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How do you find your bravery again in midlife?
Colleen Kochannek
February 09, 2025
A Note From Colleen
Hi, freinds.
It’s Super Bowl Sunday. While I don’t have a ‘team’, nor do I really watch football, I am excited for the Super Bowl Party in my apartment building.
Burgers, beer, chips and dip… I’m all over that.
I am rooting for KC - it’s the closest team we got in St. Louis and a 3-peat would sure be fun.
Cheers,
Colleen Kochannek, Publisher
PS: I’m simplifying The Gumption Gazette. It’s part of my “Realistic” and “Intentional” word choices for 2025. Each week I’ll focus on what’s on my mind currently - life, business or other. I’m digging ‘simple’ these days. Let me know what you want to talk about.
*This publication may include affiliate links and links to products I sell. If you click and buy, I may earn revenue and/or commission.
HOW DO YOU FIND YOUR BRAVERY AGAIN IN MIDLIFE?
It’s a question I’ve heard more than once: How do you get brave again?
At some point in midlife, many of us wake up and realize we’re not as bold as we used to be. Maybe it happens after a big loss, a major life transition, or the slow erosion of confidence that comes with years of responsibility and routine. Life has a way of wearing us down, chipping away at our courage, and making us second-guess the things we once jumped into without hesitation.
I know this feeling all too well.
Over the last seven years, loss after loss drained me, leaving me unsure of myself. My confidence - once a pretty bold companion - felt like a weakened muscle that hadn’t seen a gym in a long time. It wasn’t completely gone, but it was definitely out of shape.
And so, I began the work of getting brave again.
Rebuilding Bravery, One Step At A Time
Reclaiming confidence isn’t about making a single, sweeping change. It’s not about selling everything to travel the world or making a dramatic leap into the unknown. Instead, it’s about small, intentional steps - the kind that remind you of your own strength without overwhelming you.
For me, that started with micro-adventures.
The Power Of Micro-Adventures
As 2025 rolled in, I realized I had fallen into a pattern of saying no - to social invitations, new experiences, anything that felt even slightly outside my comfort zone. I had become too comfortable staying home, very accustomed to playing it safe.
That’s when I came up with a plan: Six micro-adventures for the year. By the end of 2025, I wanted to be able to look back and see proof that I had stretched myself, tried new things, and rebuilt some of that lost confidence.
What’s A Micro-Adventure?
By my definition, a micro-adventure is a small, low-stakes experience designed to nudge you into the unfamiliar. It’s not about changing your life in one go. It’s about choosing to do something different - to shake up your routine just enough to spark curiosity and courage.
For me, that means trying new things without the pressure of making them a big deal. A day trip to a town I’ve never visited. Signing up for a class just for fun. Each tiny adventure adds a little interest to my life, a little boost to my confidence, a little reminder that I’m still capable, still curious, still brave.
My first micro-adventure is on February 22—a Geocaching class at my local park. If I love it? Great! I’ll have a cool story to tell and a new skill. If I don’t? No big deal. It cost me $10 and a few hours of a Saturday afternoon. Low risk, high reward.
Reclaiming Your Courage
If you’ve been feeling stuck or like you’ve lost your mojo, I encourage you to start small, too.
Try something new - something that feels just a little uncomfortable.
Say yes to something you’d normally say no to.
Take a small risk, just to remind yourself that you can.
Plan a micro-adventure - something simple, fun, and different.
Confidence doesn’t come back all at once. But step by step, choice by choice, it builds. And before you know it, you’ll see it: You still have it. Your bravery is still there, waiting to be rediscovered.
Want To Plan Your Micro-Adventures With Me?
I’m hosting a Micro-Adventure Method Workshop next Saturday, February 16 (replay available if you can’t join live).
Inside, I’ll share:
✅ How to come up with micro-adventure ideas
✅ A massive resource list of where to look for inspiration
✅ How I’m planning each of my six adventures
✅ Exercises to maximize the experience before, during, and after
I’ve also created a Micro-Adventure Planner to help you track and reflect on your experiences. And as a bonus, we’ll have a follow-up session to swap stories - the good, the bad, and (hopefully not) the ugly.
P.S. I have one adventure planned, but I’m letting workshop attendees vote on the remaining five. That’s an adventure in itself, don’t you think? 😉
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