Hello , My fellow brave human

What a hideous last few weeks.

Covid (or flu, or both – who knows). At one point, I genuinely wondered if I'd ever feel normal again.

But here I am, back out running. Marathon training resumed. Energy restored. And honestly? Loving it.

The brave scales in action

Since signing up for this marathon, I've been using it to test my Theory of Brave – essentially putting myself under a microscope.

When I first registered, my brave scales read something like Hope 4/10, Fear 8/10. Scaling Everest seemed more achievable. After all, I'm more of a pub person than a runner. The one watching fit people and thinking "that's definitely not me."

Then training began. I got fitter. Fast. The scales shifted.

Then illness knocked me sideways. Every attempt to restart ended with me back in bed, trying to distinguish between fatigue and tiredness.

For once, I listened. I actually listened to the advice: stop, rest, you'll catch up quickly enough.

Which, if you know me, is completely contrary to my usual push-through-at-all-costs approach.

Where I am now

Last Friday, I was back out running. Sunday too. Felt brilliant.

My brave scales? Hope 8/10, Fear 4/10.

The fear is focused (potential injury). But the hope? It's no longer "is this possible?" It's "this is what I do now." It's become part of the fabric of my week.

And here's the thing I hadn't anticipated – people have actually sponsored me. That belief, that support, has spurred me on more than I realised it would.

Three lessons in brave

1. Accountability – Posting weekly updates on social media made it real. It's out there. No hiding.

2. Showing up – When something becomes routine rather than aspiration, it stops feeling brave and starts feeling like life. It's no longer a possibility. It IS.

3. Community – Whether running alongside me, sponsoring me, or just checking in – the support of others keeps me going when my own resolve wavers.

Why this matters

This is chosen brave in action. The kind where you keep choosing, step after step, even when you're tired, ill, or questioning yourself.

It's messy. It involves setbacks. But it's how we move from "I wish I could" to "this is who I am now."

I’m interested - have you experienced something similar in your past brave steps?

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Myths that prevent us from choosing brave…

I wrote last week about a series that I’m publishing on LinkedIn on myths that prevent us from taking our brave steps. Here is the first one:

”Myth 1: Everyone else knows what they’re doing!”

Because if you're sitting there thinking "how come everyone else knows what they’re doing - or what they want to do next?" whilst your responsibilities feel like they're closing in...

You're not alone. And you're not behind.

You're exactly where you need to be to start exploring what puts you in flow.

Kirsty x

P.s. If you'd like to support Down's Syndrome Scotland or join me on the run on 20th March, here’s the link

P.p.s And if you’d like to join us at The Brave Collective for your own brave journey - we have a space waiting for you.