7 women told us what being bold looks like in your 20s, 30s and 40s.

When I was younger, I used to think that it was cool to drink plain black coffee.            

Not because I actually liked the taste or anything. 

It just felt like a sophisticated, grown-up order that I pictured a high heel wearer (who absolutely somehow never got blisters) would drink. I pictured she’d probably be blonde, and sips of that coffee would be so effortless, it’d be the coffee that needs her. Not the other way around.  

This wasn’t me.

These days, I’m very happy to whip out a tea bag (Good Earth Tea and nothing less) in any social situation. I now feel entirely comfortable enjoying my tea in a pair of sneakers (or slippers, we’re all friends here.)

I feel particularly fabulous about it, because as the eco-friendly ally I’m trying more to be, Good Earth Tea bags are biodegradable (making every element of the packaging recyclable, not just the box), so I’m also doing the earth a favour. 

I know that sounds like a small thing, but embracing exactly who you are is easily the boldest thing a person can do. In 2021, I might go as far to say it’s even deemed rebellious to be authentically yourself, without restrictions or filtering yourself. 

Now back to my tea: at the moment I’m particularly enjoying the Rooibos Chai. It has a spicy kick to it (think orange peel, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom), and it’s perfect with my toast in the morning. 

It feels like drinking a warm hug. The taste is great because it has layers to it, so I never feel like I need to keep trying (forcing) myself to opt for coffee and grow to like it. Nor do I feel like I should say yes to coffee, to look cool. Every time I taste my Rooibos chai tea, I feel a bit bold to be honest, because it serves as a reminder that I’m embracing what I love now, no matter how it might appear to someone else.  

Image: Supplied. 

I’ve definitely taken that small element of boldness in my daily routine, and run with it in other areas of my life. It’s funny how once you start selecting something as ordinary as the beverage you actually like (versus the one you thought you ought to be drinking to fit in), suddenly it becomes the golden formula for everything else after it. And boldness becomes... easier. 

I don’t wear jeans because I hate the feel of them. I never wear high heels because I hate blisters. My hair is dyed pink because it’s my favourite colour. And heck, why not?

My life now is geared around what makes me feel confident and bold. We were honestly born to be bold, but it’s startling in how many instances we (read: me) tend to hold back and censor ourselves from fronting up as our most bold and honest form. 

Messaging in pop culture might make you think confidence is all about wearing that bikini or dancing like you’re in a music video. For me, it’s ditching coffee, drinking a good quality tea with bright pink hair in my new sneakers or TV character-themed slippers. Baby, that’s bold!  

In honour of being bold, I asked some of the women in my life that I personally admire, about the bold moves they’ve recently been most proud of. Heck, mine was letting go of the image that I thought coffee should give me, so it doesn’t matter how big or small they were to deserve recognition and celebration. 

So I asked some women in their 20s, 30s and 40s on what makes them feel fearless and brave. Here’s what they said.

Donna, 49: Cutting her hair short

“I cut my hair off in my forties and I suddenly felt like I’d embraced a new person. I had always wanted to have short hair, but was just hung up on the idea that long hair was what equalled being beautiful. Once I cut it, I didn’t just feel beautiful, but felt brave and bold in letting go of those old tropes.”  

Alice, 40: Learning the drums  

Alice. Image: Theresa Harrison. 

“For me, learning the drums at the age of 40 felt pretty bold for me! It’s been really scary learning in front of other people, also I’m at that point in my life where I know what I’m doing (mostly) with other things. I run my own business and I’ve been working in the same industry for 25 years, so being a novice at something is quite a different, exposing feeling, but also an exciting one. I’m now in a band!”

Stav, 35: Owning who you are (and what you eat)

Stav. Image: Eamon Donnelly. 

“It's been 20 years since I first learned this lesson, and I stand by it: life’s too short, so just eat the food you want. Back when I was 15 years old, during the lunch break of a sleepy Year 9 geography excursion I was on, I cashed in four full cards of Subway stamps I had been feverishly collecting in exchange for not one – but two – free, foot-long Seafood Sensation subs (white bread, extra pickles, extra mayo). True Subway fans will know the one.

“I revealed my undying love for processed fish guts to my horrified peers. It was a bold, but necessary choice for this ravenous crab connoisseur. I inhaled both foot-longs and walked towards an eroded sand dune feeling confident in my excellent life choices. I ignored the outpourings of 'Ew!', 'Gross!' and 'I-can't-believe-she-just-ate-not-one-but-two-of-those-vile things' trailing behind on the sea breeze.”  

India, 31: Studying

India. Image: Supplied. 

“I finally felt brave and bold when I realised I hated my job, and decided I had to find something much more soul-nourishing. The thought of going back to study in my late twenties somehow felt like I was “too old”, and that I should have my career on its forever-path by now. But I went for it anyway: I returned to study, and enrolled in the Master for Creative Writing at UTS.”  

Bella, 27: A one-way ticket  

“A few years ago, when I bought a one-way ticket overseas, that felt incredibly invigorating and bold. As someone usually with a clear and calculated plan, I felt pretty fearless trying something different and this time, just going travelling with no return date in sight.”  

Tyra, 23: Make-up choices

Tyra. Image: Supplied. 

“Wearing bright makeup makes me feel super fun and bold. I used to keep it simple, nothing too colourful or that would invite someone to think my makeup choices were ‘a bit out there’. But decided to mix it up one day, and it felt bold. So I’ve gotten rid of that fear altogether, and wear exactly what I want on my face. It’s my own face after all. Once I’ve got that eyeliner on, I’m ready to take on anything and anyone.”  

The thing about living boldly is it looks different for everyone. 

For some people it’s a drastic haircut, a bold lip colour or pursuing a hobby again that they’ve always loved but let fall by the wayside. 

The thing I think everyone has in common with their definition of bold, is that being bold makes them feel more like themselves. Irrevocably, authentically their truest self.

One of the times I felt my most bold was when I was dating a guy who made fun of my constant tea drinking (which he felt was incredibly uncool and not suited my “my age group”) and I was comfortable enough to not care. It’s hard to care when tea is so delicious though. Feeling happy with your own choices and not buckling under the scrutiny of others: that's what being bold is all about. 

Let’s drink to that (it brings me joy picturing you all silently raising your cuppas). 

What bold move have you made lately that's made you feel fearless and brave? Tell me in the comments below.

We were born to be bold. So are Good Earth Tea: they're sweet, spicy, wild, daring... anything but ordinary. Discover why tea should never be boring with their most popular blends here.