Keep Risking: Because Playing It Safe Is So Last Season

Our word of the year is keep. Keep moving. Keep loving. Keep creating. Keep beginning.

Cute, right? Well, this month we’re leveling up. We’re not just dipping a toe into the unknown — we’re cannonballing straight into it.

Welcome to April’s theme: Keep Risking.

Let’s define it for the people in the back: Risk — uncertainty that could lead to a positive result. (Yes, positive. Not “burn your life down,” not “oops I ruined everything,” but positive.)

Risks come in all flavors: Safety. Financial. Personal. Creative. Business. Emotional. Basically, if it makes your stomach flip like a carnival ride, it counts.

And honey… I’ve been flipping.

As many of you know, I published my first book in February. That alone was a risk — the kind that makes you hit “submit” and then immediately consider moving to a remote village where no one can read reviews. But I did it. I put my name on a book that might be brilliant, might be mediocre, or might be the literary equivalent of a casserole someone politely eats around the edges.

And now? Now I’m stepping into the world of book fairs.

Yes, book fairs — where indie authors, traditionally published authors, and every flavor of writer in between gather to talk craft, swap war stories, and pretend we’re not all silently wondering if anyone will stop at our table. It’s a place where readers wander by, pick up your book, flip through it, and decide if it “floats their boat.” (No pressure.)

Do I know what to expect? Absolutely not. Am I going anyway? Absolutely yes.

Because here’s the thing: the local author community has been nothing but warm, generous, and full of advice I didn’t even know I needed. It feels like walking into a room where everyone remembers their first fair jitters and hands you a metaphorical snack and pep talk.

And speaking of new experiences — I recorded two podcasts this week. Two! Me! Talking into a microphone like I know what I’m doing. It was fun, it was weird, it was a risk… and I loved it.

What I’m learning is this: Writing a book doesn’t end with writing a book. Oh no. Then you become a marketer, a promoter, a spokesperson, a walking billboard, and occasionally a human QR code. It’s a whole different skill set — and a whole different kind of vulnerability.

But here’s what I’ve risked so far:

• Putting my name on a book that might flop or fly

• Investing time in a project with no guaranteed outcome

• Stepping into a community where I’m the new kid

• Letting myself be seen — fully, creatively, imperfectly

And even though I’m still in the messy middle of this adventure, I can already say it: The risk is worth it.

There may even be more risks on the horizon. (Oh yes… stay tuned.)

Now let’s talk about you.

Are you flirting with a risk? Is something tugging at your sleeve, whispering “try me”? Are you at a point in your life where you’re ready to leap — or at least wobble forward with shaky confidence?

Tell us. Share your risks, your almost‑risks, your “I’m thinking about it but also panicking” risks.

We’re all figuring it out together here at Kicking the Chaos, and your story might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.