I challenged myself… going back to school for my Masters in Nursing…at 45. At 50, I moved out of my house…from an abusive husband. I stood on my own two feet financially…even though I had only my God to sustain me. I had no health insurance, no more life insurance…no savings… and started over.

I drove two hours away to meet a stranger to see if dating him would be worth it.  All these things caused me such anxiety…I am an introvert with Depression, PTSD and panic.

But I did it.

I continue to move forward and declutter my old life and live my new life.

I love the journey…even though it’s stressful.

Anyone else here listening to "Try something new and scary like ziplining through a forest" and thinking "Maybe I could wear my Tuesday underwear on Monday."

I am Canadian and in July 2011 me and a group of Canadians were on a Traxx charger bus and our bus crashed in a small community called Bonners Ferry, Idaho. The people who came were like you. People from the community. Our bus rolled and slid down and we were dangling over the cliff and some trees along side was holding the bus up from going over the ledge down down down to the dried up creek that way below us. They secured the bus from going over and then rescued all I think 56 of us! God bless those people. And that town. 8 of us were taken to Hospital by ambulance. All of our personal belongings were left behind on the bus in the rescue. Passports, phones and wallets. Those first responders paid for our medications we needed (as we didn’t have our personal belongings) they contacted the school. It was summer holiday. They opened up the lunch room and brought everyone there and cooked us food and packed us doggy bags and gave us blankets and we rested in the shade in the grass. While they were able to secure the bus and pull it out and get us our stuff. A small community like that does not have a big fire station like in the city I live. Thankfully, those people volunteered their lives in their time and most of them said it was the first time those little pages had ever gone off. That’s how small their community was. ❤

Good for you girl. You will make a difference in someone’s life. I will never forget that experience.

I work in a library. I’m a new member of staff but, I initiated library talks given by local people on a wide range of topics. I have also initiated crafting workshops and craft clubs and family fun events. For all of these we rely on volunteers. People are so generous with their time and resources it never seizes to delight and inspire me. So volunteer your time at your local library. It’s a wonderful gift to give your community and yourself 🙏🏼🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿😘

Cas, you're healing me!

I went to Disney World with my daughter,  SIL and 2 grandchildren.   I had been doing strength and endurance training in order to keep up with them over 4 of the parks. There was SO much walking but I kept up and was even asked to slow down!! I went on all of the scariest rides too. Going at unimaginable speeds, turning upside down, being jerked every which way!!! I LOVED it!! I'm SO glad I pushed myself because when the other set of grandparents invited my daughter's family to go to a lesser amusement park, locally, the two of them were complaining about how it hurt to walk here and there, sat most of the time and went on NO rides with the 8 year old and 13 year old grandchildren.  They kept telling about me and how I wanted to do EVERYTHING, including ziplining with them! To say I feel proud is an understatement because I am 9 years older than both of them!!

I've challenged myself in many ways in recent years. At 56, I went back to college to earn my master's degree in French from one of the best and most challenging programs in the world. I was so very intimidated to be part of a program where you could get kicked out if you spoke, watched, read or listened to anything other than French for the duration of the program 24/7. Then, I traveled solo in France for a month. While there, I drove on narrow, windy roads that hugged the mountainside, and I'm terrified of heights. This year, I planned and led a trip to France with my students. We did not use a tour company...I planned every single minute. Each of these were nerve-wracking, stressful experiences, but I survived and thrived and succeeded at each of them, and through each experience, I grew and learned more about myself - at 60 years old this year.

But I still doubt myself and find myself questioning my abilities even though I have proven myself capable in many different ways.

Thanks so much Cass. Took your advice and went for a walk while I listened. I’d convinced myself that because of my disability (fused leg from an accident 17 years ago) that I can’t walk fast and I can’t go far. I rely on a walking stick for balance. You gave me the rev up I needed…25 mins in and nearly 5000 steps. Thank you!!!

Hello from AZ! My whole family are thrifters and I have worked 20 years as a thrift manager. You have been the only one who has been able to motivate me to declutter and thus clean. I love your style, voice, tempo, and mostly your realism. I feel so much hope ..no better than hope..empowerment!

I love the saying,...Your life really begins where your comfort zone ends!! So very true! Everything I've ever done,  some not voluntarily,  that was scary, uncomfortable, or out of my comfort zone, made me feel so much more alive!!

I was feeling bad, at the start of this video, because I like to stay in my comfort zone. But as you continued, I started to remember things I have done out of my comfort zone and see ways to grow in directions that fit my personality

Learning to play violin at age 41, has been the best thing I’ve ever done for myself.
It has certainly improved my life.  I now play with a little orchestra, which has brought even more joy to my already happy life.  
We traveled to Prague the summer before last, where we played some concerts, and this coming summer we are going to Poland for the same kind of fun experience.  

If anyone who reads this has ever wanted to learn to play a musical instrument, it’s never too late.  You just need the desire.

Watching this again 1 year later and because of you, I am back in school at 36 for something I've dreamed of doing since I was a kid. Vet Med. so thank you Cas.

CAS! My husband and teenge daughter are volunteer FF in south east US. Those guys will forever tease you for dropping a chainsaw on someones face, and then go out of their way to have your back. A woman with the guts to do all that is mega impressive🎉

I have to say that you are one of my favorite people on YouTube. You are inspiring! You make me laugh and you give me tough love sometimes and I thank you for ALL of it !

I just paused the video (early on) during my lunch break, and my husband and I just took a walk outside around the lake despite how HOT and HUMID it is outside and fact I didn’t “feel” like doing any form of exercise- so thank you!  Many times, once we get moving- we feel so much better and a lot more energized.

After an overwhelming soul crushing day that required me to “just keep swimming “ (!!) I was deeply moved, tearful and grateful to listen to this podcast. It was just what I needed to keep me motivated to start again tomorrow. You never how you will touch and change another person’s life ❤
Thank you 🙏

Being disabled, I get periodical dysphasia, both expressive (using wrong words &/or forgetting my words/can't think of the word I want to say) and receptive dysphasia (can't understand what someone else says or understands it incorrectly).

So about 1.5 years ago, I had the thought 'I wonder if learning sign language would help?'

Bc learning a new language creates new neural pathways so....

So I asked my Dr & he said its an interesting question and it certainly couldn't hurt.

So I started on my ph, an American Sign Language app daily lessons.

A few months later, I was at home talking about something and I couldn't find the English word that I wanted to say but I already knew that sign, so yi signed it and , wouldn't you know it!  The word just popped out of my mouth!!! Easy peasy!!!!

That's I think when I also decided to start daily Spanish lesson too :)

Over 500 days in a row now for both!!! Yeah me!!!

Don't think that the Spanish is helping, but it sure comes in a bit handy when Spanish speakers delivery my groceries lol

Learning to play a musical instrument has led to my dream of becoming a singer in a band come true.  Even if you don't want to perform on stage, give yourself the gift of music!

I think becoming a firefighter is great! I started my 29 year fire service career as a volunteer. The last 7 years I was the paid Fire Chief of a fifty member all volunteer rural fire district, with three stations. I was also a Paramedic the last 25 years of my career.
Keep up the firefighting, your community needs you!
"Fire" doesn't care if you are a full-time paid or volunteer firefighter! It only cares if you know how to manage it!