Go Granny Speed: How to Build DIY Confidence

On today’s episode of life (and DIY), we’re talking about bravery.

Not the big, dramatic, headline-worthy kind.

I’m talking about the everyday bravery that shows up when your six-year-old looks at you and says,“Mom, let’s take the chairlift.”

A Family Day in Whistler

This past weekend was Family Day here in BC, and we took our girls, ages six and four, skiing in Whistler for the very first time.

My four-year-old? Two runs on the bunny hill and she says,“Okay, I’m ready for the big chair.”

All confidence. Zero fear.

My six-year-old did great on the bunny hill too but she needed a little more convincing to try the chairlift with her aunt and uncle (the experienced skiers).

And that’s when I had a decision to make.

Ski with her and set the example…Or watch from the bottom.

After 14 years of not skiing, this was not an easy yes.

But I said yes.

And sitting there on the chairlift with my daughter, heart pounding, I realized something:

Bravery isn’t the absence of nerves.It’s deciding you’re strong and capable — and going anyway.

I leaned over to Brielle and said,“Can I tell you something? I’m nervous about this… but I know I’m strong and capable, so I’m going to do it even though I’m nervous.”

Her response?

“Okay Mom, me too.”

So we did it.

Did I go granny speed? Definitely.Did I fall? Yes — once.Was it stylish? Absolutely not.

But I was proud of myself.And even prouder of my daughter.

She loved it so much we did the run three more times.

And somewhere between my not-so-graceful turns and picking myself up off the snow, I realized something else:

I want to get good enough to ski a green run stylishly one day.

But I had to be willing to go granny speed first.

What If We Bottled That Kind of Bravery?

What would happen if we could bottle up even a little bit of that bravery and confidence our children naturally have?

We’d be unstoppable.

For me, being uncomfortable and nervous for the sake of giving my daughter an experience proved to me what I could do, too.

And on the drive home from Whistler, it hit me:

This is exactly what DIY feels like.

DIY Feels Like That Chairlift

The first time you pick up a paintbrush. The first time you patch drywall. The first time you caulk a bathtub. The first time you commit to painting a wall a bold colour.

It feels like that chairlift.

You’re sitting there thinking:

• Am I ready for this?

• What if I mess it up?

• What if it looks bad?

• What if everyone can tell I’m a beginner?

  
  

Meanwhile… your kids are just like,

“Let’s go!”

That’s the difference.

Somewhere along the way, as women, we stop trusting ourselves the way we did when we were little girls.

We start overthinking.We start Googling for hours.We scroll Pinterest and feel behind.We convince ourselves we’re not “handy” or “skilled enough.”

But DIY isn’t about being stylish on your first run.

It’s about being willing to go granny speed.

It’s about falling once… maybe twice.And getting back up.

Because every feature wall I’ve built…Every paint colour I’ve regretted…Every caulking job I’ve had to redo…

It all started with me being nervous and doing it anyway.

The Secret to DIY Confidence

Confidence doesn’t come before you start.

It grows because you start.

You don’t need to feel fearless to begin your next home project.

You just need to decide you’re strong and capable and go anyway.

Maybe the bravest thing you do this month isn’t skiing a green run.

Maybe it’s finally picking up the paintbrush.

I Want to Leave You With This

What if you treated your next home project like my four-year-old treated the chairlift?

All confidence.No fear.

Let’s go.

From one DIYer to another,

Be brave like your kids. 💛