What My 9-Year-Old Taught Me About Courage (and My Own Advice)

Working on his personal narrative while trying on new goalie gloves. In case you’re wondering, yes, it’s harder to type!

Sebastian is nine - almost ten - and having his best school year yet.
He’s gone from “I don’t want to go” to “I can’t stay home with this little sniffle; we have a test today.”
From “I forgot my homework again” to “I brought my Chromebook home so I can finish my project.”

The kid who used to spend time in the office for acting up now gets comments like “He’s showing such maturity this year.” Sure, he’s still a high-energy, class-clown kind of kid (11 out of 10 energy levels!), but he’s nine, almost ten.

What does this have to do with our yoga practice or “life beyond busy”? I’ll get there, trust me. But, as with many things in life, the journey is more important - and often more interesting than - the actual destination.

The Story

One of his assignments this fall was to write a “personal narrative” with a clear lesson or theme, or at least that’s what he told me.
By the time I even knew about it, he was already three-quarters done.

He wrote about going to his first tournament with his new soccer team.
He’d just left his old team mid-season and said, “I don’t want to play against them anymore, I want to play with them.”

He shared about the drive to Massachusetts, the games, the nerves.
He was afraid of letting his new teammates down. (I was in Panama leading a retreat and didn’t realize that was even on his mind.) In the end, they won that tournament, and when I came home, that was really all I heard about it.

NEFC tournament, Massachusetts, March 2025

The Lesson

When I asked him what the takeaway was, he said:

“Don’t let your fear hold you back from doing what you love.”

Cue me holding my breath so I wouldn’t fall into a puddle of tears on the couch.

He told me that if he’d let fear win, he wouldn’t have switched teams, gone to that tournament, or learned all he’s learned since. He would have stayed unhappy and probably quit playing soccer.
He said I’d taught him to trust himself: to take time with big decisions, but not so long that you stay stuck.

I did?
Yes. I did.

They really are always watching and listening.
Even, maybe especially, when it doesn’t seem like they are.

My Turn

Now it’s me who needs that reminder.

I’ve been dreaming about expanding my business: creating online and in-person workshops, more retreats, guided journals, movement programs, walking meditations, and more.Most of these things are actually developed already.
But for years I was too busy running a nonprofit, running to soccer practices, running myself into the ground.

That burnout cycle technically ended in May when I left my job. And yet…I haven’t made the progress I’d hoped.

Why? Fear.

Fear that it won’t be good enough.
Fear that I can’t do it.
Fear - ironically - of success.

Which fear? Why? Where does it come from? I could work on that, but overanalyzing is just another way of running.
Of hiding.
Of staying in my comfort zone while growth slowly withers away.

So I’m taking Sebastian’s advice - my own advice.
Be brave.
Don’t let fear hold you back from what you love.

What’s Next

There’s new stuff coming soon… those journals, awareness programs, mindful movement, meditations for your walks, and more. If I wait until everything feels perfect, I’ll rob both you and me of the growth that comes from simply starting.

There’s never a perfect time.
Only the next courageous step.

My turn.

With Sebas at Paris St.-Germain, Paris, May 2025. Talk about courage! He went to train in Europe without anyone else he knew. Just me by his side when he wasn’t playing and being coached by French and Spanish coaches. With international kids of all ages. In a city he’d never been to before. His bravery, at his age, continues to inspire!