Hello , my fellow brave human

What happens when we dare to express our deepest truths in unconventional ways—especially when "truth" itself seems under attack?

It's been quite a week. Challenging myself with the concept of 'play' this year, my husband and I have been hitting 'yes' to interesting events nearby. 

First was an experimental one-off performance combining a Q&A on environmentalism with burlesque dancing, delivered by the chair of a UK eco-charity (!)

What transpired was an exploration into the serious climate crisis we face, punctuated by sudden plunges into burlesque performances. It took a while to understand what was happening.

When asked about this unusual format, she said something that has really stuck with me:

"Humanity at this stage has everything to lose, and as a human, I have nothing to lose."

She admitted it was one of the most terrifying things she's ever done. But that’s why she had done it.

She wanted to convey connection and embodiment through play, as animals do naturally. We are of nature—not separate from it. We shouldn't distinguish ourselves from connection with what and who surrounds us. Her performance was brave precisely because it defied those artificial boundaries.

This resonates deeply with what we're about at The Brave Collective. How can we peel away those protective layers—the metaphorical onion skins of conformity, fear, and self-doubt—until we stand authentically with nothing to hide and therefore nothing to lose?

Two Paths, One Truth

The second event couldn't have seemed more different: a young concert violinist who had walked on foot from Vienna to Jerusalem to Ethiopia who now lives in Egypt. At our local church, he delivered a multi-media performance combining imagery, violin, and storytelling, sharing the words of Jesus from the upper room before the Judas kiss. It was quite something.

Despite their differences, both performers were driven by the same force: an unstoppable need to connect and share something meaningful, regardless of convention. Each found their authentic way to embody and share what matters most.

Truth in a Post-truth World

In this era where "truth" and "fact" have been bulldozed by chaos and contradiction, we're left to find and define our own understanding of what's real. The traditional gatekeepers of information have crumbled, leaving us to navigate through a wilderness of competing narratives.

Perhaps this is why authentic expression feels more urgent than ever. When external truths can be dismantled with a tweet or an algorithm change, the truth that resonates within us—our fire in the belly—becomes our most reliable compass.

Breaking Convention

Until now we've been told what to believe, what's right or wrong, and how to express ourselves. Following these prescribed paths has disconnected us—from our messages, our bodies, our very being, and our ability to truly connect with each other and the world.

The environmentalist conveyed connection through play, reminding us we are part of nature, not separate from it. The violinist expressed purity, conviction, and faith, speaking the words of the man in whose footsteps he had walked.

The Heart of Bravery

True bravery emerges when you feel that fire in your belly—that unstoppable desire to express something meaningful—and nothing holds you back, no matter how frightening it might be. And now that conventional rules have been broken by chaos makers, we have the freedom to break them for good (and for good).

We must find different ways to tell our stories and connect with others using our unique skills. Sometimes that's burlesque activism; other times, it's a pilgrim violinist walking continents. The form doesn't matter as much as the authenticity behind it.

True transformation begins when we shed those layers of expectation and find our most authentic expression—when we reconnect with that fire in our belly that knows exactly what we're here to do, even when it defies convention.

So, I ask you: What's the story you need to tell? And how will you tell it? There are no rules.

In other news…

I'm now a proud shareholder of the Morebattle Community Pub! The community has raised £95,000 to buy and run it. We'll spend the next couple of months doing it up (David and I are on kitchen cleaning duty!).

Once it's open, I’d love you to join me on a Walk & Talk along St Cuthbert's Way to finish there to meet the people behind it.

Dates for Your Diary

Talking of which…

Walk & Talks

Friday 11th April - Valley Walk, Set Aside at Greenlawdean Farm, Greenlaw, an eco-tourism project (that I’m also working on) and meet the visionary behind it, Jenny Leggate.

Saturday 14th June - Carrifran Wildwood, Scotland's most prominent rewilding project across 1600 acres. Led by Donald McPhillimy who will walk us through this 25 years on from its first trees being planted. Come see it in emerging maturity and learn how a rewilding project develops.

Brave Retreat (Advance!)

Saturday 26th April - Phenzhopehaugh, Ettrick Valley. A combination of walking, talking, and workshopping. More details coming soon!

£50 for non-TBC members.

If you want to book a spot on any of these, hit reply.

As ever, join us on the Be and Build journey to explore how to be the brave you were born to be.

Here’s to your brilliance.

Kirsty x