Living Out Loud at Forty Six

ByMercedes Diane Griffin Forbes

Living out loud is not a slogan for me. It is a decision I make again and again. Some years ask us to shrink, but I keep choosing expansion.

Living out loud is the same thread I follow in Black women storytellers deserve more than a moment, creative independence, and building a life around stories, not stuff. The work and the life keep speaking to each other.

At forty six, I want a life full of movement, culture, good food, brave conversations, and women who remind each other to take up space. That same spirit runs through women and leadership.

Living Out Loud Starts With Intention

I like to begin with one honest question. How do I want this experience to feel? Once I answer that, the planning becomes easier. I can choose the room, route, meal, and pace with more care.

That question also protects me from copying someone else’s dream. My life is not a checklist. It is a story, and I want each chapter to sound like me.

What I Check Before I Commit

  • Does this choice support my budget without stealing my joy?
  • Will I feel safe, rested, and able to move freely?
  • Can I learn something real about the people and culture?
  • Does this experience leave space for surprise?

Sometimes the practical piece is the thing that gives me freedom. I may compare travel essentials before a trip, then return to Web Summit Lisbon when I need a little inspiration. Planning does not kill magic. It gives magic a place to land.

The Story I Want to Carry Home

By the time I come home, I want more than photos. I want a better question, a new flavor, a wiser boundary, or a small reminder that I am still growing.

That is why living out loud matters to me. It gives me a way to live out loud without losing tenderness. It also gives me a way to share what I learn with the women who read DG Speaks and see a bit of themselves in the journey.

Affiliate note: Some links in this article may be affiliate links. I only share resources that fit the DG Speaks approach to food, travel, culture, wellness, and intentional living.

I also place this birthday reflection next to women and rest as softness, romanticizing my life without permission, and more DG Speaks stories. Joy needs room on the page too.

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