Backstory: I laughed out loud when I unscrolled this one. The idea behind this Nudge is to make me feel powerful, to boost my self-esteem, to embolden myself. Embolden—is that a great word or what? That’s all good, but what made me laugh is I picked this on week when likely the only two other beings I’ll see are my husband and dog. Alright, I’ll have to go to the grocery store one day, and I am scheduled for a hair trim on Friday, but otherwise, this is for me. Ah-hah. This is for me.

What Happened: This one almost derailed my whole 52Nudges project. I was extremely uncomfortable going out in red lipstick, and I did go out for errands and other walks around the neighborhood. Red lipstick isn’t me, and I felt like a fraud. If you look at my closet, it’s filled with pastels and corals and cheery colors of spring. Not fade-into-the-background, but certainly not in-your-face colors. I don’t know what I was expecting to learn from this challenge, but…well, nothing came of it….

The Ah-Hah: …Or maybe something did. Maybe the lesson is recognizing what is right for me. Despite what all the fashion magazines claim, maybe a bold red isn’t what I need to feel bold. Maybe I’m at my boldest and best in a warm coral that says “Hello. This is me.”

P.S. I understand some new readers are checking this out. Welcome! A couple of things I’d like you to know: You can jump in any time, with any of the Nudges. They are not numbered, there is no prescribed order and no “right” way to do things here.

To better understand why I am doing this, and what my objectives are, I encourage you to read “Why 52 Nudges?” and “Nudged: Break a Rule.” You can follow along and do my Nudges with me each week, or create your own list. Check out The List for what’s coming and to get inspiration to add your own ideas. I hope you will share some of your experiences and insights in the Comments. Cheers!