Manaka Matsukubo and Brianna Pinto scored in the first 20 minutes and the North Carolina Courage registered their first victory in seven matches, topping Angel City FC 2-1 on Saturday at Cary, N.C.
The Courage (6-7-7, 25 points) have defeated Angel City twice this year by 2-1 scores.
Sveindis Jonsdottir scored in the 88th minute for Angel City (6-9-5, 23 points). It was her first goal in seven matches this year.
Marisa Bova made two saves for North Carolina. Angelina Anderson stopped five shots for Angel City, which has gone back-to-back matches without a point following a four-match points streak.
Matsukubo’s sixth goal came in the sixth minute off an assist from Payton Linnehan, giving her two goals in a four-match stretch. Matsukubo’s shot from the right side went into the left-side of the net.
Pinto posted her third goal of the year, a sequence aided when the ball bounced off an Angel City player before Pinto booted it into the net.
Bay FC 1, Orlando Pride 1
Ally Watt scored in the 70th minute and the Pride managed a home draw but saw their winless streak in league play extended to eight matches.
Racheal Kundananji scored in first-half extra time for Bay FC (4-10-6, 18 points), which halted a four-match losing streak but saw the team’s winless stretch extended to nine matches. Bay goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz made seven saves.
Pride (8-7-5, 29 points) goalkeeper McKinley Crone made four saves.
Orlando’s goal came on Lizbeth Ovalle’s long delivery to Watt, who converted on a header. Bay FC’s opener came on a header in the box from Kundananji on a stellar lofted pass into the box by Caprice Dydasco.
What happens when everything you’ve built stops feeling like you? How do you get the courage to scale down?
This isn’t a story about burnout or business failure—it’s about the radical courage to honor who you’re becoming, even when it makes zero logical sense.
In this episode, Meghan shares why she walked away from a globally successful business that was thriving by every metric. The real moment she knew. The price tag of freedom. And the terrifying question every successful person faces: “Who am I without this?”
If you’ve ever felt disconnected from something you worked hard to build, wondered if you’re allowed to want something different, or questioned whether success is supposed to feel this heavy—this conversation will hit different.
Because sometimes the most courageous pivot isn’t growing bigger. It’s trusting the whisper that says it’s time to scale down and come home to yourself.
Perfect for anyone ready to redefine what success actually means.
Covered In This Episode
In this episode, you’ll discover:
Scaling down can lead to greater joy.
Listening to whispers of change is crucial.
Letting go can lead to freedom.
Redefining success is a personal journey.
Joy can be found in simplicity.
Trusting your inner voice is essential.
You don’t need a five-year plan.
Embracing the unknown can lead to magic.
Subscribe and listen to The Courageous Pivot Podcast on:
If you’re loving the show, please be sure to leave a review!
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to the Courageous Pivot Podcast 00:27 A Day in the Life Post-Pivot 03:19 The Joys of Scaling Down 04:28 The Whispers of Change 06:11 My Journey to Empowerment 09:51 The Reality of Success 11:08 The Decision to Pause 14:31 Embracing the Unknown 16:28 Reflecting on the Pivot 19:18 Final Thoughts and Next Steps
If you’ve been on the quest for a SCENT-FREE clean, deeply nourishing skincare product that actually feels like self-care, the Hella Hydrating Serum from Hello Joyous is perfection.
It leaves your skin feeling plump, smooth, and glow-y without that greasy aftermath.
What I appreciate most is how intentional every element is—from the ingredient list to the glass bottle (no single-use plastic here!). It’s simple, effective, and made by someone who truly walks the talk when it comes to holistic living (hello, Joy!). If you’re looking to pare down your skincare routine to just what’s essential and effective, this is a beautiful step in the right direction.
LAWRENCE — When an active shooter barricaded himself in a North Andover home, Lawrence police officers Luis Santiago and Angelo Kocagoz immediately responded to the neighboring community ready to help.
Seconds later, while Santiago provided cover, Kocagoz safely rescued an older man who was trapped in the driveway of the home while shots were still being fired.
Both officers were publicly commended for their bravery and valor Tuesday at a special City Hall ceremony attended by fellow officers, officials, family members and friends.
North Andover Police Chief Charles Gray lauded the officers’ “bravery, courage and heroism” during a situation that presented grave danger and possible death because of its “extraordinary circumstances.”
Gray said he couldn’t be more proud to honor the officers “after what transpired that night.”
North Andover police were called to a Waverley Road address on April 14 about 10 p.m. for a report of a man shooting inside a house and threatening to shoot himself.
In addition to North Andover officers, mutual aid officers from surrounding communities, including Lawrence, also responded to the home.
The 911 caller, an older man who could not move quickly, was trapped in the driveway. So Kocagoz said he would go get him and carry him out, police said.
While Santiago and other officers provided cover, Kocagoz hoisted the man over his shoulder. He quickly carried the man to safety.
The man inside the home later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
North Andover police Sgt. Brandon James and Lawrence Sgts. Carmen Purpora and Rhadames Gonzalez all agreed that Santiago and Kocagoz should be publicly commended for their bravery and courage.
Acting Lawrence Police Chief Melix Bonilla said he couldn’t have been any prouder of both officers.
“There is no greater service than service to others,” Bonilla said.
Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter/X @EagleTribJill.
Today I’m going to issue you a challenge, and it will only require 20 seconds.
It could change your life.
I know 20 seconds doesn’t seem like a lot of time., but I’ve come to learn that when it comes to getting healthy, taking risks, and living a life worth living, 20 seconds is often more than enough to change one’s path.
What began as a fun mental strategy to overcome fear has since become a rallying cry for our community here at Nerd Fitness.
And today, I’m gonna help you do that thing that scares the crap out of you.
The Discovery of 20 Seconds of Courage
As I explain in the video above, today’s concept comes from an obscure Matt Damon movie: We Bought a Zoo.
In it, Matt Damon meets his wife by mustering up strength for a mere 20 seconds of courage to talk to her, despite being a complete nervous wreck before and after.
Had he never taken those 20 seconds to step outside of his comfort zone, he never would have met the love of his life.
One decision changed everything:
What does 20 seconds of courage have to do with leveling up our lives?
We Can Do Things Differently
As we think about our lives and how much we think we might be stuck on a certain path…
There are two realizations that might help us break free:
REALIZATION #1: Our lives are made up of a never ending series of decisions that actually take very little time:
Walking through a door.
Picking a seat on the train.
Signing up for a class.
Starting an uncomfortable conversation.
Filling out a form.
Of course, there’s lot of internal thought, plenty of inertia, and years of ingrained behavior that happen before an action is taken…but the action itself is often a split second.
This means that no matter what decisions we’ve made up until now, we still have infinite paths available to us moving forward.
As Alan Watts points out:
You are under no obligation to be the same person you were 5 minutes ago.
I’m reminded of this amazing graphic from my friend Tim Urban at Wait But Why:
Each decision creates a new branching path in our history. We can’t change the past, but we can decide to make act differently moving forward and change our fate.
REALIZATION #2: Humans (especially us nerds) tend to be risk averse, comfortable, and wary of doing things that scare us.
This isn’t surprising or unusual: we’re hardwired to trust our gut and be cautious of things that raise our anxiety. The decision to avoid certain things is what kept us alive during our cave-dwelling days.
In other words, a cautious cavewoman 120,000 years ago listened to that instinct, avoided the scary noise coming out of the brush, and lived long enough to pass along her cautious genes to you today.
These days, we’re still wired to avoid things that scare us – not animals in the brush, but rather conversations with strangers, activities that might embarrass us, and events that are anxiety-inducing.
If we are going to get the things we actually want out of life, it’s going to require us to overcome that fear mechanism to make a decision that is counter to 120,000+ years of DNA-sequencing.
Which ain’t easy.
But boy it can be life changing at best, or a lesson learned at worst:
“I can do hard things. Doing hard things has intrinsic value, and they will make me a better person, even if I end up failing.”
Why 20 Seconds of Courage works
By using 20 seconds to do something you normally would have avoided, or saying YES when you normally say NO, three amazing things happen:
If it doesn’t work out, you learn a lesson and become more resilient. You quickly learn the world didn’t end, and you are more likely to try new things in the future because failure wasn’t that bad! And you can develop some crucial self-compassion.
If it DOES work out, your life is now better as a result of your targeted bravery. A relationship, a new job, a new hobby, lifelong friend, are often results of a single decision made by somebody. This is you taking action rather than waiting for fate to intervene.
You NEVER have to wonder “what if?” when thinking about what could have been had you done that thing!
How 20 Seconds of Courage Can Change Your Life.
“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” – John Wayne, clearly a fan of 20 Seconds of Courage.
Here’s how to implement 20 Seconds of Courage into your life:
Identify the thing you terrified of.
Put ALL of your focus into a single specific action that will take less than 20 seconds but will result in you attempting the thing you’re scared of.
Work yourself up into a frenzy if you need to. Give yourself a pep talk in the mirror. Recruit a buddy if you have to.
Get scared to hell before.
Pee your pants (preferably after).
Just focus on the 20 seconds required for you to start or complete the action that is needed for you to change your path.
And then, welp… you’ve already started, and the hard part is done, might as well keep going:
Afraid of the free weight section at your gym? Turn on Berserker mode. Give yourself 20 seconds and walk into the section before you realize how scared you are. After your 20 second are up, you can go back to being afraid, but you’re already IN the free weight section, maybe even with a weight in hand. Might as well do the workout now, right? Who cares about the people around you – they’re too busy being self-conscious anyway.
Don’t think you can start your workout? Too tired? Put on a great freaking pump up song, jump around, psyche yourself up, and just GET started. Don’t worry about what happens in the 20 seconds after you get started. JUST focus on those 20 seconds that are needed to get you out of bed or out the door.
Afraid to sign up for a class? Afraid to try something new? No problem, be afraid. Sign up in those 20 seconds and make your commitment before you have a chance to back out. All of a sudden, you’re signed up and have to follow through!
Are you typically a push over? Do you never stand up for yourself at work? Beast mode. At the next meeting, take 20 seconds to really stand up for yourself and present YOUR opinions. Work up the courage to begin the conversation with your boss about getting that raise you deserve. Once you’re in the office and the conversation has begun, you might as well keep going.
See that cute person at the coffee shop? Normally you say NOTHING, and then go home and wish you had? Give yourself 20 seconds of courage. Be scared shitless before and scared shitless after, but give yourself 20 seconds of courage: “Hey, I need to get back to my friend/work, but I saw you from across the room and wanted to come introduce myself. Can I buy you a cup of coffee sometime?” At the very least, give them a drive-by compliment. You’ll never have to wonder “what if…”
Lao Tzu once said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
A life where you actually might get what you want and deserve begins with 20 seconds of courage.
Make the step. Approach that person.
Sign up for that club/class/speaking engagement.
Have that uncomfortable conversation you’ve been avoiding.
I’ve used 20 seconds of courage dozens of time in my life too.
Sometimes with health or fitness, sometimes with relationships, and other times with my own life level up quests, which I discuss in my book, Level Up Your Life.
“Steve this is great. But I’m still cautious and Matt Damon is cool and all, but give me nerdy stories I can learn from regarding 20 seconds of courage!”
Fine! Here are my favorite examples of 20 seconds of courage:
Super Mario Bros: Star Power makes Mario invincible for a short amount of time. He’s normal before and after, but in those few seconds he can cover some serious ground and wipe out a LOT of Koopas.
Transformers: Some transformers had the ability to transform from a robot into an animal form, just for a time. This was referred to as “Beast Mode!”
Ancient Viking lore: Berserkers were Norse warriors who worked themselves into a rage before battle, and fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury.
Lord Urthstripe in the Redwall Series: A badger lord who goes into “bloodwrath” mode to vanquish his foes.
Will Ferrell in Old School: He puts together less than 20 seconds of pure genius in his debate with James Carville. Sure, afterwards he has no recollection of his answer (and before he was probably freaking out), but this 20 seconds saved his fraternity:
The 20 seconds Of Courage Challenge!
Today, I’m issuing a 20 Seconds of Courage Challenge.
You have 7 Days to use 20 Seconds of Courage to do something you’re scared of.
Everybody is fighting their own demons and chasing their own dragons (not a euphemism),
Leading an army of Transformers against the Decepticons.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Assuming you have all the courage you need, what action could you take that would have the greatest impact on your life?
That’s a powerful question. It has profoundly impacted me over my 18+ years as an entrepreneur. It has precipitated profound transformation in many entrepreneurs’ lives.
Recently, at a conference, I delivered my workshop on taking your life back from your business. I concluded with this question and asked attendees to share their responses as they saw me during the conference. Over the next day or so, I was in deep conversation with entrepreneurs, sharing their courageous actions and fears. I was touched by the vulnerability and the difficult life circumstances we entrepreneurs endure as we grow our businesses. There is a profound impact on our personal lives when times are tough in the business. Likewise, there is a significant toll on our leadership when we face stressful circumstances in our personal lives. The work we do on ourselves to lead with love is profoundly impactful.
Decisions, or a lack of decision, out of fear are constricting. Fear keeps us playing small. Years ago, on a teleseminar (back in the days before Zoom!) I asked this question. One of my clients immediately knew his answer: to place a bid on a new building. He placed the bid, and his offer was accepted. His business has since expanded multiple times across multiple locations. When he called me to tell me what happened, he confided he needed a bigger location for quite some time, and the idea of taking out a substantial loan to pay for it made him fearful: “What if I can’t make the payments?” What if I am misjudging the demand for our services?” What if we go bankrupt because of me?” These were just a few of the gremlins running through his head.
Our gremlins are the enemy of change. They demand the status quo. On the surface, they may sound like the voice of reason, protecting us from rash choices we could regret. In reality, our gremlins keep us stuck. Our gremlins come out in full force when contemplating transformative action in our lives and businesses.
One of the reasons I love this particular powerful question is that it surfaces what we intuitively know to be in our best interest. I was reminded of this when I asked this question at the conference. Multiple entrepreneurs are stuck in (i.e., tolerating) dysfunctional marriages and business partnerships. Others have team members undermining productivity, profitability, and good culture.
If you are avoiding making decisions due to fear, instead of dwelling on the “what ifs,” ask yourself powerful questions to get out of your own way:
What’s possible when you stop tolerating this situation or behavior?
What opportunities arise when you make this significant change?
When others react positively to your choice, what will they be saying?
Twelve months from now, what will you appreciate most about your choice to take action?
Our blindspots keep us stuck. Ten years ago, when I was choosing to stay in a bad marriage for the sake of my kids, a good friend asked me what I thought my kids were learning. That one question opened my eyes to a significant blind spot. My fear had me focusing on how a divorce might damage them. Her question made me consider how they might be damaged by staying in the marriage. Her question also got me to consider what good might come of this significant life change. She moved me from fear-based thinking to making choices out of love, knowing that not only could I handle the fallout of a divorce but that my consistent love for my children would pave a healthy path forward for us.
A client recently called to tell me he fired a team member immediately following our meeting last week. He was planning to take another six months to take this action out of fear about its impact on production. As he tuned into how much this team member’s lack of accountability was costing the business and undermining the culture my client was trying to create, he was no longer willing to tolerate it. He made this decision with confidence in his leadership to see his team through the challenges this situation creates in the business. He made this decision with confidence that he would identify opportunities to do so even though he did not immediately know how to replace the team member. He made this decision out of love for the future he is creating for his team and his family.
What opportunities are created when you make decisions out of love rather than fear?
What are you tolerating?
With the new year upon us, what is it time to change? What impact will that have on you and your business?
Angelina Jolie is a renowned American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian. She received several accolades such as an Academy Award and three Golden Globe Awards, she has also been named Hollywood’s highest-paid actress multiple times.
Growing up she would often watch movies with her mother and this was what inspired her to become an actress. At the age of six, Jolie was enrolled at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, where she trained for two years and appeared in several stage productions.
As a teenager, Jolie found it extremely difficult to connect with other people emotionally, and as a result, she self-harmed.
She also struggled with sleeping and eating disorder and began experimenting with drugs especially heroin. Jolie went through episodes of depression and attempted suicide twice. She committed to stopping her self destructive act after adopting her first child.
However, Jolie succeeded tremendously in her acting career and received several accolades for performance, but she first observed the impacts of a humanitarian crisis while filming Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) in wartorn Cambodia, an experience which brought her a wider understanding of the world. Once she returned home, she contacted the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for information on international trouble spots.
Jolie has inspired many people to embrace to be bold and it is my hope that her quotes inspire you to be courageous.
Inspiring Angelina Jolie Quotes
“Different is good. When someone tells you that you are different, smile and hold you head up and be proud.” – Angelina Jolie
“We have a choice about how we take what happens to us in our life and whether or not we allow it to turn is. We can become consumed by hate and darkness, or we’re able to regain our humanity somehow, or come to terms with things and learn something about ourselves.” – Angelina Jolie
“Make bold choices and make mistakes. It’s all those things that add up to person you become.” – Angelina Jolie
“Figure out who you are separate from your family, and the man or woman you’re in a relationship with. Find who you are in this world and what you need to feel good alone. I think that’s the most important thing in life. Find a sense of self because with that, you can do anything else.” – Angelina Jolie
“Be brave, be bold, be free.” – Angelina Jolie
“If you don’t get out of the box you’ve been raised in, you won’t understand how much bigger the world is.” – Angelina Jolie
“Like every parent, when you start your family, your life completely changes. And you completely live for someone else. I find that the most extraordinary thing. Y huour life is handed over to someone else. From that moment on, they come first in every choice you make. It’s the most wonderful thing.” – Angelina Jolie
“If every choice you make comes from an honest place, you’re solid, and nothing anybody can say about you can rock you or change your opinion.” – Angelina Jolie
“People say that you’re going the wrong way when it’s simply a way of your own.”― Angelina Jolie
“I do believe in the old saying, ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.’ Out experiences, good and bad, make us who we are. By overcoming difficulties, we gain strength and maturity.” – Angelina Jolie
“Our diversity is our strength. What a dull and pointless life it would be if everyone was the same.” – Angelina Jolie
“I’m happy being myself, which I’ve never been before. I always hid in other people, or tried to find myself through the characters, or live out their lives, but I didn’t have those things in mine.” – Angelina Jolie
“Anytime I feel lost, I pull out a map and stare. I stare until I have reminded myself that life is a giant adventure, so much to do, to see.” ― Angelina Jolie
“Without pain, there would be no suffering, without suffering we would never learn from our mistakes. To make it right, pain and suffering is the key to all windows, without it, there is no way of life.” – Angelina Jolie
“It’s hard to be clear about who you are when you are carrying around a bunch of baggage from the past. I’ve learned to let go and out more more quickly into the next place.” – Angelina Jolie
“Nothing would mean anything if I didn’t live a life of use to others.” – Angelina Jolie
“I’ve been reckless, but I’m not a rebel without a cause.”
“The truth is I love being alive. And I love feeling free. So if I can’t have those things then I feel like a caged animal and I’d rather not be in a cage. I’d rather be dead.”― Angelina Jolie
“You think, ‘What if I make a mistake today, I’ll regret it’. I don’t believe in regret, I feel everything leads us to where we are and we have to just jump forward, mean well, commit and just see what happens.”– Angelina Jolie
“I’m not somebody that thinks about destiny and fate, but I don’t walk away from it when something unfolds.” – Angelina Jolie
“Everyday we choose who we are by how we define ourselves.” – Angelina Jolie
“It is not where you start out in life that counts the most, it is how you choose to face it.”
“Life comes with many challenges. The ones that should not scare us are the ones wea can take on and take control of.” – Angelina Jolie
Which one of these quotes resonates with you? Feel free to share if I missed out any.
Some people think I’m courageous. I’ve lived and worked all over the world and regularly speak in front of hundreds of people, so I must be, right? Well, no. For whatever reason, I don’t find that scary, and courage is the ability to do something that frightens you. What would take courage is for me to jump out of a plane. So, I don’t do it. And I’m comfortable with that because, let’s face it, there is very little upside in falling through the air.
asiseeit | Getty Images
One thing that most people find frightening is speaking up when faced with decisions or actions they disagree with. And that makes sense: Many of the stories we hear about people speaking up end with the individual facing some kind of negative outcome, including, in extreme cases, being ostracized. There are few movies or books written about employees who point out a problem and are immediately thanked and rewarded for doing so, and yet that happens, too — and more often than you might think. When people speak up effectively, they can find that not only do they survive, but thrive.
