A Note to Women—Love, Cleo Wade

In honor of Women's History Month and International Women's Day, we're launching a new series called A Note to Women, where industry figures will share their personal message to women everywhere to create a supportive space for all of us to come together. Below find poet, artist, and, most recently, author of Heart Talk, Cleo Wade's note to women.

Dear women,

Bravery is not the absence of fear. To live courageously means that you’re afraid, but you do it anyway. It is important for people to remember that we may never shake the feeling of being scared. I feel vulnerable, anxious, and insecure every time I put my work out into the world or speak publicly. One day, I realized that it might not be possible to get rid of this feeling, so instead I said, “Okay, you’re here, but I am here too. And I am going to live my life and not let my life live me because of fear.”

Women everywhere: Be brave. Use your voice. Tell your story. It is beautiful. It is necessary. And it is so important.

Cleo Wade