When was the last time you tried something new—not because you were certain, but because you were curious, ready, or simply knew it was time?
At The Restoration Project, we believe that courage isn’t just about bold leaps or brave declarations. It’s also found in quiet beginnings—the first step into something unfamiliar, the deep breath before saying yes, the decision to try something new even when you don’t know how it will turn out.
This year, we’ve been inviting our community to Live with Courage—not by pushing harder or doing more, but by peeling back the layers of fear, resistance, and self-doubt so we can show up more fully to our lives, work, and leadership.
That journey almost always starts with something small: a shift in thinking, a new routine, a difficult conversation, a creative risk. Trying something new requires vulnerability. It requires presence. And it requires trust—in ourselves, in others, and often, in something greater.
In this blog, each of our team members shares a personal reflection on the courage it takes to try something new—from tiny steps to transformational choices. May their stories remind you that trying something new doesn’t require perfection. Just willingness.
Because courageous leadership isn’t about having it all figured out.
It’s about being brave enough to begin.
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These past few months I am working on addressing and breaking a long-standing pattern of betraying myself that shows up in 3 common ways:
- Pouring into relationships that are not reciprocal
- Negating my own needs to rescue or protect others
- Responding to bullying or manipulation by fighting back or fawning
About a year ago, one of my healers said to me, “What would it look like to be present in your own life, and to honor your needs in your decision making?”
I have been in a pattern of focusing on others for a long time, but for the first time she helped me see that I don’t have to choose between myself and others, it can be both.
I’ve been trying to be present to that reality and what that can look and feel like, especially in the three situations listed above. I feel so much freedom and power coming back to me, that improves my everyday outlook and strengthens me in times of stress or chaos.
I’m learning that to be my best self and to serve others well, I must make time and space to consider my needs and the needs of others at the same time…walk the fine line between selfishness and selflessness, self-protection and protecting others.
I don’t get it right every time but struggling with it is helping me grow!
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Ah yes. The courage to try something new.
It’s scary to step outside comfort zones, but there have been a few times in my life where the comfort zones were actually not comfortable. They were safe from the unknowns of what would be on the other side, yes. I knew as uncomfortable and painful as my comfort zone was, it was safe from the worries, fears, and unknowns of what would come next if I stepped outside that line.
Do it anyway. I did it anyway. When the cost of your peace, and the alignment to who you are is lost in the unknowns, fear, worries and what-if’s, and someone else’s version of who you should be, it’s a recipe to live a life full of regrets.
When I decided to let go of my commercial real estate license in 2020, a few short years of being in that line of work, and close my coffee shop after 9 years, it was really scary. There was pain. Guilt. Shame. Anger. Sadness. I didn’t have all of the answers. I wasn’t 100% sure. I couldn’t yet see what I see now. I didn’t know what my professional life would look like in 5 years.
As I look back on it now, I have so much gratitude for that person who took a huge leap of faith into the unknowns, who had the courage to ask for help and try something new, and who was brave in standing up for herself and who she really was and wanted to be and not the version someone else wanted her to be.
Sometimes the courage to allow space for unraveling, taking things apart to sit with them, so that you can put them back together is just what you need to live a meaningful and intentional life.
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When we extend beyond our comfort zone, we grow a new part of ourselves. My word of this year is ‘Wonder’ and it has helped me extend my capabilities.
For example, this year our team members have appeared as guests on several podcasts. At first, I was fearful to be a guest; I’ve always been more comfortable with expressing my thoughts through writing versus speaking. The thoughts that crept in were: “What questions will they ask me? What will I say? What will I contribute? What if I mess up the audio?”
I always encourage my own kids to simply “try” and I needed to do the same. With some quiet solo reflection time, I came back to my word ‘Wonder’ and approached this new venture with curiosity, and it calmed my nerves. The result was: “What if we have a really great, meaningful conversation? How many people will we impact? What will I learn?” All positive!
Staying in ‘Wonder’ throughout this year has given me the courage and freedom to try more new things: building new relationships with women in our community, trying a new hobby of painting on canvas, and expanding my client base to serve more leaders of small businesses and non-profit organizations. What will you do in your own state of ‘Wonder?’
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Molly:
I have a weird relationship with trying new things. Will I try a new brand of ketchup? No. Heinz is life.
But will I get an idea for a new program in my business, design, build, and launch it within a week? Yes.
In 2025, I’ve let my word of the year “wonder” guide me as I try new things. As I “wondered” about what I needed at the beginning of this year, I knew that I desired more time in community with other women and making things with my hands – Creator’s Club by my friend Ana at Lovely Little Light satisfied both.
The first time this group convened in January 2025, our task for the month’s meeting was to finger knit a scarf. Now, let me back up for a moment and say that I do see myself as creative from a thinking/ideation standpoint, but not in doing things like drawing or scrapbooking or crafting.
So when you hear of something like finger knitting that only requires one simple material to get started, it sounds pretty easy, right?
Wrong. As I watched Ana demonstrate the process of scarf creation and her fingers effortlessly looping, twisting, and knotting, I felt something happen in my gut. Like a seizing/squeezing/sinking feeling.
What was this? I took a beat and realized…this was fear. I was scared of being bad at this craft in front of a group of other women.
Why was fear coming up in something as low-key as a recreational crafting class that I voluntarily signed up for?
Because sometimes just the act of trying something new and going out of our comfort zone brings up feelings of inadequacy or limiting beliefs we hold about ourselves. Every time we lean into something new and prove to ourselves that the world won’t fall apart by trying to finger knit with our two left hands (is that an idiom like “two left feet”? It should be.) we build confidence that we are capable of trying new things and learning new ways.
Now, to close the loop on my scarf: it looked terrible-even with Ana AND her co-teacher helping me through it. I will not be wearing it anytime soon.
But I had fun. And in subsequent months of Creator’s Club, I have tried even more new creative endeavors that took me out of my comfort zone: new ways of cooking, punch needling a pillow, making my own lotion. It has been eye-opening to see what else I’m capable of and how that ripples out into other areas of my personal and professional life.
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Trying something new isn’t always loud or life-altering. Sometimes it’s as subtle as saying yes when it would be easier to say no. Sometimes it’s trusting yourself enough to take one small step before you can see the whole path.
As you consider your own leadership, your own growth, and your own unfolding journey—
we invite you to return to that question:
What might become possible if you had the courage to try something new?
Build connection. Restore intention. Inspire action.
We’re here to walk with you every step of the way.
Written by: The Restoration Project team.
