Grow Bolder in 2011

Posted December 30, 2010, 8:36 am in News

It's that time of year again. We're about to embark on a fresh, new year, and each year, people across the world vow to change their ways in the coming year. Maybe you want to lose some weight. Quit smoking. Follow your dreams.

But how many of us will write out these resolutions, stick with them for a couple weeks and then quietly slip back into our old ways?

This year, don't just resolve to do the things you think you SHOULD do. Do the things you WANT to do.

Below, we've picked five common resolutions, and we're going to show you that not only is it possible to change your life in meaningful ways, it can also be downright fun!

Soak in the inspiration and then make a promise to yourself that 2011 will be your greatest year yet, no matter how -- in big or small ways -- you start growing bolder.

(Note: Below is a collection of videos from Growing Bolder TV and audio clips from the Growing Bolder Radio Show. You can watch or listen to each segment on this page. However, if you prefer, you can click on the headline for each item and either watch it in a bigger player for the videos or listen to the audio interviews in pop-up windows. Clicking on the headlines will also take you to a page with much more information about each featured person.)

 

1. Get Healthy

Leaving Her Mark, By Hand and Foot

From Growing Bolder TV: Here's a story for anyone you know who still doesn't understand that it's never too late! Ann Kahl got off the couch and started running at age 50. She started a calligraphy business at age 65. Today, she's 80, and you've got to see her to believe her!

Lift Your Way Out of an Unhealthy Life

From Growing Bolder Radio: She was in her late 40s, dealing with an ugly divorce, deeply in debt and very overweight. But then Lisa Fisco had her aha moment. Now, she's training hard to make the 2012 Olympics team. Find out how she dramatically reinvented her life. 

Transform Your Life

From Growing Bolder Radio: Frank Ferrante was overweight, depressed and living a lonely, unhealthy life. Then one day, on a whim, he walked into a raw food restaurant, and his life changed forever. He explains how "vegan hippies" helped him, a Sicilian guy from Brooklyn, reclaim his life and change it for the better.

From Coach Potato to the Top of the World

From Growing Bolder Radio: Just five years ago, Don Healy was a 60-year-old couch potato who'd never exercised in his life. At the age of 65, with an artificial hip, Don reached the summit of Mount Everest, becoming one of the oldest people to achieve that goal. Don says one of the biggest lessons he's learned over the past few years is that age is just a state of mind and you can do a lot more than you think.

2. Reinvent Yourself

The Mushroom Man

From Growing Bolder TV: Taylor Lockwood went from an aspiring musician to the rock star of the mushroom world. What a long, strange trip it's been. No, really! His quest for rare mushrooms takes him all over the world, and his photographs and videos have made mushroom fans in some unexpected places.

 

A New Career, a New Purpose

From Growing Bolder TV: They are two of the most under-appreciated groups around -- birds of prey and the people who dedicate their lives to helping them. Find out what made Carol McCorkle and her husband change careers to educate us on the plight of raptors, and see how their Avian Reconditioning Center has become a big part of their outreach.

 

Creating a Life of Exquisite Harmony

From Growing Bolder TV: From creating art to competing in triathlons to combating Bell's Palsy disease to quitting her job and starting a home business so she could be with her family more, Elizabeth St. Hilaire Nelson lives life on her terms. See how she embraces life and lives without any regrets.

Wearing a Dream for All to See

From Growing Bolder TV: Her life was fine the way it was, except for one thing -- she had long dreamed of doing something else. So, Diane Shelton gathered up the courage and took a huge chance, never realizing that by creating a whole new cultural clothing business she'd also be creating a new passion for life!


3. Control Your Finances

Surviving Bernie Madoff

From Growing Bolder Radio: What if your worst nightmare came true? That's the predicament Alexandra Penny faced in 2008 when she learned that her investment adviser was about to become notorious. After extensive research, Alexandra had trusted every cent of her earnings and savings to Bernie Madoff. She lost it all overnight. How do you bounce back from catastrophe like that? She got busy.

 

The Millionaire Maker

From Growing Bolder Radio: He's inspired millions of people around the world with his best-selling "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series of books. Find out how Mark Victor Hansen is doing his best to get America back on track. He says it's his mission in life to teach people how to pursue their passions and make money while doing it.

 

Yes, There Are Jobs. Yes, Even a Job You Might LOVE

From Growing Bolder Radio: The job market news continues to bleak, but Dick Bolles, author of the job-hunters' Bible "What Color is Your Parachute," says there are millions of jobs out there -- people just don't know how to look for them. Dick also offers tips for people looking to switch careers. He says no matter the economic situation, you should always be willing to leave unfulfilling careers in order to find something you're passionate about.

 

4. Pursue Your Passions and Hobbies

From Broken Neck to Broken Records

From Growing Bolder TV: A horrific wreck in a bicycle race at the age of 64 nearly ended Sandy Scott's life. It was at least expected to end his cycling career. Not only did he recover, he's rewriting the record books! Today, at 70, he is feisty, fit and faster than ever, and an unforgettable example of why giving up is not an option.

No Strings Attached? Call Saul!

From Growing Bolder TV: Musicians strive for perfection. That means their instruments must be flawless. But good luthiers are very hard to find. See what makes Saul Cornell the most important member of any string section, even though he doesn't play at all.

A Leaping Legend Named Lew

From Growing Bolder TV: Lew Sanborn is the holder of parachute license D-1 -- the very first license ever issued. Today, he is 80 years old and still skydiving across the country. Lew helped make jumping accessible to everyone, and in the 62 years that he's been skydiving, he been an innovator of the sport. See why taking 12,000 foot plunges are his fountain of youth!

 

5. Make a Difference

Andy's New Bike

From Growing Bolder TV: Andy was born with fetal alcohol syndrome 40 years ago. His adoptive and loving parents have always encouraged him to get involved in life and he has. He has a job, a lot of friends and gets all around town on his beloved bicycle. So, imagine his despair when it was stolen. And imagine his surprise when the very people he thought were a nuisance turned out to be some of the best friends he ever had.

Be an Eco-Warrior

From Growing Bolder Radio: Eco-warrior Roz Savage is back from her solo boat trips across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and she's launching a new project that helps all of us do one good green deed every day. Roz is the first person to ever row solo across the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. That means she was in her boat, rowing, for 11,000 miles -- 8,000 in the Pacific and 3,000 in the Atlantic. Her new Eco Heroes gives people credit for the small things they do, rather than making them feel guilty about not doing big things like she does. Find out how to play her new social media green game.

Six Bullets to the Chest

From Growing Bolder TV: James O'Connor wasn't standing at the proverbial crossroads -- he was lying there. On a gurney. With six bullets in his chest. On what could have been his deathbed, James was overcome with a single thought, "We’re born to be alive, so we should live." And so he did.

Watch his incredible story to see how a brush with death changed the direction of his life forever, and he explains how he's using his background in education to change the lives of disadvantaged kids.

 

Surviving Life's Curveballs

From Growing Bolder Radio: He was born with no arms and no hands, but Tom Willis has never been satisfied with the hand in life he was dealt. He's now on a mission to throw out the first pitch at every Major League Baseball park. And in the process, he's changing people's hearts and minds about what it means to be disabled.

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