Live your dreams
I use fear to strike. To go against common beliefs. To look right into it and not back down. To be a part of something bigger than yourself.
To the what if’s?
It took years to turn this corner and fight against natural insecurities. To build self confidence. To be empowered to control your own destiny.
Face those fears.
I love a good project. Something to stick your teeth into & tap into your own creativity. To combine two of my fav forms of expression – motivational quotes & travel pictures – was ridiculously addictive.
On an overnight layover in Portland, Oregon, I found a cozy corner and dug in. I had tons of quotes saved but narrowed that down to 35 and overlayed them onto my awesome adventure trip photos at some of the most iconic places in the US National Parks. I read numerous articles with beautiful photos but I wanted to reflect on my own pictures and, at least for a moment, be transported back to that amazing adventure.
Enjoy a snap shot of my life & the little things that bring me joy.
Good friends always bring me back to center. No matter the distance or the time since the last visit, it is an instant comfort.
My circle is small and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My ride or die. An intangible bond that can’t be broken.
They help you gain back what you have lost…….
Shout out to my tribe.
The first items I pack when the next adventure is on the horizon is my jewelry. I’m not a big fan of personal ornaments anymore, so typically keep it simple in everyday life. However, I can’t leave home without my treasured & sentimental items from previous life changing trips. And they only come out on these special occasions….. my own internal motivation.
A ring from Everest signifies pure grit.
I have a very hazy memory of about 5 days in the middle of the trek to base camp in December 2019, as I’ve tried to black it out of existence. We determined that I got food poisoning at the highest Irish pub in the world….. 3 days still left to get to the top & I literally couldn’t think of anything but one foot in front of the other for 10 hrs per day. To put it in perspective, I typically have great thinking days along my many treks into the vast wilderness. I relish them. But all I could stomach was apple juice & garlic soup for 9 days, and most of the time those didn’t even stay down. There is nothing more demoralizing than being an hour back from the group, having to excuse yourself to do your business on the side of the trail constantly & not even having the energy to carry your own 10 lbs. day bag. (See my video from a precious blog from the moment we reached base camp)
A necklace from Peru represents courage.
I was a little out of my element on that first adventure trip outside the US but I knew this was something I had to try. It was a bonding experience with my little brother, whom shared my passion for wilderness travel. And less risky with a strong companion. After 4 days camping on our way to the iconic city in the clouds, we left at 530am trekking with our head lamps to reach the Sun Gate at sunrise. The fog prevented us from our first glimpse so we kept pushing forward to the next viewpoint and our moment to revel in this world wonder. I’ll never forget it. That rush of excitement & accomplishment. I was hooked.
A bracelet from Mt Kilimanjaro shows inner strength.
Kili was my first huge traveling hurdle. Deciding to conquer this summit by myself with the support of a group of similar minded travelers all the way in Africa was one of my biggest decisions I’ve ever made. I trained relentlessly. Failure was not an option. For an introvert, this was a huge leap in breaking through my own internal struggle of yearning to live outside my comfort zone. It was a whirlwind and extremely challenging…… adapting to the severe changes in weather multiple times daily during our hikes, rarely sleeping on rocky grounds in temps below freezing wearing all your clothes, living off of granola bars I had brought since I couldn’t stomach many of the questionable meat options available and sucking it up to walk over 40k steps every day on very rough terrain. Exhaustion in every since of the word. 4 days up and 2 days down. I’ll never forget summit day (I detailed those 6 hours in another recent blog). Being above the clouds is priceless and a moment etched in my mind forever.
These are my “why”. I feel I have endless potential and resilience due to these over the top adrenaline junkie experiences.
And just saying……I’ll never be able to eat garlic soup or apple juice again. Ever. 🧄 🥣 🍎 🧃
The hardest part of a trek is just starting. The uncertainty of a new trail, uneven terrain, starting the battle uphill, finding a sustainable pace, studying the route ahead & finding your stride.
Finally easing into a satisfying routine, my preference is the 3-5 mile trail length. It allows me to tackle a few trails in a day and more variety.
It is so alluring to seek out the remoteness, isolation and peaceful quiet of the trail. No competing priorities. No meaningless drama. Time to think and let your mind wander. Disconnecting from the heaviness of the outside world has become a welcome refuge for me. It has the ability to heal, calm & refocus my core the way that few other things can.
Occasionally I will stop in the middle of nowhere just to take a deep breath of fresh air & do a 360……that moment always makes me smile and, more importantly, appreciate the natural resources that have been bestowed upon us.
You are reminded of the power of nature…… the potential to inspire, teach us resilience, transform with the every season & just find the beauty in the simple things in life.
I’ll keep going back to these roots and exposing others as well. Come join me….. the experiences on the trail are priceless!
Every morning that we are fortunate to awaken is a blessing. The sun rises like clockwork to start yet another day in history.
A new year – 12 new chapters & 365 opportunities. So what is different about this one? It’s just another day in life. Or is it?
I always carve out a quiet hour or two on the first day of the year to dig deep and ask my heart what I really, really want. Knowing what I desire gives me the patience, resilience & determination to never settle and stay laser focused. I do the work now so I have a road map for the upcoming year. Detours are expected and not feared, but the end goal remains clear.
Never look back – where are you going next?
Poonhill in Nepal was truly majestic.
415am wake up call to trek 3290 steps straight up with only our headlamps to light the way. Heavy fog cleared just in time for sunrise to reveal a masterpiece. Above the clouds we were treated with a glorious view of the whole Annapurna mountain range & it took my breath away.
And…..to think we weren’t even supposed to be here due to our original goal & dream was to conquer Mt Everest. 10 travelers total – 1 US, 2 Canada, 1 Denmark, 1 Australia, 2 Cayman Islands, 1 South Africa, 1 Russia & 1 Korea. But after 4 days delayed & no flights in or out of Lukla (the most dangerous airport in the world due to the short runway between mountains) there were 2,000 travelers stranded, so we made the heartbreaking decision to change routes.
I believe things happen for a reason & we are blessed to have been given this gift. EMBRACE THE JOURNEY & face any detour, planned or not, as it will take you to amazing places – Annapurna Base Camp trek was magical!!!
I’m starting to embrace my story. For years I didn’t want to let my guard down or be vulnerable. I had to protect my tough as nails exterior. But if we don’t share and learn from others, then we limit our impact we can leave on this world.
Even my running gloves have a story. I believe I’ve had them for nearly 10 years now. Been through a couple hundred miles of cold-weather running, riding the SAG bike behind every runDisney race, trekking thru the glorious Swiss Alps, camping all over the country & most recently on my journey to the top of the world…. Mt. Everest base camp.
Trying to pack lightly, these were my only gloves for when nights got extra cold. A couple days into our 10 hour day tricks, I reach into my pockets and the gloves are nowhere to be found. We stopped frequently for water and breaks, so I must have left them behind on one of the many walls we encountered along the way. So disappointing, but there is no looking back.
2 more days goes by, and we’re winding down at our next teahouse to spend the night. We settle down to watch a movie and get warm while sipping on hot chocolate. I’m not very observant, however, I see a porter wearing my gloves (because they have a very distinctive NIKE neon yellow swoosh on the sides). Now everything along the trail is up for grabs if it’s been left. So I had no expectations even though I was sad. But through a wonderful guide, he gave back my gloves. A simple gesture, but to me these gloves meant so much more.
Everyone and everything has a story. Some days are beautiful, while others test you to your core. Every day is a new opportunity. Grasp it. Embrace every minute. Every story is unique and worth telling.
Lost in this moment…..
Sleeping in my clothes & jumping up at 4am to be the first in line to see sunrise peek over the top of the Angkor Wat temple deep in the Cambodia jungle near Siem Reap. The orange and yellow hues slowly crept up & the mosquitos startedtheir chant. It was mesmerizing. Larger than life.
The biggest temple in the world covers 401 square miles with 50 temples. A magical place of wonder & mystery of centuries long ago. My playground for the day was climbing and exploring this ancient labyrinth.
To reach the top of the sacred temple, you must wait in line to climb the 50+ steep steps where only 100 people are permitted at a time. Along the first courtyard on the left, I hung a heart to serve as a reminder to embrace the journey as the hardest paths will lead to the most beautiful inspirations.
Be anything but ordinary! #extraordinary #embracethejourney
The topic of cruising is typically a love or hate relationship. I personally can’t get enough. Of course I am biased, as there is no easier getaway for a Florida east coast resident. At our backdoor, we have these massive floating cities that can transport us to an island paradise over just a long weekend if need be. Or much longer if you desire. Plus not having to factor in the hassle of flying or worrying about excessive luggage, it is a no brainer. Add in that you only unpack once and the biggest convenience is that while you sleep, you get transported to a new port of call ready for exploration.
So when I looked back, I couldn’t believe that I have experienced 31 cruises to date. Really??!! Before you judge and think that I don’t have my priorities straight, I was lucky. Working at Disney for 15 years during the golden era of the cruise ships being launched, we could board for $35 per night last minute & I took advantage of it! Can you think of any other vacation that you would spend anywhere close to that? If you do, let me know because I’d be on that train tomorrow.
Plus working high profile events that could last weeks & being on call 24/7, I needed the release & complete disconnect from reality. From extensively travelling the Caribbean islands, to wading amongst the floating icebergs in Alaska, traversing the big Atlantic via a transatlantic trek, exploring the grand history of the Mediterranean & intro to Europe, sailing the majestic Panama Canal or just enjoying my fav hammock on earth at the remote island of Castaway Cay, cruises can transport you to otherworldly places with minimal stress or planning. (I get asked all the time what my fav location was & I think Panama Canal has a slight edge)
From 3 days to 14 days, my fav length is a 10 day excursion. It takes me a few days to actually relax & get into vaca mode. Plus I need a few days to stay up really late to stargaze on the top deck, which always means that sleeping in is a must. You have to make time for all the first run movies, see all the broadway type shows, chill in every pool, order a drink of the day daily, finish a good book or two, enjoy the competition on the shuffleboard deck, find the discipline to run the deck, explore a few land excursions or roaming around new towns…..the list is endless.
Post COVID, cruising will look very different and many people will be skeptical. I for one can’t wait…..for the deals & for the chance to escape once again!
FearlessAdventures