Ep 131: The Secret to Living a Bold, Adventurous Life You're Proud Of

What does it really mean to live a bold, adventurous life — one you can look back on with pride? In this episode, I share a conversation I had with my daughter that stopped me in my tracks. Her simple comment reminded me of something powerful: living boldly isn’t about being fearless — it’s about taking intentional action toward what lights you up, even when life is messy or uncertain.

Whether you’re feeling stuck, burned out, or just… meh — this episode will inspire you to reconnect with your inner fire and take the next brave step toward the life you actually want.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The story behind the moment my daughter called me a “cool person”
• Why living boldly doesn’t require a total life overhaul
• How to know if you're stuck in "small living" mode
• Practical tips to start living with more courage, joy, and adventure
• Journal prompts and reflection questions to help you get clear on what your bold life looks like

Resources & Links:

• Complete Lifestyle & Wellness Reset - check it out at kortneyrivard.com
• Free Quiz: What’s Really Holding You Back from Healthy Habits?
• Connect with me on Instagram → @kortney.a.rivard
• Learn more at kortneyrivard.com

Transcript

0:54

Hello friends, and welcome back to the podcast for episode number 131. Today I'm going to share with you a little bit of wisdom and experience that I hope will inspire you to live a big life on your terms. So I have a story to start today's episode off with. The other day my daughter and I were talking about something, can't even remember what it was, but something that I once did a long time ago that impressed her apparently. She paused and looked at me with this interesting expression, it's hard to explain, kind of like a quiet sense of admiration or something like that. And she said, you're a really cool person. I was completely taken aback by this because I don't think that it's that frequent, that 15 year olds call their parents cool. But hey, I'll take it. So I paused. I kind of chuckled and I asked her what she meant by that, and she said, you've done so many things. Aw, my mama heart melted a little bit here because a, a 15-year-old just called her mom cool. And B, this is something that I love about myself. I'm adventurous. If something interests me, I just, I find a way to try it. I've done everything from getting my private pilot's license to doing a solo backpacking trip in the Colorado wilderness to paddle boarding, doing half Ironman triathlons. I've been an engineer, a sales rep, a personal trainer, a photographer, a coach. There aren't a lot of things that stand in my way of trying something, so to have my teenage daughter notice and seemingly admire my adventurous spirit, Which I'm so proud of, and also willingness to really jump into things- One of the things that I love most about myself that was really special. I often have people tell me that they admire this in me and that they could never do what I do, and I'm often really surprised by that because my first thought is, well, you could do it too. I usually say this, and I don't know that A lot of people I talk to Really believe this, but, like it's true, you can, if it's something that you wanna do, it's important to you, you find a way to do it. And I'm not always doing things that feel big and bold, mind you. But I do enjoy some of this in my life. And not everybody's idea of a big, bold life is the same as mine. But today I want you to think about what makes you unique and what a big, bold life looks like to you. So we're gonna talk about that. So what does living a big, bold life mean to you? Well, I'll be the first to say that it's not just about like skydiving or, which I have no interest in doing by the way, or epic adventures. It's about fully engaging with your passions and curiosity no matter what the scale is. A big life, it looks different for everyone, but at the core, I think big lives are really grounded in being intentional. Intentional, courageous, action towards what lights you up. For those of you who have been paying attention to my, my podcast, we're talking about our third pillar of wellness here, which is spirit. What brings you meaning and purpose in your life? What? What's that? Taking intentional, courageous action to align with what's important to us or our values. So some examples of this. Maybe it's saying yes to a new adventure. It could be like I mentioned, solo backpacking, even though it feels really intimidating or solo travel. I'm going on a trip to Europe at the beginning of August by myself. It could be trying a new sport, a dance or physical activity that challenges your body, challenges your mindset. It could even just be booking a spontaneous weekend getaway to a place you've never been. It could be pursuing a passion project, maybe starting a creative hobby like painting or writing or music, and committing some time to that regularly. Maybe it's launching a side business or a podcast that shares your unique voice or expertise. We all have that. I guarantee every one of you could start a podcast about something. It could be, volunteering for a cause that you care really deeply about, even if it means rearranging your schedule. could be making a big life change, which could include changing careers to align with your values and passions even though it's uncertain or moving to a new city or a new country to explore new cultures and opportunities. Or it could be ending a toxic relationship or a friendship that no longer serves your wellbeing. And remember, big life is subjective. The idea here is that we're not just staying small in our comfort zone all the time. Challenging yourself physically and mentally. Training for a marathon, a triathlon, or hiking a challenging trail. Honoring your body's strength and resilience. Could be committing to daily mindfulness or meditation practice to grow mental clarity and emotional courage. It could be taking a public speaking course to overcome fear and share your story. It could be cultivating a deeper connection to self. That could mean carving out regular solo time for reflection, journaling, or nature walks to listen to your inner voice, which is hard to hear a lot of the time. Could be setting boundaries to protect your energy and prioritize what truly matters to you. That can feel bold sometimes. It can be saying no to obligations or distractions that pull you away from your purpose. Also, can feel bold sometimes and hard. Everyday acts of courage- that could be speaking up authentically in conversations, even when it feels vulnerable or expressing your true feelings or needs with loved ones. Maybe it's just trying a new recipe, learning a language, or simply changing your daily routine to break out of autopilot. And these count as bold because they require intention. You're consciously choosing action rather than staying stuck. These things take courage. Fear, doubt, or discomfort. You might feel those things, but you move forward anyway. They're bold because they reflect what lights you up, your unique passions, values, and dreams. The point is, like I said earlier, we're growing. We're not staying small and letting our gifts go to waste. Even small actions that are aligned for us are big and bold. So I like to tie everything back to these three pillars of wellness that I talk so much about because remember, they all work together. So taking steps to connect with what's important to us and taking bold action, like whatever that looks like for us uniquely, that's part of our overall wellness, and it impacts our ability to enjoy life. So let's tie in all the pillars. Okay. So the body: having physical strength and energy builds the foundation to explore and take action. The mind: mental clarity, resilience and mindset shape, how we approach challenges and opportunities. It's how we deal with fear, negative self-talk and all of that good stuff. And then the third pillar, spirit or self, the connection to our true selves. That spark, that drives passion and purpose. We need to take care of our physical body because it's the foundation. It's the container that allows our being to experience the things we love about our life. So we often take that one for granted, but we need to be well rested, hydrated, fueled to do the things we love and enjoy them. Similarly, we need our mind in good shape. And a lot of keeping the physical body running contributes to finding mental clarity, resilience, and a positive growth mindset, by the way. And it's this pillar of the mind that shapes how we approach challenges and opportunities. And finally, the spirit ourself, the connection to ourselves that we're talking about today. So why does action matter? Well, the magic happens when two things meet. Curiosity meet courage. Curiosity, is the inquisitive interest in others' concerns, and that interest leads to inquiry, to questions, to asking for more information. And courage is the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. That's from Merriam Webster. So with courage, we might feel afraid, but we do the thing anyway. And so when curiosity and courage meet this is when you actually do the thing that interests you. However, this isn't to say that our mind doesn't sometimes get in the way, right? People face all kinds of roadblocks. I mentioned fear, so our brain tells us that we might fail. Or what if we look stupid? I don't know how, what ifs. We have doubt. I don't know if I can, what if I'm not good at it? We might have overwhelm. It's too complicated. I can't learn that. That's not something that people like me do. So these are all stories that we have in our head and all forms of fear really. Someone said to me the other day, I can't remember who or what the context even was, but they were telling a story where at one point they asked themselves, if I wasn't afraid, what would I do? That's a brilliant question. This question, helps us tease out those stories that keep us from acting. Those stories are usually your brain protecting you from something, like failing or looking stupid, things like that, but we don't always need the protection it offers. Because it does keep us kind of small in our comfort zone, not growing. You don't need to be perfect or have it all figured out to take action towards something that lights you up or interests you. You just need to take one small step. What that step looks like depends on you, but a small step is better than no steps. So I'm gonna share some examples from my life of things where I've done something for me, big and bold. Again, these are things that might not resonate for you, and you might think about things on a, a different level. I love adventure. So one of the things, one of the examples I have is solo backpacking. This was a really, I, I just kind of decided to do it. Was I afraid, uh, I wasn't really afraid. I was maybe nervous is the right. Maybe a better word. And there are times, there were times where I might've had a little fear. I can think of two times during that trip, but this trip, it aligned with my values of adventure, courage, and freedom. It was a scary endeavor. So, like I said, at times I felt nervous to do this by myself and like the idea of it was scary and a lot of people thought I was crazy. But physically my body was strong. I was prepared. I took that worry out of the equation and, and I was un, it was unknown how I was gonna handle the altitude, but like, that was unknown. I couldn't control that, right? So I let that go. I worked with my mind on that one. So also mentally I tackled this by just learning what I needed to learn. So I was prepared and then like, I just managed that fear. I made space for that fear. I did a couple times feel like I felt a little nervous. Like there was one night where I thought there might be a bear outside my tent. I was a little scary. And then there was one my last day. I was walking, I was by myself and there, I didn't see any people on the trail at all, and I was worried about seeing a moose or a bear. It was very quiet out. So my mind was like, you know, running a little wild, had to manage that. Something else I've done in my life was get my pilot's license. So this is something like, I just, I believed I could do it. It wasn't, there wasn't really a question. Was I ever nervous or scared? I'm sure it was a long time ago, so I don't remember exactly. But I just like, I had the belief and I had the desire and so I did it. I'm going on a solo trip to Europe in a couple weeks, this one, yeah. So this one's upcoming. Um, am I a little nervous? Uh, sure. I'd be, be lying if I said not at all. But I'm excited and I know that I'm good at going with the flow and traveling, and I know that the best laid plans often don't go accordingly, so I just manage my mind around the nervousness and know that all I can do is handle these situations in the moment the best I can. I focus on what I can control, and I also remind myself that I have a lot of resources and I am resourceful. So another thing is when I did triathlons and I also did a marathon once, lots of half marathons, but this one is definitely a physical pillar, but it's also a highly mental one. My favorite races were triathlons and they lasted at the time when I was doing them about like five and a half-ish hours. If I was to do that same race now, it'd probably take me at least six hours, but it took a lot of dedication to train for that race. Those races and complete it according to the goals I set. And there were races where I didn't know how I was gonna finish. I was like, did not feel well. It was hot running. But I, like, I dug really deep and reminded myself like, Courtney, you're a badass. You can do this. Right. Life coaching certification, like I've told this story a lot of times, but when I decided to become a coach, like I didn't really have a lot of money and I didn't know how I was gonna. I was like, I don't know how I'll find this, but I need to do something. My ex had removed my access to funds and since we didn't have an agreement at the financial agreement at that point, he just decided how much money he was gonna give me, every month. And I. Here. I just, I leaned on my mind and spirit pillars. I knew it was important to have a career that I felt good about, and I didn't really wanna go back to being an engineer at the time. I wanted a career that helped me connect with my values. I chose this path because it, it did connect with those values. I also really had to manage and take care of my mind because there were a lot of, I don't know hows and what if I can't. I had a coach that helped me, work with those that was helpful. I also, a long time ago, started a photography business, um, from scratch and I built it into a really profitable endeavor that really did well back in the day, before everyone had a digital camera. I don't do as much of that these days, but. But yeah, I, again, like I, well actually the motivation behind the photography business was I wanted to buy a horse and I knew that my ex-husband would not approve if we didn't have like, another source of income. They're very expensive. So, that was my motivation. So I think the thing I really wanted was, this was kind of a twofold thing. I really wanted to, to be riding first of all. And then the second part was, how am I gonna get this done? How am I gonna accomplish this? Well, I'll do that. I'll start a business. So the last, the last one I'm gonna share, and this is like something that's not like a huge thing, like the rest of'em I've shared are kind of like bigger endeavors. But this one was when I was in college, I actually asked this guy out on a date. He was really cute and I, I had talked to him a couple times in the computer lab... and so I worked up the courage to ask him if he wanted to, you know, meet up, meet up sometime, and, um. It was so embarrassing. He had a girlfriend and he was like really nice about it, but I felt, I felt really dumb. But at the same time, like that was something, you know, big and bold for me at the time. In all of these cases though, like my sense of self or really the belief that I can do anything I put my mind to, like really fueled me. And I think that's really critical. We don't always feel like we're making progress or crushing it, but we know that we can get to where we want to be if we try. Now, there's a caveat here. This does not mean that we can't decide later that something isn't serving us anymore. That's not giving up. It's just, I don't wanna do this anymore. So to wrap up today's episode, I'd love it for you to reflect on your big, bold life. Keeping in mind that this does not have to include anything big and quote unquote epic. It can be just normal life, like what lights you up? What have you been curious about but haven't tried? For me, I have a few things. Archery, karate. I'm sure there's a ton of other things too. And there are things that I have had the, the guts to try, like doing a trapeze class. Not for me, won't do it again. I did learn there that I'm not an adrenaline junkie. Also what small action can you take this week to live even just a little bit bigger? So we, we all have our own versions of adventure and boldness. What's yours? Think about that. So, living a big life, which really I could be labeling as an authentic life because your definition of a big life is uniquely you, but it's a gift you give yourself and those around you. So you get to find ways to cultivate purpose and meaning in your life, and you also might really inspire someone. Maybe your kid will tell you you're cool. My daughter's words made me feel so good, not just because she's a teenager and it's not every day you get the message, Hey mom, you're cool. It's because her words weren't about the cool achievements I've accomplished. It was about me showing up fully and authentically. Authenticity is a value of mine and it's really affirming to know that someone else notices that that's part of who I am. So what does your big, bold, authentic life look like? I invite you to think about this and take some action. If you find yourself afraid to take some of these steps, ask yourself, one of my now favorite questions, what would I do? Or What would my life look like if I weren't afraid? It doesn't mean that you won't be afraid or that it's not okay to be afraid. Because that's just expected sometimes, right? So then, you know, like I can manage fear, so I could still do that. So one more thing. As I was preparing this episode, I had the thought, wouldn't it be fun to know what things my audience went and tried after listening? Wouldn't it be fun to know some of the actions that were taken? Yes, it would be fun. So friends, I would love, love, love it if you would participate in the"I just did it" Challenge. Here's the deal. Take action towards something that feels like it's calling to you. Post on social media, tag me, share about your action. What was it? Tell me all about it. And also add the hashtag, I just did it. Okay, and you can find me on Instagram. My handle is kortneyarivard. So I hope you'll join the fun and participate. I think this would be really cool. So please do it. Alright my friends. It was really good to have you here today. If you're enjoying the show, please help a girl out and leave a rating and a review on your favorite streaming platform. That's super helpful. I appreciate you. Until next time.