The Audacity

by Katherine Ryan

I can always take a joke, I don’t waste time worrying about things I can’t control and I have zero anxiety about what strangers think of me.

I’m absolutely confounded as to why perfectly lovely people bother being wounded over criticism of their bodies, their choices, their art. Do you like everyone in the world? Be honest: you don’t. So why even begin to give a toss about whether or not they like you?

People ask me all the time whether stand-up comedy scares me and yes, a lot of my experiences have been frightening, embarrassing or ill-conceived, but each has also served to prepare me for the next one, and sometimes the next one goes well. If you’re really that consumed by the fear of failure or criticism, then you’d better hide yourself away for eternity.

My advice is to listen to your body at all costs because your intuition is a lot older than your intellect, so it’s always smarter than your head.

‘You have very cold hands and that’s an excellent quality in a woman.’

scan at nine weeks to check that everything was on track but, by then, Covid protocol was in full force so I went in alone while Bobby waited outside. Before the sonographer could begin, I asked that he please not turn the screen away and to say something quickly because I was afraid of silence from my previous experience. He agreed to my requests and as soon as he applied the ultrasound,

But first, you’ve got to stop apologising so much, stop wasting your time asking questions when the answer doesn’t matter or is going to be a lie, and start navigating your life with a self-assuredness that pisses some people off.

With regards to anxiety and conflict, try to remember that nothing matters very much, and little matters at all. Your peace should not be undervalued. Resilience is half the battle. You don’t need a long-term plan or a short-term plan – just wake up every day, wash your face and move forward with confidence. Some people will call that ‘audacity’. Let them.