and support, without proof, permission, or perfect timing.

Certain groups are conditioned to practice this early on - they're encouraged to take up space, to assume access, to expect guidance and advocacy. I'm sure you've noticed how some people find themselves in rooms, at tables, and in positions for which they aren’t actually qualified, simply because they had the audacity to step forward. Are they aware of their shortcomings? Quite likely, But still, they just went for it. The nerve, right?

Women of color, on the other hand, are often conditioned to minimize our asks. We learn to over-prepare so we don't need help. We take measures to ensure we won't be rejected. We tell ourselves that we'll go for that opportunity when we're more qualified, more established, more ready.

But when we don't practice audacity, the cost shows up in all areas of our lives:

• In careers where we stay longer than we should

• In financial opportunities we don't pursue

• In health concerns we downplay

The stakes are simply too high.

So, this year, we're choosing audacity. Not recklessly, but intentionally. Audacity to ask for help. Audacity to go for it before we feel "ready." Audacity to believe that support is not something we have to earn through exhaustion.

The reality is - and I know you've heard this before - that the worst outcome isn't being told no. It's never asking at all.

If you're reading this and feeling a little called out, you're not alone. I'm writing this for myself, too! And don't get me wrong - living audaciously doesn't mean we stop being thoughtful or grounded. It just means that we stop assuming that our independence requires isolation.

That’s what we’re doing for 2026. There’s more than enough audacity to go around, and we’re claiming ours. We’re choosing to pursue the opportunities that make us grow, to ask for help when we need it, and to lean into the discomfort that comes with meaningful progress. This year, we’re choosing boldness. We’re choosing visibility. We’re choosing excellence - audaciously, unapologetically, and together.

-TSW