Rethinking Bravery: seeing quiet acts of Second 50 courage

Lately, I’ve been rethinking what courage means, especially to women in our Second 50 years.

My reflection was sparked by storyteller and creator of Finding Courage, who is on a mission to help people wake up to their own courage. Steph is a Second 50 woman who is shining a light on the courage of “ordinary people” which is a strength we often overlook, especially in ourselves.

Reading her stories made me reflect on the many challenging circumstances where courage is an essential part of moving forward.

“Courage might just be the secret sauce we all need to change the world,” Steph says. “Not the kind you see in headlines or on red carpets, but quiet, powerful acts of courage that shows up in everyday lives.”

Chatting to Steph and reading her inspiring Finding Courage stories, I have begun to consciously notice courage in people around me — including family, friends, and Second 50 women. And I have also recognised courage in some of my own choices and actions.

What we get wrong about courage

It is easy to overlook courage when the mainstream message is so often reserved for loud and heroic acts. Politicians and sports commentators love to throw their idea of courage around (along with its opposite: cowardice). People get labelled courageous for taking a public stand, and the term is associated with individuals facing major challenges in weighty areas like domestic violence, catastrophic injuries and critical health battles.

These are all worthy examples of courage, but I also think that there are many everyday acts of bravery that deserve a louder voice.

Why? Well, all forms of courage — even the so-called ‘quiet’ or ‘small’ ones — can be transformative. So, sharing stories about the diverse ways courage shows up in people — and the positive impact that has — can inspire more courage in the world.

The bravery we often need isn’t dramatic or selfless. It is about individuals making consistent, everyday choices — to do what is right, to help ourselves, others, workplaces, families and communities.

Steph’s stories are both diverse and deeply moving. They got me thinking about people I know who have stepped up when it mattered — each in their own unique way — and the list was long. I also thought about times when courage was absent, and how silence, self-protection, or inaction left lasting consequences.

Within Second 50, we’ve heard so many incredible stories of courage: women leaving steady careers to follow their passion or calling, reconfiguring their lives to care for themselves or others, or rebuilding after unexpected and turbulent life events.

This is not surprising when you consider that most women in our Second 50 are navigating — and often juggling — major life transitions, whether planned or not. Careers, caregiving, relationships, identity, health, finances, and housing all come into play. Sometimes, it takes quiet daily courage just to keep going (and growing) through it all.

I’m not sure we give enough recognition to the resilience it takes to stay the course, the strength required to walk away, or the countless other brave choices made in the name of positive change — for ourselves and those around us.

A Second 50 story — Nadene’s courage to walk away

Steph’s stories showcase many forms of courage, and her latest features Nadene Anderson — an inspiring example of the quiet, steady courage it takes for a midlife woman to acknowledge that a career no longer aligns with who she is.

At 48, Nadene decided to walk away from her family business — and with it, her sense of safety and identity. “Quitting the business felt like quitting the family,” she told Steph. “But it got harder and harder to stick it out.” She left financial security for “the great unknown of what’s next”, facing real hardship before finding her new beginning.

What made Nadene’s story especially moving for me was knowing that she had shared her journey with our Second 50 community, while she was still in the middle of it. In doing so, she received encouragement and help to move forward.

Nadene found strength in Second 50, and shared her transition story to help others. She is now the master of her own destiny. “After many years of feeling in the wrong place, I now have this overwhelming sense of being on the right track,” she says.

Courage grows in trusted spaces

In our Second 50 circles, I have witnessed the power of women sharing their challenges, dreams, and transitions. This includes women sharing stories they have never spoken aloud before. Courage grows in trusted spaces where we are truly heard and supported.

Choosing an authentic Second 50 path takes courage — especially when it diverges from traditional ideas of success or others’ expectations. So does starting something new, reshaping roles, or stepping beyond our comfort zones, especially when we don’t have control over the outcome

Like many women, I still have moments of doubt, even about Second 50. But I keep showing up, being seen and moving forward — not because I’m fearless, but because what we are building here feels like it is needed, meaningful and aligned with my purpose and values.

Diminishing our courage

Why then, do we so often downplay our own courage? Perhaps it is because the world chips away at our confidence, through judgment, comparison, and the constant pressure to fit in. In response, we diminish choices we make and steps we take. Maybe it protects us from having to measure up to someone else’s version of success?

I have realised that even when we see courage in others, we don’t usually name it. We say, “You’re so strong!” or “You’re amazing!” or “You’re an innovator!”. But how often do we say: “You were courageous!”?

Maybe it is time we did. Because when we name courage, we don’t just recognise it. We amplify it.

The ripple effect of courage

I am not suggesting that individual courage will solve the world’s biggest problems, and neither is Steph. There are also times that call for heroic acts.

However, most courage begins quietly, when we stop waiting for certainty and choose to move forward into the unknown. And when this courage is seen, it creates a ripple effect.

Imagine if, by recognising and encouraging more everyday courage, we each make the world a little bit braver, and better.

Thank you, Steph, for helping us see courage more clearly — and find more of it in ourselves.