Somewhere along the way, women were taught that wanting more makes us ungrateful.

More time.
More money.
More peace.
More fulfillment.
More room to breathe.

We learned to soften our desires before we even said them out loud. To follow big dreams with, “But I’m thankful, though!” just in case someone thought we were asking for too much.

Let me say this clearly:
Wanting more doesn’t mean you’re ungrateful. It means you’re honest.

And honesty? That’s bold.

The Subtle Way We’re Taught to Shrink

Most women don’t stop dreaming because they lack ambition.
They stop because they’re trying to be palatable.

We’re praised for being low-maintenance.
We’re applauded for being “easygoing.”
We’re rewarded for not rocking the boat—even when the boat is sinking.

So we downplay what we want. We call big dreams “silly.” We tell ourselves we should be satisfied because someone else has it worse.

But here’s the truth no one tells you:
Gratitude and desire can coexist.

You can love your life and want more from it.

Wanting More Is Not a Character Flaw

Wanting more doesn’t make you greedy.
It doesn’t make you dramatic.
It doesn’t make you selfish.

It makes you awake.

It means you’re listening to that quiet inner nudge that says, There’s another level for you. And ignoring that voice doesn’t make it go away—it just makes it louder.

Bold women don’t ignore the nudge.
They get curious about it.

More Doesn’t Have to Mean

“Everything All at Once”

Here’s where people get it twisted. Wanting more doesn’t mean blowing up your life overnight.

Sometimes “more” looks like:

More boundaries
More rest
More support
More income that actually matches your effort
More alignment with who you’re becoming

Boldness isn’t reckless. It’s intentional.

It’s asking yourself, What would feel like expansion right now? and giving yourself permission to answer honestly.

The Guilt That Tries to Talk You Out of It

Let’s name it—because it shows up every time.

The guilt that says:

Who do you think you are?
Be happy with what you’ve got.
Other people would kill for your life.

Yes. And?

Someone else’s struggle does not cancel your desire to grow.

You’re allowed to evolve. You’re allowed to want more ease, more joy, more impact—without explaining yourself to anyone.

Bold Women Stop Apologizing for Their Vision

At some point, being bold means dropping the disclaimers.

No more:

“This might sound crazy but…”
“I know I should be grateful, however…”
“It’s probably unrealistic but…”

Say what you want.
Stand in it.
Let it take up space.

The right people won’t be threatened by your growth—they’ll be inspired by it.

Your Bold Era Requires Honesty

This is your Bold Era invitation:

Be bold enough to admit what you want.
Be bold enough to want more than survival.
Be bold enough to stop shrinking your dreams to make others comfortable.

You don’t need permission.
You don’t need a perfect plan.
You just need the courage to say, I want more—and mean it.

And that?
That’s where everything begins.

Where will being bold take you this year? Let me know in the comments!

I can’t wait to cheer you on!

XO,

Shannon