Jamie Lee Curtis believes we parents are all too fond of telling children to face their fears without leading by example. Speaking to Good Housekeeping magazine, the mother of 26-year-old Annie and 16-year-old Thomas explained her take on trying something new at any age!

“As I focused on how we encourage kids to take risks, I realized that as adults, we don’t do anything new,” Jamie Lee Curtis shared. “We eat the same food. Sleep with our husbands the same way. We don’t try new things, yet we want our children to do that every day of their lives. Trying something new and challenging yourself is what life is all about.”

The 53-year-old actress, who has completed her tenth children’s book (My Brave Year of Firsts: Tries, Sighs, and High Fives), has taken her own advice by signing up — and following through with — her first-ever run.

“I tried to make it look like I was having a good time, but to be honest, five minutes after the start of the race, I was already going, Oh, there’s no way I’m going to finish this,” she admitted.

“I talked to myself [through it. I thought,] Jamie, you can do this; just relax. I tried to find a rhythm, and I stopped comparing myself to anybody else.”

photo: Jamie Lee Curtis covers Good Housekeeping