From Book Clubs to Cocktail Parties: Author Annie F. Downs on How to Be Your ‘Best Brave’

Hosting doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Maybe you’re an introvert who sweats from the thought of even a small crowd. Perhaps you’re a perfectionist for whom there is never a “good enough.” Maybe you’re just downright indecisive, so everything takes you longer than normal. Whatever your hesitance, don’t fret.

Fear of hosting is normal.

It’s also possible to overcome.

Annie F. Downs is a popular speaker whose podcast, “That Sounds Fun,” has gained international appeal and attracts hundreds of thousands of monthly listeners. Her new book entitled “That Sounds Fun: The Joys of Being an Amateur, the Power of Falling in Love, and Why You Need a Hobby” was out this past week. Pick it up wherever you buy books. She is also author of the bestselling book “100 Days to Brave: Devotions for Unlocking Your Most Courageous Self” and someone who understands what it means to overcome resistance. That’s why we sat down with her to talk about how anyone can conjure the courage to confidently step into the uncomfortable.

EMERALD: You often challenge readers to “be their best brave.” What does this mean, and how does it help us unlock courage within ourselves?

ANNIE: Every person’s story is different. So it is incredibly important that we don’t look at other people’s lives and decide what is brave for us based on what they are doing. When you look at and love your own story, you’ll know what brave looks like for you.

E: We love “100 Days to Brave,” and it’s a popular book club pick. However, launching a club feels intimidating to many people. What advice would you give those who are afraid to begin hosting?

A: People who sign up for book clubs are already stoked to talk about the book they just read. And hosting is easy when the center of the conversation is the book that everyone has read. Readers are ready to talk! Just give them a place and a few friends, and the words will flow. Don’t worry.

E: Among those who have used your books in their clubs, how have you seen a community approach create transformation that might not have happened otherwise?

A: There’s something so beautiful about sharing your courageous stories with other people. When you say out loud the courage you have seen in others and have experienced in your own story, it encourages others to be brave too.

E: Copper curates meaningful gatherings centered around books. However, showing up to a room full of strangers can be a struggle for people who consider themselves to be introverts or socially awkward. How can people muster the courage to show up?

A: Remember that it’s not just you. Everyone in the room feels a level of nervousness before they walk in. Also, remember that you already have more in common with every person there than in a room full of strangers. You all read the same book! You showed up at the same place on purpose. That’s a great start to friendship if you ask me.

E: You often post pictures on social media in which you are journaling while you read. How has journaling helped you process and digest new ideas?

A: It isn’t that different for me than when I would take notes in school. When I write things in my own handwriting, I’m far more likely to remember them. So I enjoy taking the ideas and putting them down on paper and adding my own thoughts around it.

E: In your book “100 Days to Brave,” you say, “Fear holds us back from the very things we want to taste, touch, and experience.” Can you tell us what this looks like practically?

A: Oftentimes, our fear keeps us right here. Fear tells you not to move in any direction, but movement brings new experiences, new views, and new places. In other words, fear keeps you from what you really want.

E: What is one way you are failing to be brave in your own life right now?

A: I am working on a new book in a genre I don’t know at all. So it feels like it is taking lots of courage to dive into something new that I have no previous experience or guaranteed skill in. I’m scared, but I’m trying! That’s brave.

E: What are the three most influential books of your life so far?

A: The Bible, “Christy” by Catherine Marshall, and “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life” by Anne Lamott