Real Talk: We Say “Ages 5 to 105” … and We Mean It!
If you’ve ever joined a kid-grit training, you’ve heard us proudly say that our work supports people ages 5 to 105.
“When the ego finally sees the utter madness of trying to control everything, you come to a sacred crossroads in your own evolution.” — From a deck of cards I saw in a store.
For me, fall brings the most noticeable change in seasons. The shortening of days tightens something in my chest. I love the romantic idea of the holidays in New York City — scarves, pink noses, hot chocolate in cafés — but the truth is, the darkening days bring a certain anxiety.
New Paltz, NY, 2023. Photo Credit: Julia
In Los Angeles, fall feels different — the light softens, the air smells faintly of eucalyptus and jasmine, and the sunsets turn the sky a deep orange-pink. It’s beautiful, but even here, where seasons change quietly, I still feel that subtle shift — that reminder that time is moving, that things are changing whether I’m ready or not.
Southern California, Fall, Photo Credit: Julia
So far, 2025 has been riddled with change. (No pun intended.) Some of it’s been challenging, like a puzzle I didn’t know how to solve. A radical Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, once said, “Change is the only constant in life.” Once I started to accept that truth, adversity became easier. Not simpler — but easier.
Building a business isn’t new in human history (obviously), but for me, it’s brand new. Even though my company is seven years old, it often feels like every single day I’m facing another season turning. What’s up to me is how I embrace and adapt when the wind suddenly shifts direction.
When I pack for warm weather and land in freezing temperatures.
When a 6:30 AM flight doesn’t take off until 8:30.
When the finances don’t quite match what they were supposed to.
Entrepreneurship has been one of my greatest teachers.
Here are three lessons that have shaped me most so far:
1. Self-discipline is key. No one will hold me accountable but me.
2. I have to believe in my company, its mission, and its values more than anyone else. That belief fuels everything.
3. Failure is my teacher. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s also honest and necessary.
My message to anyone who’s feeling upside down, inside out, or simply lost in all this change:
Take a moment to reflect.
Take care of yourself.
And find your three things — the anchors that help you get through the most challenging and changing times.
Change, like the seasons, doesn’t ask for permission — it just comes. Some days it arrives quietly. Other days, it sweeps in without warning, turning everything upside down. But each shift, each challenge, each unexpected turn carries an invitation: to breathe, to adapt, and to trust that growth is happening — even in discomfort.
So when the world feels uncertain or the road ahead unclear, remember: you’ve weathered change before. You’ll do it again. Keep your three lessons close, your tools within reach, and your heart open to what’s next.
Because maybe, just maybe, change isn’t something to fear — it’s the teacher we didn’t know we needed.
Albany, NY, 2024. Photo Credit: Julia
If you’ve ever joined a kid-grit training, you’ve heard us proudly say that our work supports people ages 5 to 105.
kid-grit and Mizzen Education have launched a brand-new series of 20 social emotional learning, life skills and wellness-based activities.
How do you top a phenomenal event from 2023? Well, ask the folks over at the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA).