Stop Watching from the Sidelines & Start Living the Adventure

By Coach Heather Owens, RN, MBA

“The game isn’t won by the people sitting in the stands.”

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about that.

The World Cup has this incredible way of bringing people together.

People who speak different languages…
Come from different countries…
Believe different things…
Live completely different lives…

For a little while, none of that matters.

They’re united by joy.
By passion.
By hope.
By the love of the game.

And it made me realize…

Maybe that’s how life was always meant to feel.

Not perfect.
Not predictable.

But alive.

Somewhere Along the Way… We Stop Playing

When we’re kids…

We play without worrying if we look silly.

We run because it feels good.

We laugh until our stomach hurts.

We dream without asking permission.

We don’t care if someone thinks we’re “too much.”

Somewhere along the way…

We trade curiosity for certainty.

Adventure for routine.

Wonder for worry.

We become adults who know how to pay bills…

…but forget how to play.

And I think that’s one of the greatest tragedies of growing up.

I Forgot Too…

If you’ve followed my journey for a while, you know life hasn’t always been easy.

There was a time people told me I’d never become a nurse.

Then I graduated at the top of my class.

There was a time I believed I had to fit inside everyone else’s expectations.

Not too loud.

Not too emotional.

Not too ambitious.

Not too passionate.

But every time I made myself smaller…

I felt smaller.

Because that wasn’t who I was created to be.

Lately, I’ve been learning another lesson.

One I honestly didn’t expect.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve found myself traveling alone through some of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.

Lake Tahoe.

Sedona.

Mountains stretching into the sky.

Sunrises that literally took my breath away.

There were moments I was overwhelmed with gratitude…

…and moments I wanted nothing more than to be home with my husband, Jason.

I missed him.

I missed our gratitude talks.

Our little Panda Express car picnics.

Watching the baby together.

Our routines.

Our ordinary life.

And something clicked.

I realized…

You can deeply miss one chapter while fully embracing the one you’re living.

Those two things can exist together.

That’s emotional maturity.

That’s life.

Life Doesn’t Have to Fit into Boxes

Recently I was listening to a podcast that completely changed the way I think.

She talked about how we put ourselves into boxes.

The yoga box.

The business box.

The perfect mom box.

The successful woman box.

The traveler box.

The fitness box.

And I laughed because…

That’s me.

I have spent years trying to perfectly organize every part of my identity.

But life was never meant to be lived in boxes.

Some days I’m in the gym lifting heavy.

Other days I’m hiking red rocks.

Some mornings I’m coaching.

Some evenings I’m cuddled on the couch reading with my husband.

Sometimes I’m the adventurous traveler.

Sometimes I’m homesick.

Sometimes I’m incredibly confident.

Sometimes I’m questioning everything.

None of those versions cancel each other out.

They’re all me.

And maybe that’s true for you too.

The Game Isn’t About Winning

Think about your favorite soccer player.

Do they score every shot?

No.

They miss.

They fall.

They lose matches.

They make mistakes in front of millions of people.

But they keep showing up.

Imagine if they quit after the first missed goal.

Life works exactly the same way.

You’ll have seasons where everything flows.

You’ll have seasons where you’re rebuilding.

You’ll have seasons where you’re healing.

You’ll have seasons where you’re simply surviving.

None of those seasons define you.

They’re just part of the game.

What If You’re Waiting for Life to Start?

This is something I’ve been asking myself lately.

How many people are waiting to be happy?

“When I lose 20 pounds…”

“When I find the relationship…”

“When I make more money…”

“When the kids get older…”

“When work slows down…”

“When I have more confidence…”

Friend…

Life isn’t waiting for you.

It’s happening.

Right now.

The sunset doesn’t wait.

The baby doesn’t stop growing.

The opportunities don’t pause.

The people you love don’t stay the same.

Neither do you.

What Playing the Game Actually Looks Like

Playing the game isn’t quitting your job tomorrow.

It isn’t buying a one-way ticket around the world.

Sometimes…

Playing the game looks like:

❤️ Saying yes to dinner with friends instead of another night scrolling.

🥾 Taking the hike you’ve been putting off.

💃 Dancing in your kitchen while dinner cooks.

📖 Reading one chapter instead of watching another hour of TV.

✈️ Taking the weekend trip.

📱 Starting the Instagram page you’ve been afraid to create.

🏋️ Moving your body because you love it—not because you hate it.

💕 Telling someone you love them.

🌅 Watching one sunrise.

🚗 Taking the scenic route home.

Joy is rarely found in massive life changes.

It’s usually hidden inside ordinary moments we almost rushed past.

Five Ways to Start Playing Again

⚽ 1. Say “Yes” More Often

Not to everything.

But to the things that make you feel alive.

Ask yourself:

“Would my future self thank me for saying yes to this?”

🌎 2. Create One Tiny Adventure Every Week

Adventure doesn’t require a passport.

It could be:

• A new coffee shop
• A local trail
• Watching the sunrise
• A picnic
• A museum
• Trying a new recipe
• Taking a different route home

Novelty keeps our brains engaged, increases dopamine, and reminds us that life is bigger than our routines.

💙 3. Stop Waiting Until You Feel Ready

Confidence doesn’t come first.

Action does.

Every dream I’ve ever accomplished started while I was scared.

Every single one.

✨ 4. Build a Daily Gratitude Practice

One of the most healing habits Jason and I have started is sharing what we’re grateful for.

Some days it’s something huge.

Other days it’s simply:

“I’m thankful for Korean skincare.”

“I’m thankful for mountains.”

“I’m thankful for this cup of coffee.”

Gratitude trains your brain to notice abundance instead of scarcity.

🌿 5. Let Yourself Be More Than One Thing

You don’t have to choose.

You can love fitness…

AND luxury hotels.

Adventure…

AND quiet nights at home.

Career…

AND motherhood.

Strength…

AND softness.

The richest lives are beautifully layered.

Journal Prompts 📝

Take ten quiet minutes today and reflect on these.

1. When was the last time I felt completely alive?

What was I doing?
Who was I with?
How can I create more of that?

2. What game have I been sitting on the sidelines watching?

A dream?

A relationship?

A business?

Travel?

Fitness?

What’s stopping me?

3. Where am I waiting for permission?

Who am I hoping will tell me I’m ready?

What if I gave myself permission today?

4. What box have I been trying to live inside?

Who created that box?

Is it actually mine?

Or did someone else hand it to me?

5. If I truly believed life was meant to be enjoyed…

What would I do this weekend?

This month?

This year?

Your Challenge This Week ⚽

I want you to choose one thing that feels playful.

Not productive.

Not impressive.

Not something that earns you money.

Simply playful.

Maybe it’s:

• Buying the jersey.
• Going dancing.
• Hiking a new trail.
• Flying somewhere you’ve never been.
• Playing soccer with your kids.
• Laughing until your stomach hurts.
• Watching the World Cup with people you love.
• Taking yourself on a date.
• Having a car picnic with someone special.

Then ask yourself one question:

Did this make me feel more alive?

Because at the end of your life…

No one is going to remember how many emails you answered.

How clean your house was.

Or how many hours you worked.

They’ll remember the adventures.

The laughter.

The courage.

The people you loved.

The life you lived.

And so will you.

So wear the jersey.

Cheer loudly.

Dream bigger.

Take the trip.

Start the business.

Kiss your person a little longer.

Watch the sunset.

Play the game with your whole heart.

Because life was never meant to be watched from the sidelines.

It was always meant to be lived.

And trust me…

The best players aren’t the ones who never miss.

They’re the ones who keep showing up, keep believing, and never stop playing.

See you out on the field. ❤️⚽🌎

With love,

Coach Heather Owens, RN, MBA
Helping you level up your life through Movement • Mindset • Adventure ✨