Southern Girls Living Fearlessly Survey

A just-for-fun Zoomerang survey on living fearlessly.

I look forward to reading your responses.

Click Here.



Brig. Gen. Marcia Anderson on Living Fearlessly -

This is quoted directly from the CNN site. The title links back to CNN's original post. These are not my words. I am re-posting this here because Brig. Gen. Marcia Anderson knows what it means to live fearlessly:

Top ranking black female officer on 'living fearlessly'by Brig. Gen. Marcia Anderson, Special to CNNAugust 17, 2011 1:00 p.m. EDT

View video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/3I1oEdsN5OI
CNN Red Chair: Brig. Gen. Marcia AndersonSTORY HIGHLIGHTS

Brig. Gen. Marcia Anderson is the highest-ranking African-American female in the Army Reserve

Anderson says going into the military was not part of her life plan

Her father also served in the Army in the 1950s

Anderson believes her success is about 'realizing your dreams'

Editor's Note: Brig. Gen. Marcia Anderson is the highest-ranking African-American female officer in the Army Reserve. The CNN Red Chair Interview weekly franchise strives to look at people's past to see what made them who they are today. We also want to know their biggest pivotal and "aha" moments in their lives.

(CNN) -- My decision to join the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in college was not part of my life plan. I simply needed some science credits, and military science met the "science" requirement for liberal arts majors. It also looked a lot like gym class, which I was quite confident I could do without too much trouble. I am very glad that I was wrong about the whole thing!

ROTC is about presenting you with challenges and testing you -- physically, mentally and emotionally. I jumped out of perfectly good airplanes, rappelled, solved problems and met some amazing people the 32 years I have served my country. I would not trade one minute of it!

Yes, along the way, I encountered people who made snap judgments about me because I was shorter than them, a woman or an African-American. They decided I did not measure up, but I chose to ignore them and believe in myself. My family is full of people who are intelligent, resourceful, strong and stubborn -- traits I inherited and I am certain are the reason I have been able to succeed in life and to overcome people who put obstacles in my path.

One of the most affirming moments in my life was the day I was promoted to brigadier general. The look of pride in my father's eyes is something I will never forget. If my mother had been alive, I know she would have had the same look.

My father served in the Army Air Corps in the 1950s when he was denied the opportunities I have enjoyed. Men and women like him -- my mother, aunts, uncles, grandparents and great-grandparents -- suffered disappointments and indignities so that I could have choices and opportunities.

So, this is NOT about me. It is about realizing their dreams. It is about opening doors for others. It is about living fearlessly every day.

Taking a Stand

This is the first post in a long while. I've been out living fearlessly - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

I've also been lining up Blog Tour stops for Tuck Your Skirt in Your Panties and Run. (You can find out more details about that here.) And while out on the tour trail, I've met some interesting people, one of whom reminded me of an important part of living fearlessly: Taking a stand and refusing to waver.

Now, I will say this, we southern girls always reserve the right to change our minds. That's so no one ever really knows what's going on up in our pretty little heads. But we are by no means limber reeds. We will not budge on our core beliefs.

Jessica at This Blessed Life is a prime example. I sent her the following request:

Dear Jessica,

I'm a southern writer (native Georgian) taking my recently released book, Tuck Your Skirt in Your Panties and Run, on blog tour. It's a book of humorous, true stories about surviving (and even prevailing over) unavoidable embarrassing moments written with a twang and drawl. I am currently scheduling tour stops for October and November. Will you host a visit for me at This Blessed Life? Of course I supply content in the format of your choosing. May I send you more information about the Tuck Your Skirt 2011 Blog Tour? (You can read more here: http://lucybgoosey.blogspot.com/p/tuck-your-skirt-blog-tour-2011.html)

Jessica promptly and politely responded, thus:

Hi Lucy,

Unfortunately, I don't think your book would be a good fit for me to review. Don't take it personally, but the word "panties" is one of my least-favorite words (I don't even like to say it out loud!), and it's something I've been very vocal about (in a joking manner but also serious). As crazy as it sounds, I just can't in good conscience review a book with that word in it since so many people close to me know I can't stand that word! It just wouldn't make sense for me. However, I wish you all the best!
Sincerely,
Jessica

This is a woman after my own heart. This is someone we can respect and emulate. She isn't fearful of turning into a brick wall when her very ideals are threatened. But she maintains impeccable manners. I replied to her:

Dear Jessica,

Thanks for responding. Yours is the most interesting reply I have received. And I totally understand. If a girl takes a stand against something, she has to stick by it. I, for example, detest the word "pee" and any use of it. It sounds vulgar to me. So, nothing personal taken.

I do not know how Jessica feels about the word "pee," as I have not heard back from her. But I have made up my mind that if not for our differences on "panties" she and I could be very good friends living the fearless life together.

What's the one thing you take a stand on?

A Good Sign

Happy July 1st

Today is the first day of the second half of the year. This is the time to take inventory. What were your goals when you started the year? Have you achieved them? What have you accomplished in the first six months? What half-year resolutions do you want to declare? Are you a better version of yourself today, July 1st, than you were January 1st?

And the biggest question of all:

Are you living fearlessly with grace and good manners?

What will you do to live a more fearless life in the new half-year? Look at it like a second chance and live it for all it's worth!

Five Lines from My Work in Progress

Here it has arrived, the Lovin' the Language Blogfest hosted by Jolene's Been Writing.

The following are five lines from the introduction of Southern Girls Living Fearlessly: A Lady's Guide to an Unfettered Life of Grace and Charm (or something like that but shorter). We hem ourselves in with the shoulds and oughts of southern etiquette - of life as a modern woman - to the point that we don't know ourselves anymore. Southern Girls Living Fearlessly allows us to break free of the corset binds and be the true selves we are meant to be.

It took a whole lot of life and natural consequences and self-exploration before I arrived at this stage of thinking, however. The five lines reveal me processing through my decision to live fearlessly:

Besides, when I think about living fearlessly, it becomes painfully evident that I fear too many things to face. I fear drowning . . . in water, in dirty clothes, in closet clutter. I fear cancer. I fear slipping in the shower. I fear failure. I fear success. I fear growling dogs. I fear getting old. I fear dieing young. I fear disappointing my parents. Most of all, I fear that I will get lost in oblivion, somewhere between my Once-Upon-a-Time and my Happily-Ever-After.

Okay, yes, that is more than five lines. I broke the one rule of Lovin' the Language Blogfest. But there you go. That's living fearlessly, isn't it? That's taking life by the petticoat and going with the potential.

How will you live fearlessly today?

Fear and Curiosity

Replace Fear

of the

Unknown

with

Curiosity

Fear keeps us from progress. Curiosity stimulates action and momentum.