Highs and Lows

A tear slid down my cheek atop the Zion Canyon overlook rock that I was perched on for a calm sunset over the valley below. A euphoric high that I vaguely remember from 12 years ago on my first visit but it is refreshingly new from a different vantage point. A sliver of time that I so deeply don’t want to end. A deeper appreciation & love of nature than I’ve ever felt.

On the flip side, I try to push the lowest of lows deeper inside to a place that I rarely visit. We all have those not so proud moments and mistakes that we should never make again. BUT behind this tough exterior, I still fight with my own demons and wrestle with finding my own power to always fight to rise up. It is in me. It is in you. Reach deep. I’m worth it. You are worth it.

I try to live with no regrets and power forward so…….

Be brave.

Have courage.

Love life.

Reconnect with your own confidence, resilience, strength & unshakeable grit – that is winning πŸ™Œ

#thrive #noregrets #onedayordayone

Inspiration Point

Waiting atop Inspiration Point at Bryce National Park for sunrise on a brisk October morning, I hear a giddy squeal as a group of tourists make their way up the pathway. One of the ladies can’t contain her excitement and squeals again shouting β€œno way” & β€œoh my”. Everyone around starts to smile & laugh at her overwhelming joy in seeing the hoodoos radiate from the sun for the first time. Then it’s crazy….. a mix of strangers from all over the country, I presume, we all start to whoop & holler too!

Never forget the joy in the little things and I hope you “whoop & hollar” when you see or feel something that truly inspires you!

Sunrise from Inspiration Point at Bryce Anton NP

Happiest when…….

What is it that makes you tick? What gets your heart racing in excitement? What can always break you out of a bad mood? Is there a switch you can flicker to jump start your imagination?

How well do you know you?

Some are easily achievable and you routinely share. But what if you dig a little deeper to those ones you don’t talk about? What is holding you back? If they make you genuinely filled with joy, why don’t you tap into those more often?

These were my wandering thoughts as I sat atop Sunset point at Bryce Canyon watching the setting sun cast a orange glow over the breathtaking hoodoos & then the full moon took over with a wide-cast light shining down from above…..as happy as I have been in quite some time & able to fully engage with my thoughts. My list that is just getting started:

  • Visiting my beautiful 5 nieces & nephews
  • Jetskiing & wakeboarding all day
  • Seeing a Duke basketball game at Cameron Indoor Stadium
  • Playing racquetball
  • Disney cruising
  • Planning my next crazy adventure travel
  • Baking
  • Sunsets (or sunrises if I can force myself to get up)
  • Hiking, climbing, mountain biking and exploring anywhere new
  • Motivational quotes
  • Winnie the Pooh
  • Firefighter dramas
  • Live acoustic bands in small venues
  • Buying unique sneakers
  • Watching FRIENDS
  • Going to the movies
  • Playing guitar hero
  • Reading lawyer fiction novels
  • Kickboxing classes
  • Massages & hot baths with candles
  • Dunkin’ hot chocolate
  • Sungazer lilies
  • Christmas lights
  • Epcot Food & Wine Festival

Smiles and energy are contagious – own it!!!

One life

You only live one life so how are you going to spend it?

With regrets? Should haves? A giver? Dieting? Content? Scared to try? Studying? Hating yourself? Life of the party? A go getter? Beating yourself up over a past mistake? With friends? Sleeping the day away? Working? Laughing? Seeing the world? Learning a new skill? In the past? A dreamer? A doer?

Spend it well & make yourself proud. What do you really, really want?

#digdeeper #livenow #onedayordayone

Edge of happiness

Gooseneck state park in southeastern Utah was so dreamy at sunset and I felt a surge of happiness overcome me. How do you bottle up something so special and be able to return to it when life gets tough?

Sunset πŸŒ… at Goosenecks State Park, Utah
  • My hot pot made a killer packaged cheese enchilada goop πŸ˜‹ – seriously!! πŸ§€
  • Hot chocolate β˜•οΈ always soothes the soul
  • Reading a book in the comfort of my hammock without a care of what is going on in the β€œreal” world 🌎 πŸ“–
  • Stargazing without any light pollution except the glow of a brilliant moon 🌚 πŸ”­
  • Speaker softly playing a cheesy playlist πŸ”Š 🎢
  • Walking along the edge of a sharp chiseled cliffside imagining the history & weather that shaped this dreamy landscape 🏜 β›ˆ
  • The simplicity of being at a campsite in the middle of nowhere is so enthralling & deeply moving πŸ€”
  • The distinct chill in the air as it hits 9pm (as I’m usually up for another 3 hours), so I bundle up in more layers 😴

As I begin to appreciate the small things once again, I have a gained my power back and the weight I have put on my shoulders for 23 years begins to slide off into nothingness.

β€œThe sound of silence. To be absent from drama is to be present with peace.” -unknown

Cliff overlook at Goosenecks SP

What is it about a sunset? πŸŒ…

Is it……

  • the pastel hues that are so calming?
  • the fire πŸ”₯ orange that means something great is bound to happen?
  • the satisfaction of seeing another one set peacefully?
  • the promise of a new day & start tomorrow?
  • the simplicity of not being in control of Mother Earth?
  • the wonders of nature shining thru?
  • that no 2 are alike?
  • that everyone sees something different?
  • the thrill of catching the green spark?

Take a deep breath, let your worries float away, go chase another sunset & I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

#chasinasunset #nature #peace

Titusville, FL
Grand Tetons NP
Badlands NP
Summit of Mt Kilimanjaro
Ankgor Wat

11 days

11 days into this trip of a lifetime – pinch me!
Plan is 11 states. 13 national monuments. 19 national parks. 50 days. 62 stops.
Livin’ my dream & just gettin’ started 🏞πŸ₯ΎπŸ”πŸŒ…πŸ“ΈπŸΊ

β€œYour passion is for you.
Your purpose is for others.
Your passion makes you happy.
But when you use your passion to make a difference in someone else’s life, that’s a purpose” – Jay Shetty

Fearless geyser – Yellowstone NP

Did you know there is a Fearless geyser in Yellowstone National Park 🏞? I spent a little extra time just sitting at this natural wonder.

It would rumble & gurgle occasionally.

Mud spews.

Vents hiss.

Roots sizzle.

Cauldrons churn.

Pungent sulphur smells take over…..

But unbeknownst to you or I is when the next sudden eruption would captivate it’s audience?

My mind wandered from crazy trip ideas πŸ’‘ to motivational tactics but I kept coming back to one saying……once you become fearless, life becomes limitless. πŸ’ͺ

#fearlessadventures #inthemoment #beyourownhero #nolimits

1 epic trip – 19 US National Parks

Shame on me. In my extensive travels so far, I have only visited 10 of our 62 US National parks. 🏞 β›°πŸœ

How is that possible??!!

On my current trip of a lifetime, I have the potential to hit 19 (14 new to me) so I fully intend to take advantage of the annual $80 NP pass in 2020-21. These national treasures are truly a gift. On our hikes today, my dad and I were bantering about how many of the best places we have been & the most memorable involved being in the great outdoors and didn’t cost much (if anything). So my plea to you…..

  • drive a scenic overlook
  • bring a picnic lunch to enjoy amongst nature
  • take a hike
  • snorkel or dive a watering hole
  • kayak a crystal clear lake
  • climb or boulder a rock face
  • soak in natural hot springs
  • pitch a tent on the canyon floor
  • stargaze from deep in the woods
  • conquer hairpin curves through a forest
  • bike the backroads
  • savor a sunrise at an observation point
  • explore a cave
  • brave rapids via a raft
  • cast a line in a remote stream
  • toast some marshmallows over a campfire

#optoutside #enjoynature #escape #disconnect #seekadventures

9/11 hike to remember

I always try to escape somewhere on 9/11 for some quiet time & to reflect. I remember working at the Disney Sports Clubhouse & not being able to get thru to my college roommate Olympia, who was working near the Pentagon. And now 19 years later, I’m staying with her beautiful family prior to starting my life changing adventure & she is thriving. πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ #neverforget911

My hikes (yes, plural) today reminded me that we only live once & need to embrace every minute. Be your own hero. πŸ¦Έβ€β™€οΈ Here’s to living life on the edge……

I have numerous random thoughts on a trek & today I smiled at all those experiences that have shaped me & many were represented today…… a bear shirt from LRU 🐻, a face mask from the Y πŸ€™, day bag from runDisney πŸ‘Ÿ , bracelet from Kilimanjaro πŸ” , ring from Everest β›°, necklace from Machu Picchu πŸ‡΅πŸ‡ͺ …..

Royal arch trail in Boulder was the perfect pick to start this trip of a lifetime. Lots of scrambling over rocks, mud to trounce thru from the recent snowfall & a view to be proud of accomplishing with a 1500’ elevation gain. It was great to lace up the hiking boots again, get my trekking legs motoring and get lost in the peace & serenity of a mountain top. Highly recommend it if you ever travel to Boulder. πŸ™Œ

2nd hike of the day was the Mount Sanitas Peak Trail. Damn. I kicked my own a$$ today. My first GDC moment. Got a little lost for the first 30 minutes. But it’s OK. I have nowhere else to be. πŸ˜† Challenging uphill climb + my mental block was fierce. Needless to say I spent an hour at the summit to recover. Ultimately it was a great trail.

But as I write this I can barley walk. Lol. 25k steps most straight uphill & this FL girl is learning the hard way I’m not 25 anymore. I underestimated the altitude affect too. Shower. Rest. Done. 😴