Episode 19
019: Small Courage Changes Everything
You don't need a leap to change your life, you just need one small, brave step.
In this heart-to-heart episode, Kimberly unpacks why transformation rarely comes from the big dramatic moments we imagine, like the new job or the big move, but instead from the small, quiet acts of courage that build momentum over time. She shares her own journey, from the nerve it took to start this podcast, to keeping her real estate license active, to putting her gratitude journal on Amazon, showing how one brave choice consistently opened the door to the next. Kimberly gets real about the fear of judgment that comes with sharing her voice publicly, and reminds listeners that other people's opinions are none of their business. She closes with a simple root, release, rise journaling exercise designed to help listeners identify where they feel stuck and commit to one small action within the next 24 hours.
This episode is a gentle nudge to stop waiting for the perfect plan and start moving instead. Because clarity comes in the movement, and small courage, repeated, becomes a life.
Transcript
Kimberly: And when I look back on my life, the moments that changed everything didn't seem really big at the time. A conversation, a boundary, a phone call, a class, a choice to try again. Tiny acts of courage that created momentum. Today we're talking about how small courage changes everything. I think we overestimate the big moves and we underestimate the small ones.
Kimberly: When we're unhappy or stuck, we think about, uh, what we need, to be, like, happy. "Oh, ooh, I gotta totally overhaul my whole life. Get a new job. I need a new relationship. I'm gonna move to a new city. This state's so expensive. A whole new life." But that way of thinking can become overwhelming. When the goal feels too big, we stay frozen.
Kimberly: [:Kimberly: Life works the same way. One small action leads to another. One brave choice creates confidence for the next one. Momentum is often more important than the motivation because motivation comes and goes. Momentum keeps us going You know, when I was talking about, Small acts of courage. let's think about the things It took a small act of courage to start a podcast.
And I started inquiring with [:Kimberly: And as much as I walked through with this person, my podcast coach about who's gonna wanna listen to me? Why am I even doing this? But something innately inside me told me that I should be doing this. So with her encouragement, ' cause she was the first person to really encourage me I took one small step and I just kept going.
Kimberly: And so I kept recording and I kept showing up and I kept researching things I wanted to talk about, researching the material that I wanted to use, writing my notes, doing my things. these are the parts that were the momentum that picked me up to get me where I was gonna go. But it took a small act of courage, a crazy idea, and then I just started rolling with it.
Kimberly: And then it's funny because one thing just led to another. And as these conversations evolve, I'll tell you about how I even ended up in this little space that I'm in. when you put out the momentum and you're doing something that's supposed to be, all the things will start connecting.
Kimberly: [:Kimberly: She really boosted my confidence today. This really made me think today." And then they put it out on social media I have more strangers that, that do that than people I actually know, which is really cool actually. but it's just that momentum, those little small steps, just one small act of courage. Or applying for a job that you think is out of your league, and you go and you apply for it, and next thing you know, you get the job, and that ends up leading to opening new doors for new pathways in your life.
out of the box is sometimes [:Kimberly: Asking for help, saying no, having the conversations you've been avoiding, posting the thing you've been afraid to share. I can say, with great certainty, I'm going to speak about things occasionally on my podcast that is gonna make people maybe not agree with me, maybe they won't like me, maybe they'll think I'm not who they thought I was, whatever that looks like.
Kimberly: But you know what? Be brave and be true to yourself. Again, other people's opinions of us are none of our business. Do the thing. If you can speak your truth and you can speak about who you are, what you feel, all the things, you don't have to worry about what other people think
thing changes. The truth is, [:Kimberly: Posting? Yeah. None of these actions seem life-changing in the moment, but they often become turning points in your life
Kimberly: There's things that you just keep doing, right? So a, I'm a realtor. I got my real estate license, God, has it already been six years? Five years, six years ago. And when I first got my license, I was doing a lot of real estate, and I was only doing it part-time, but it was weird 'cause I somehow maneuvered to be able to kinda basically do it full-time while I was working full-time.
Kimberly: and I like real estate. I love real estate a lot. I think it's great. But I haven't really used it as much in the past two years. I've just had a lot on my plate, a lot going on. But I can't not keep my license up. I studied so hard for that exam, and I really do love real estate, that I know that it's gonna come round full circle back into my life again.
ture. so I won't just let it [:Kimberly: I won't let it go because you just never know where that's gonna end up taking me. I started dental assisting teaching. I never really taught a class before, but you know what? I stepped in, I decided to do it. I did it. And you know what? I, now I know I can teach. I know that I can teach classes. I know that I can encourage minds.
Kimberly: I know that I know my information. I know that I am a really great surgical assistant, with a lot of wisdom and a lot of years under my belt, and that's a benefit to other people creating my gratitude journal, that, my, I just sell on Amazon. I did that. I didn't know. I put it together and I was like, "Hey, heck, I'm gonna go put this gratitude journal on Amazon.
d quarter. And that's really [:Kimberly: I'm technically a quote-unquote author. I have a book. even though it's a gratitude journal, it's not a book-book, but I am sure I will write one in the future. Why? Because I'm just going to. Why? Because I can put one foot in front of another and build up momentum and just do something else I'm applying for grants for my business.
Kimberly: I'm applying for grants for the future dream that I have in that space that I've talked about, where I want my woman's place that helps women
Kimberly: I apply for grants to be able to build the dream of that place where I can help women grow
Kimberly: in different ways
r episodes. You can see what [:Kimberly: So, you know, I get a thank you, Pembroke, Massachusetts. I get a lot of downloads out of Pembroke, Massachusetts. Florida, Virginia, Colorado, Utah, California, Ohio, Minnesota, South Carolina, North Carolina, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Alabama, was today. And then you can see worldwide. In this past week, it was the Netherlands, it was England, it was Ireland, I think it was Vietnam and Hong Kong were the places that my voice went out to and people listened.
took one step out and built [:Kimberly: I'm glad I did it all. But once you got momentum, one thing just led to another, and you can do that. Why? Because you can. All the things you can do when you just step out with a little faith and courage
Kimberly: One of the biggest things that we have to release i- is the belief we need to know exactly what everything will look like and how it's gonna work out, because most of us want a full roadmap, and I get that. It is scary. It is scary, but life rarely works that way. Hardly ever. You can start with a roadmap, but again, zigzag, up, down, rollercoaster.
Kimberly: We may be shown the next step and then the next, but eventually, you're not gonna know where you're going, and that's okay. Clarity comes in the movement. You're gonna be able to get where you need to go because your goals will become clearer as you start moving and you get closer to them. Sometimes you can't see them because you haven't even started to move
Kimberly: grab a notebook [:
Kimberly: Are you unhappy with your job? Are you unhappy with your size? Are you unhappy with your mental state? Are you unhappy with where you live? Are you unhappy with a relationship with somebody or a family member? What-- Friends? Whatever that looks like, what are you unhappy with
Kimberly: And then in our release, we're just gonna ask what fear, belief, excuse, or habit is keeping me stuck? Is it the way you talk to yourself? Is it the people's voices you hear in your head from when you were a kid? "No, you can't do that," or, "You're dumb," or whatever that is, "You'll never amount to anything," blah, blah, blah.
and nobody would want me for [:Kimberly: Maybe it's fear, maybe it's perfection. Maybe it's waiting for permission. Maybe it's believing you're too old, too late, or not enough. Just put a name to it. That way you can sit there and you can release it and be like, "No. No. I'm not doing that anymore. Your words have no power over me. My stubbornness has no power over me.
Kimberly: My r- lack of motivation has no power over me." And then ask, "What is the one small action that I can do in the next 24 hours?" Not next month, not next year, tomorrow. What can you do tomorrow? One action. And commit to doing it. One thing, make the idea more than just an idea. Even if you actually have the idea in your head and you literally are just writing it out on paper, that's an action.
may wanna do, whatever that [:Kimberly: Most of the time, you take the action and the confidence follows you because you sit there and go, "Ooh, like that was not that bad. Oh, I'm actually fairly good at this. Oh, dang, I didn't realize I'd feel this way if I did this." And that's amazing
Kimberly: The more evidence you gather that you can do hard things, the stronger your trust in yourself becomes
Kimberly: being courageous and stepping out and doing something doesn't mean you're not afraid. It's not fearlessness. People often think courage people, no, courageous people aren't afraid, but of course we are. Of course we are. But that's not true. we fear too, we just decide something else matters more.
t regret. I don't wanna look [:Kimberly: You're willing to grow. You're willing to trust yourself. You're willing to take the next step, and that willingness changes everything
Kimberly: I just want you to think about it. are you waiting for? Where are you waiting for the perfect conditions? What small actions are you avoiding? What could change if you took one courageous step this week? What would your future self thank you for starting today
cant in the moment, but over [:Kimberly: This week, choose one thing, one conversation, one application, draw a boundary, pick a dream, take one step
Kimberly: Because small courage changes everything And just remember, I'm so proud of you And until next time, stay rooted, release what no longer serves you, and rise. And I'll see you in the next episode
