CourtSchurmanGO.com 2025-02-20

How to Find Balance on the Trail and in Life

Last Thursday, Ajax and I started up the Old Si trail around 6:30 a.m. via the Little Si trailhead. I’d received some uplifting health news the day before, and I wanted to challenge myself beyond Squak, Cougar, and Tiger Mountains. This week, I explore how to find balance on the trail and in life against the backdrop of photos from the Old Si trail.

Our hiking route took us from the lower left corner (Little Si) around the Boulder Garden Loop Trail to the Old Si Trail and all the way to the Teneriffe Connector, where we turned around. — The ascent: our hiking route took us from the lower left corner (Little Si) around the Boulder Garden Loop Trail to the Old Si Trail and up to the Teneriffe Connector Trail, where we turned around.

The Ascent: Find Balance One Step at a Time

The Old Si trail meanders through the Boulder Garden Loop before continuing steeply toward Si’s summit. The trail intersects with the “new” trail in two spots. It helps to pay attention to make sure you’re on the right path.

During the hike, two things stood out:

The absence of people: Very few people were hiking the Old Si trail. It was a beautiful midweek morning in April. Mt. Si is one of the most popular hikes near Seattle. Except for eight hikers going up as we descended, we had the upper mountain completely to ourselves.
The unrelenting steepness: Old Si has exposed root-filled sections and is steeper than I remember from the last time I hiked it a few years ago. It’s likely why people choose the longer, more gently graded, and newer Mt. Si route. Hikers who enjoy the steep old trail on Mailbox, or the Cable/Section trails on Tiger Mountain, would love it.

A particularly rooted and steep section of the Old Si trail reminded me of parts of trails to Mailbox and Rachel Lake. Such steep trails require that hikers repeatedly find balance, similar to life when faced with countless obstacles.

Drawing Parallels To Life

After forty-some years of hiking, I implicitly trust my bodily-kinesthetic and natural-environmental superpowers. (Identify your superpowers here.) Whenever the trail gets steep, I know to slow down, take a quick break if I need one, and have alternative plans ready in case anything goes wrong. Sometimes I even speed up to get a challenging part behind me.

When I am alone, which is almost always my goal, I trust my body, my dog Ajax, my physical preparation, and four decades of wilderness experience. The mountains are my happy place.

An author selfie with Mt. Rainier in the background, taken from the summit area on Mt. Si. — An author’s selfie with Mt. Rainier in the background, taken from the summit area on Mt. Si.

However, when I look at challenges in my life, I lack the same confidence. Recently my daily “steep ascents” have included: A new health diagnosis in January (jagged boulders). Subsequent changes to my diet and training (rooty section). Updating and launching two websites (a cliff). Scrambling to find trusted pet care right before a trip (mud). The logistics of starting a second business and finding new clients (another sheer cliff). Completing coaching hours for a national credential (thick thorny brush). Maintaining house chores and pet care duties while my husband coaches throws in the afternoons (slick pebbles). The list sometimes feels endless.

What Are Your Obstacles?

Pause for a moment to think about the obstacles in your path. What challenges are you facing? How do you face them? Do you avoid tasks or charge forward? Maybe you pause and approach with caution or race in the opposite direction. Or perhaps you ignore them and hope they’ll disappear. How might you face them that would be more loving toward yourself and productive?

On the trail, I confidently take the next step forward. In life, however, I sometimes become a deer in the headlights or an ostrich burying my head in the sand, neither of which is helpful. Such fight, flight, or freeze responses bring me to a halt until I find a way past feelings of overwhelm.

My analogy breaks down a little bit in that on a trail we usually have two choices: forward or back. In life, we have so many obstacles and challenges thrown at us that it might look a little like this sign covered in stickers. But the approach, TAKE THE NEXT STEP, still holds.

Here’s the tricky thing: Whenever I challenge myself to grow and try new things, as I’ve been doing since starting this blog in July 2021, I’m constantly exploring an ever-expanding world I no longer — or don’t yet — know. The trail seems to shift under my feet like quicksand. Day-to-day life is not predictable. Injuries, illnesses, job challenges, relationship issues — all these things place us in the middle of an overgrown path we’ve never traveled before.

Identify Your Superpowers

So why do we expect that we can immediately solve our problems in such changing times? I’m trying to trust my innate wisdom and guidance like I already do experiences on the trail. Both require faith, endurance, and resilience. I’m also focusing on my superpowers — bodily-kinesthetic, natural-environmental, verbal-linguistic, and self-interior — rather than my shortcomings.

I help clients become aware of their skills, strengths, special talents, and superpowers so they can focus on and expand them, rather than getting down on themselves because of perceived weaknesses. If we concentrate on the negatives, we’ll always see more negatives. By concentrating on what we do WELL, we cultivate, grow, and see more good.

The Summit: I Find Balance and Moments of Clarity

At the two-hour mark, we spotted our first snow in a wooded patch right before we reached the rocky summit area. The rocks are where most people stop for a snack before heading down. Despite the steepness of the route, I felt pleased with our performance. Time to grab a snack and check out the views.

The parallel to life’s challenges is not lost on me: when we’re in the midst of struggle, we can lose sight of where we’re headed. But when we arrive at our destination and look back, we realize that although we might have been off target for much of the time, we eventually got where we wanted to go. Maybe not exactly as we expected, but the endurance and resilience we’ve built from other experiences have given us the fortitude to keep trying.

The Glory of the Views

The first view of Mt. Rainier due south stole my breath away. I grinned at the bands of lenticular clouds wisping across her flanks. I felt like calling hi to a friend I hadn’t seen in a while. A little farther along, we reached a pair of benches where I dropped my pack, got out some kibble and water for my dog Ajax, and had some cashews and a protein shake. We listened for chipmunks, jays, and other birds while admiring the views of North Bend and Puget Sound. I marveled at the miracle of having such a popular peak all to ourselves. Where is everyone, I asked myself.

A calm peace came over me as I tugged on a long-sleeved shirt and down jacket to ward off the inevitable chill of an April breeze. Hiking in the wilderness is as close to paradise as I can get. I remembered the fist-in-the-air elation I felt when I completed my 50th coaching session. Or when I received the good health news.

When our pet sitters agreed to host Ajax for a week of travel, or I landed some new clients, I felt similar satisfaction. But all the “life” examples rely on interactions with other people. With solo hiking, my results were completely under my power. Succeeding in the mountains gives me a way to find balance when I feel like things are overwhelming.

Anytime Ajax is sick, injured, or compromised in his care in some way, I face a huge obstacle. It's almost like having a sick child. — Anytime Ajax is sick, injured, or compromised in his care in some way, I face a huge obstacle. It’s almost like having a sick child.

In the words of my spiritual coach, Tama Kieves, abundance invites abundance. All the work, worry, and effort of taking one step in front of another paid off. Successes in life and hiking converged. A moment of peace, well deserved.

The Descent: Return to Comfort and Familiarity

After our brief pause, we headed north toward the Mt. Teneriffe Connector trail to explore other vantage points, but the ice made it hard to find balance. I decided we’d save Teneriffe for another day and explore more in the Boulder Garden Loop. We turned back knowing the mountains would shed their snow in another month or so.

About 20 minutes past the snowy area, a group of 8 hikers under heavy packs slowly made their way up the steep trail. We stepped aside to let them pass. “You’re up here early,” one hiker said. Just the way I like it, I thought. Another woman told her companion that they’d go down the gentler Si trail so they wouldn’t have to suffer as much on the way down. She commented on how WHITE my dog was and I simply smiled, knowing how muddy he can get when the trail is covered in puddles instead of snow.

Beyond the main Si route toward Teneriffe, the trail is still covered with hard-packed snow and ice. Microspikes will help you find balance.

As we made our way down the trail, I listened intently for birds I might have missed on the way up. I shared things I’m grateful for with Ajax. When we reached the Boulder Garden Loop, I heard a purple finch. Having heard the same bird on our way up, I thought to myself, “I bet when I come down I’ll have to look him up again on Merlin.” Sure enough. Practice makes … better. Experience teaches us.

Trail and Life Skills In Parallel

Some of the many skills I have cultivated in the mountains — such as route finding, layering, endurance, gear management, strength, and pacing — have parallels in life. To find balance in the mountains, we need to periodize our training program to include a mixture of easy and hard outings. Likewise in life, we need to have goals we know we can achieve as well as those that stretch us. The bite-sized achievements teach us how to keep striving for those goals that are more challenging.

The trail leading up to the north side of the Haystack, a pile of rock visible for miles around at the summit of Mt. Si.

Finding your way in the mountains is akin to knowing where you want to go in life (i.e. having a goal) as well as how to get there. If you want new clients, for example, you need to know who your target clients are, what they want, and how best to connect with them to cultivate a strong relationship.

Endurance on the trail means you have the physical stamina to get where you want. In life’s challenges, we need to cultivate emotional resilience and fortitude to endure tough situations while also being patient, gentle, and forgiving of ourselves.

Finally, related to pacing: if we charge forward without thinking things through, we may burn ourselves out before we reach our destination. Sometimes a cautious, slower approach to our goals is better than flying Mach 2 with our hair on fire.

Please Share Your Challenges

Steep and challenging hikes provide a beautiful metaphor for the challenging portions of life’s journey. The more we can learn how to manage our stress, pace ourselves, and find balance among all our life roles, the more we can thrive during times of stress or ease. Whatever your challenge, you can overcome it.

Mossy boulder in the Boulder Garden Loop.

What obstacles are you facing as you strive to find balance? Please share your comments so we can all help and learn from each other. If you would like to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with me to see how we might collaborate contact me at either Thrive Clues or Body Results.

Surrender Control: How to Focus on Skills and Habits Instead

Sometimes life feels like it is spinning out of control. Pet care disappears before a trip. A health diagnosis or injury catches you off guard. Money issues leave you feeling unprepared. Worries pile up. An event ends with a different outcome than you expected. It happens. What if you surrender control, and instead, focus on the habits you need to acquire and skills you need to develop to reach your goals?

New signs on the Whittaker Wilderness Peak Trail.

Whittaker Wilderness and Doughty Falls

Last week, Ajax, a hiking friend, and I visited Whittaker Wilderness Peak adding a loop including Shy Bear Pass to Doughty Falls. Our trip started great. We were first on the trail, with beautiful weather, upbeat moods, and time at the summit to grab a snack and sign the summit registry before continuing to explore Cougar Mountain.

But I overestimated how much mileage she could safely handle, leaving her dehydrated, in pain, and overly tired. A little less than a mile from the trailhead, I left her resting to dash back to the car with Ajax and bring her extra water. The word she used at the end of our hike was “miserable.”

A selfie at Doughty Falls, what my daughter called "Doughty Trickle" in July when there is no running water. — A selfie at Doughty Falls, what my daughter called “Doughty Leak” in July when there is no running water.

I shared posts about this particular trail in How to Assess Your Progress (June 2023) and Expect the Unexpected (July 2023). In both, the outcome was far from optimal. Is it me or the trail? Am I trying too hard to control the outcome, choosing what feels easy (to me) to gently push my partners – my dog, my daughter, my friend – into more mileage than they’re ready for?

The Essence of Control

When you think of control, what comes to mind? The vanilla definition of control is “the power to influence or direct people’s behavior or the course of events.” Many of my clients mention feeling “out of control” around food, or not being able to exercise because of “situations beyond their control.” What makes you lose control?

We have no control over how our hiking partners do, but we can help them develop the right skills such as pacing, fueling, hydration, gear selection, and more, to improve their outcomes.

Now it’s your turn to explore your ideas and feelings about control. Please jot down some notes for the following questions:

The Illusion of Control

Reflect on a moment when you felt completely in control. What elements were actually under your control, and what elements were not? Precision Nutrition has a worksheet called the Spheres of Control that might help you explore what areas of your life you have control over and which you don’t.

Trilliums are starting to bloom in the mountains! A sure sign of spring. We have zero control over the weather, but 100% control over where we choose to live.

Surrender Control

Think about a time you had no choice but to surrender control. How did it make you feel, and what was the outcome? Did other people around you seem to have control, and if so, over what? What did you learn from the experience? If you had to do it again, what would you do differently?

Surrender Control in Physical Challenges

In February of 2024, I shared a post on process and outcome goals. In physical challenges, an outcome goal might be “summit Mt. Rainier” over which we have little control. A process goal might include “carry a pack with increasing weight over increasing distance and elevation gain weekly” over which we have more control.

When you consider physical challenges like a hike, you can’t control the weather, but you can control the route you choose. You can control who you hike with, but not how they do.

I think I have voice control over Ajax, but that is an illusion. What we have is a bonded trust that comes from 7 years of hiking together. He loves to hike with me; he also loves being off-leash. He knows he will lose that freedom if he goes too far away from me. — I think I have voice control over Ajax, but that is an illusion. What we have is a bonded trust that comes from 7 years of hiking together. He loves to hike with me. But he also loves being off-leash. He knows he will lose that freedom if he goes too far away from me.

The Body’s Limits and the Mind’s Role

Now it’s your turn. Recall a physically challenging experience. This might include facing a goal that pushed you past previous limits. Getting a physical diagnosis that shocked you into changing your actions. Recovering from an injury or illness that required a lot from you both physically and mentally.

Did you listen to your body’s signals, or did your mind push you to ignore them? What might that say about your relationship with control? Use the Sphere of Control exercise if it helps.

I often surrender control over timing Ajax's breaks. Here he supplies himself with a drink of water when he's thirsty. — I often surrender control over timing Ajax’s breaks. Here he supplies himself with a drink of water when he’s thirsty.

Preparation vs. Adaptation

Consider how preparation for an event (like training for a mountain climb, hike, or triathlon) differs from adapting in the moment. Which do you lean towards, and how does that affect your sense of control? If you have a physical goal in mind, how much of your preparation relies on gaining skills? on creating consistent habits that will help you get ready?

How much depends on luck and “winging it?” What would it feel like to surrender control over some aspect of preparation for a physical goal?

Ajax and C. cross one of several boardwalks through the Shy Bear Pass loop on Cougar Mountain.

Surrender Control in Relationships

The last two aspects of control include supporting others and impact on well-being.

Supporting vs. Controlling

One of the trickiest parts about being a coach rather than a personal trainer is to surrender control to the client. For 25 years as a personal trainer, I got used to asking for two more repetitions or telling clients what exercise they would do next. A good coach, on the other hand, remains client-centered and asks what the client feels they need.

Personal trainers control the environment, the workout, and in that regard, the outcome. Coaches are collaborators, equal partners, and guides. As I grapple with evolving into a 100% coach, that line blurs when I need to hold firm.

Fern-covered boulder, an erratic from the glacier age?

Reflect on a time when you had to support someone else through a challenge. How did you balance offering support without taking control away from them? What might you do differently to surrender control that isn’t yours in the first place?

The Role of Control in Wellness

This morning I have a medical appointment I’ve been nervous about for a few days. I have no control over the outcome of the tests. But I do have control over two things: my reaction and the actions I take beyond today.

I have overcome every physical challenge I’ve faced in the past fifty years, including natural childbirth, healing broken bones, removing unhealthy addictive behaviors, and coping with unexpected health diagnoses. Whatever new information I learn, I know I will continue to make the best choices possible.

A selfie with my best hiking pal, Ajax, near the junction at Whittaker Wilderness Peak.

Your turn. How does your desire for control impact your wellness journey? Does it stress you out? Could you surrender control to lead to greater well-being?

Take-Aways about Control

This week I’ve continued to rewrite my control stories. My hiking partner hiked solo this week, reclaiming her power and succeeding on a trail that challenged her a few months ago. By being willing to teach her, I’m also learning from her.

By focusing on controlling the actions we take (our process goals), we can influence our outcomes. We can’t control others’ performance, but we can support them so they have a more comfortable experience. Likewise, we can’t control how our bodies do on a given day, but we can acquire skills around proper hydration, physical training, gear selection, fueling, recovery, and pacing to enhance the outcome.

Skunk Cabbage is blooming on Cougar Mountain.

Feel free to explore your reactions to these prompts in your journaling or reflection practice and share any insights in the comments so that we can all benefit, learn, and grow.

How to Celebrate Milestones in Unconventional Ways

In November, I shared ten non-food, non-cost celebrations anyone can do to mark important achievements. This week I thought again about how people celebrate and how personal such time markers are. Last week I reached a huge milestone. It involved completing fifty structured coaching sessions following certain guidelines. It moves me one step closer to becoming a nationally recognized, board-certified health and wellness coach (NBC-HWC) with only a 5-hour exam in July remaining between me and the new credential. To celebrate, I headed for the mountains with my dog. How do you celebrate milestones?

Abundant flowing water at Exit 47 on the path to Pratt Lake. Alpine trails in March look far different than they do in October!

Destination: Pratt Lake Trail

The last time I’d hiked this particular segment of the trail at Exit 47 off I-90 was in October 2021. 18 months earlier I almost injured myself during a solo hike with Ajax to Pratt and Tuscahootchie Lake. This time, I knew we’d find snow since my daughter and I visited Olallie and Talapus Lakes the week before (accessible from both Exit 45 and Exit 47). This time, my goal was Rainbow/Island Lakes (11.7 miles/3000′ gain) west of the junction that leads north to Pratt Lake. Barring that, we could try Pratt Lake (11 miles / 2300′ gain). So many possibilities!

The parallel was not lost on me. As I get closer to earning my NBHWC credential, I feel like endless possibilities are opening to me. More confidence as a coach. More clout when talking with people who might want me to coach health and wellness groups. The more skills and knowledge I acquire, the better a resource I am for my existing clients, some of whom have been with me for over a decade.

I go all out to celebrate milestones. Usually in the mountains. Tree branches bowing under the weight of new-fallen snow that all but covered the trail ahead of us. There must have been at least 4-6 inches of undisturbed new snow overnight.

This adventure was to celebrate milestones — not only what I’ve accomplished over the past year toward launching and building Thrive Clues, but also how far I’ve come in the past twenty-five years as co-owner of Body Results.

Breaking Trail

On March 28th we started our hike around 6:45 a.m., the only car parked in the lot. As we continued past the sign at .9 miles marking the Pratt Lake/Granite Mountain junction, which Ajax and I visited last October, I felt like I was returning home. The area around Exit 47 is my favorite because of the large number of accessible Alpine Lakes. No two hikes are ever the same.

I eagerly anticipated finding snow around the next bend, and the next, but we traveled at least two miles before reaching a dusting in the underbrush. At several fast-flowing streams, I pulled out my new Trail Buddy aluminum cork trekking poles to give me more confidence in my footing.

When Ajax struggled in deep snow causing him to posthole up to his belly, I knew it was time for snowshoes.

By the time we reached the Pratt-Olallie junction, we tromped through several inches of new snow. It got progressively deeper as we headed toward Pratt Lake. By the time Ajax reached snow up to his belly, I knew it was time for me to put on my MSR snowshoes and break trail.

Decision Time

My spirits soared as I trusted my route-finding skills through the snow-draped forest. Ajax knows the trail almost as well as I do, but he’s so low to the ground that I wonder whether he trusts his nose or if he looks for the “path of least resistance” that is slightly lower than the rest of the surroundings. When did the last travelers come through here?

I kept glancing behind me to make sure Ajax was with me. He followed directly behind in my snowshoe tracks. At last, I heard what I refer to as the “highest falls.” It’s a fast-running stream, the last flowing water before the overlook for Mt. Rainier and Olallie Lake and the junction between Pratt and Rainbow/Island Lakes.

When we reached the stream, a faint depression on the opposite side indicated where someone had previously traveled. However, the slope beneath me was buried and slick. Snow-covered rocks across the stream would be treacherous if I took my snowshoes off, but I couldn’t navigate the slope with them on.

What about Ajax? Without me breaking trail, he’d be standing in freezing water waiting for me. At that moment, I knew that without anyone else on the trail, we couldn’t take any unnecessary risks.

Celebrate Milestones with Plan C: Olallie Lake

I quickly came up with plan C: we’d visit Olallie Lake from the west instead of the east, as we’d done the previous week. It would still give us some new trail and a narrow log bridge to cross. But I felt sure Ajax could handle it. We turned around and retraced our snowshoe tracks toward Olallie Lake.

At the narrow log bridge that has turned me around twice before with multiple hiking partners, this time I knew what would help. I called Ajax to me and put his leash on, then followed him across the bridge. Sometimes he reminds me of a mountain goat.

Ajax scouting out the narrow log bridge. He turned around when I got his harness out and allowed me to attach it for safety.

The only tracks we found on our trip to Olallie Lake were a pair of microspikes on boots that someone must have made from Exit 45 not long before we arrived. We had the lake to ourselves. Greg, the snowman I built the previous week, was only a small mound of snow. After a snack and some water, we tried to walk around the lake but soon decided we’d be better off on the flat ground of the frozen lake itself.

Celebrate Milestones: Last Try

On our “celebrate milestones” adventure, I’d set my turn-around time as 11:30. We still had over an hour to play. Maybe we could go back to the “highest falls” to scout the stream for a way across. If nothing else, I’d shoot some more photos of the stunning landscape.

As we started up the Pratt trail a second time, I noticed my left foot was slipping around. I glanced down. Two of the straps were missing! Likewise on my right, one of the midfoot straps had snapped off. The 25-year-old straps had grown so brittle over the years, and in the cold, that they’d broken in two.

Author selfie at the"first falls" along the Pratt-Olallie trail, just about a half mile beyond the junction with the Granite Mountain trail. — Author selfie at the”first falls” along the Pratt-Olallie trail, just about a half mile beyond the junction with the Granite Mountain trail.

Gear malfunction made our decision easy: we turned around and headed for the car where, once again, I was delighted and surprised to find nobody else in the lot. We’d made a good call. I’d order new buckles and try again. On the hike out, I ran through my list of gratitudes, thanking the snow, the trail, my dog, and the snowshoes that got me as far as they did. What a great day to be alive and appreciative of the joy Mother Nature always provides.

Take-Away Lessons

What are some non-cost, non-food ways for you to celebrate milestones? My way might not be something you would enjoy. Your treats will be just as unique and unconventional for you.

In the words of Marie Kondo, what sparks joy for you? Perhaps you like to dance. Why not take a short dance party break to a favorite song? Call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while to share your good news. Take a stroll in your favorite neighborhood to collect wildflowers. Attend a “free museum day” exhibit you’ve been wanting to see.

Peace, serenity, solitude, and nature's beauty are among the top qualities I look for in a celebration. — Peace, serenity, solitude, and nature’s beauty are among the top qualities I look for in a celebration.

Celebrate milestones in a way that makes them meaningful to you. If you go from one milestone to the next without a pause to appreciate how far you’ve come, you’ll exhaust yourself. Today I celebrate my new clients. My health. Completion of one task and start of the next. Share how you celebrate milestones so we can all learn and grow.

Changing Seasons: How to Adapt on the Trails

In this week’s blog post, I contrast two recent hikes while reflecting on how the changing seasons mirror our personal growth. The first, a five-hour ramble around the summits of West Tiger Mountain, included dirt paths, songs from 18 bird species, and running streams. Familiar, as I historically am a fair-weather, 3-season hiker. On the second, my daughter joined Ajax and me for a lovely snowy visit to Olallie and Talapus Lakes. The changing seasons in the mountains provide valuable metaphors for personal adaptation and stretching outside our comfort zone to find the zest and thrills that make life worth living.

My daughter joined me and Ajax for my usual Tuesday Morning outing, a trip to Talapus and Olallie Lakes near Exit 45 off I-90 in the Cascade Mountains.

Changing Seasons, Changing Landscapes

In spring, everything in the mountains changes. Birds grace us with their songs from March to May. Lakes and streams melt, creating beautiful rushing waterfalls. Greenery bursts with early blooms. Footing evolves from the interesting and ever-changing hard-packed snow to mud and, as things eventually dry, predictable dusty trails.

And people come out in droves. When I finished my early morning St. Patrick’s Day hike on Tiger Mountain, the parking lot was packed by noon. Four cars lined up behind me, waiting to take my space. Parked cars lined the access road clear down to Frontage Road. Fortunately, sticking to less popular trails ensured a hike relatively free from people.

By contrast, on Tuesday we were the first to arrive at the trailhead for Talapus and Olallie Lakes at 9 a.m. Even at 2 when we returned to our car, there were only a couple handfuls of cars. Same lovely weather but on a weekday. Farther from the city. And in snow. Could more visits to snowy trails be the answer to enjoying the mountains without tons of people? And why is that?

My daughter and Ajax pause on the snowy trail to Olallie and Talapus Lakes on the cusp of the changing seasons.

Navigate Icy Paths and Enjoy the Winter Wonderland

In the snow, the solitude and silence were priceless. We encountered only 8 bird species compared to 20 two days earlier on Tiger. Even the air felt different. As we walked through the woods, icy pockets signaled nearby snow. How wondrous to transition onto hard-packed snow that muffled the sound around us.

On the trip out, I asked my daughter which she preferred: the same hike in the summer or this one in winter conditions. She likes Talapus Lake in the summer — if she can explore the logjam on the east end. But in the winter, when logs are covered in snow and more treacherous, she prefers Olallie Lake, with its easy access and interesting snow travel.

Each step brought us new challenges and mindfulness, whether the snow crunched underfoot and provided traction, or caused us to slip and slide. By the end of the hike, we were more savvy about picking which sections of snow would hold weight and what would lead to flailing. Obvious highlights included making snow angels, stomping a huge smile in the fresh white landscape, building a snowman named Greg, and walking across frozen Olallie Lake. Such wonderful solitude.

Ajax soaks up the sun while Brooke peers over snowman Greg's outstretched arm. The snowman only took about 15 minutes to build under near-perfect conditions. The arrival of spring reminds me of the changing seasons. — Ajax soaks up the sun while Brooke peers over snowman Greg’s outstretched arm. The snowman only took about 15 minutes to build under near-perfect conditions. The arrival of spring reminds me of the changing seasons.

Prepare and Adapt: Gear and Mindset

In addition to enjoying the changing landscape, we also selected different gear. Early spring snow conditions change rapidly, sometimes hour to hour. We brought ski poles, snowshoes, and microspikes in the car with us. But once I saw bare pavement and dirt trails at the trailhead, I left behind the bulkier, harder-to-carry snowshoes and ski poles. Instead, I brought both pairs of compact microspikes and one collapsible pole.

The only snow equipment we ended up using were gloves and the pole. The few other hikers we saw clipped on their traction devices, but we never needed ours. I prefer to carry something we might or might not use rather than suffering from not having it. Proper gear choice speaks to two things: experience and preparation. In the metaphor of life’s unpredictable challenges, the more experience we have and the more prepared we are to face whatever comes next, the better we can handle it.

You can take the hiker out of the mountains, but you can never take the mountains out of the hiker. Whether snow or dirt, I feel completely in my element, at peace and connected when I'm out enjoying nature. One of our favorite trees on the Talapus-Olallie Lakes trail. — You can take the hiker out of the mountains, but you can never take the mountains out of the hiker. Whether snow or dirt, I feel completely in my element, at peace and connected when I’m out enjoying nature. One of our favorite trees on the Talapus-Olallie Lakes trail.

Personal Growth Parallels Life’s Changing Seasons

Like changing seasons in the mountains, we experience inevitable changes in our own lives. When my daughter was much younger, just as we started getting comfortable with a life stage… everything changed. The terrible twos. Her first solo gymnastics class. Kindergarten. First friendships. Junior high. Her constant growth forced us to adapt, like it or not. Parenting builds resilience and adaptability. So do injury, illness, changes in homes or jobs, and adversity.

Each of my clients comes to me facing profound change. If we can prepare for the unexpected and face challenges head-on, we can appreciate our journey and the lessons it can teach us. This week I spoke with a client who recently reached the summit of Kilimanjaro. She became a magnet of optimism for the others on her 20-person team who needed a pep talk. She enjoyed each of the diverse experiences during the journey to the top as much as she did the summit.

This winter we didn't get much in the way of snow in the city. So we drove to it to make snow angels, a snowman, and throw a few snowballs. Ajax investigated my daughter's angel. — This winter we didn’t get much in the way of snow in the city. So we drove to it to make snow angels, a snowman, and throw a few snowballs. Ajax investigated my daughter’s angel.

Experiencing a Shift

As I created this post, I felt a shift within. Making the time to drive a greater distance with my daughter to reach the snow made me relish and yearn for snow experiences even more. It helped me embrace and celebrate both my Milwaukee roots and over two decades of Alpine travel. And, as a bonus, Ajax tolerated the snow just fine.

I don’t have any big physical objectives this year. My mantra for 2024 is to “turn obstacles into opportunities.” Instead of viewing snow in the mountain as an obstacle that keeps me on trails at lower elevations, I’m heading higher starting in April. Ajax and I will enjoy the snow as much as we can. After all, the summer heat and crowded trails are just around the corner.

How to Make Change Stick: Client Questions Answered

We’re halfway through March Madness. I’ve set an intention to complete all of my practicum coaching sessions by March 31. The NBC-HWC (National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach) certification requires fifty before we can sit for the 5-hour final in July. My clients and I have had so much fun and success that I thought I would share some of their insights with you. The four questions featured below illustrate how to take specific, concrete, simple steps to make change stick. Each is representative of how I help people through my new coaching company, Thrive Clues.

One way I make change stick is to get out hiking with friends. Ajax and a hiking buddy on Mt. Washington. I may be headed back there on Tuesday.

Increase Satiation of Lunchtime Salads

One client wanted help to increase the satisfaction of her vegetarian salads at lunchtime. She was already doing several things right: pre-purchased packaged greens thrown together with protein. Simple, quick, and effective. But she always craved something sweet afterward, even though she was full. Perhaps you can relate. To make change stick, we needed to find an easy solution that was readily available.

I asked what her source of fat was. Bingo! We found the missing piece. We discussed how she could try adding a thumb-sized portion of avocado oil, olive oil, or half an avocado like the picture below.

Try adding avocado oil, olive oil, diced avocado, or guacamole to a salad to add sustenance and increase the satiation impact (make it more satisfying and last longer.)

A week later, she reported that she was astonished at how one simple change made the salad so much more satisfying. She felt sated longer so she ate less the rest of the day. She no longer overdid it on dessert. Win!

Do you have a tricky meal you’d like to overhaul? Send me an Email to set up a FREE 15-minute consultation to troubleshoot your problem.

Make Change Stick: Increase Autonomy In Hiking

Another client loves to hike, but it seems she does better when someone else sets up the destination and meeting times. She also likes having someone with her while she gains confidence and familiarity on new-to-her trails.

To increase her autonomy and self-sufficiency, we developed a new hiking plan. She would continue to hike with me every other week on new-to-her “stretch” trails, which would build her confidence. On the Tuesdays between our hikes, she would explore a trail on her own that we’d already done together.

Since she’d participated in five consecutive hikes, we talked about how she might increase her weekly exercise to support her new passion and make change stick. When she suggested walking four days a week, I gently reminded her that going from one day of exercise per week to five might feel overwhelming. We’re shooting for success, not shame, guilt, or blame. Going from one to two weekly workouts would feel more sustainable. It could help her build a new exercise habit that will stick.

What a difference a week makes. On March 5, Squak had several inches of snow at the summit. This bench had a warning sign on it.

One week later, on March 12, we had sun, hail, rain, and high winds. But the bench and snow were gone.

Nudge the Notch

By taking small steps, what I call “nudging the notch,” you can sneak up on your goals without pain, injury, overwhelm, or strain. She finally agreed to add just one thing. After reviewing how to set SMART goals, she decided to add a weekly walk between hikes.

Are you having difficulty figuring out how to set up your hiking training? Send me an Email to set up a FREE 15-minute consultation to troubleshoot.

Add Protein to Breakfast

What if you have four habits you want to incorporate, today? At Thrive Clues we use Precision Nutrition principles of identifying the “low-hanging fruit” or the “big rocks,” meaning those habits that are easiest to change or make the biggest impact.

One of my long-term clients wanted to investigate eating more vegetables, controlling portion size, adding healthy fats, and getting a better handle on breakfasts. All are great habits, at the right time. When I challenged her for the next week to start with one thing, she chose to focus on breakfast. Once she proves she can make change stick around breakfast protein, she can go on to others.

It is not unusual for me to have veggies and lean pork for breakfast. Who says we can't? — It is not unusual for me to have veggies and lean pork for breakfast. Who says we can’t?

Breakfast Defined

For many people, “breakfast” means either sausage, bacon, eggs (high fat and cholesterol) or pancakes, donuts, waffles, or pastries (high fat, sugar, and gluten) or perhaps cereal with milk or yogurt (processed foods). Breakfast is literally whatever food we use to “break our fast.”

We discussed what her current morning meal looks like and what her ideal might be. When she asked me what I eat for the first meal of the day, I said I start with protein which often means leftovers from the night before. Homemade pad Thai, ground chicken with half a Japanese sweet potato, and pulled pork and veggies don’t sound like “breakfast foods” to most people. Why not?

A sample breakfast: 2 slices of melon, half a Sumo orange, a healthy dollop of guacamole, 3 strips of lean bacon, and two small gluten-free rice flour tortillas. All homemade. All delicious. And decaffeinated Market Spice tea. — I quit eating cereal years ago. A common breakfast: 2 melon balls, half a Sumo orange, a healthy dollop of guacamole, 3 strips of lean bacon, and two small gluten-free rice flour tortillas. And decaffeinated Market Spice tea. All homemade. All delicious.

General Mills, Kellogg’s, and other producers of cereal know exactly how to make palatable, highly addictive foods. Psst – sugar! Take a look at your labels. I challenge you to find a tasty cereal that has under 6 grams of sugar per serving. They don’t exist. Those that do taste a little like twigs and bark.

What Protein Do You Like?

Instead, I invited her to think WAY outside the box to find what proteins she likes. Could you make a morning meal around salmon and eggs? What about a chicken thigh with a little rice and guacamole? A lean burger patty could be very tasty any time of day. And don’t forget protein shakes for those rushed mornings when you want something easy that will support you. The first step is to rewrite old scripts.

Would you like to discuss redefining your meals so that you get away from old habits that no longer serve you? Send me an Email to set up a FREE 15-minute consultation.

Make Change Stick: Reframe Exercise as Movement

The most common conversation with clients I’ve had the past two weeks has been to reframe exercise as moving the body. Anything other than sitting on the couch or lying down counts. How relieved people are when I say they don’t have to go to the gym for an hour-long sweaty sufferfest. Nor do they have to endure mind-numbing time on the “dreadmill”. Some of my conversations revealed that clients are a lot closer than they thought to the national recommendations for movement.

One of the questions I ask my coaching clients is to think about activities they've enjoyed in the past. SCUBA? Zumba? Biking? Golf? Anything is fair game. By choosing things you ENJOY you're far more likely to stick with them. — One of the questions I ask my coaching clients is to think about activities they’ve enjoyed in the past. SCUBA? Zumba? Biking? Golf? Anything is fair game. By choosing things you ENJOY you’re far more likely to stick with them.

National Guidelines

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommends the following Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. It’s a 118-page PDF document so I’ll summarize. All adults (with modifications for age/abilities) should aim to get the following movement per week:

AT LEAST 150 minutes of moderate-intensity movement — anything that gets the heart beating faster. This could be dancing. Walking a dog. Caring for horses. Carrying golf equipment for 18 holes. Pickleball.
Or, if not point one, AT LEAST 75 minutes of high-intensity movement. Jogging. Swimming laps. Vigorous bike riding. Cross-country skiing. Hiking with a pack. Boxing intervals that leave you breathless.
AT LEAST 2 strength training workouts per week that involve all the major muscles in the body.
For seniors, including balance training is also important.
There are additional benefits to doing more than 300 minutes of movement per week.

Icicles forming at the bottom of a log on Squak Mountain ten days ago. If you can walk, you can hike. Why not explore the wonderful world around us on foot? — Icicles formed at the bottom of a log on Squak Mountain ten days ago. If you can walk, you can hike. Why not explore the wonderful world around us on foot?

How do you stack up? Are you getting close to the national movement guidelines when you look at what you do in a week? If not, how might you get more strength training or aerobic movement? What do you need to do to make change stick?

If you are struggling to find enjoyable ways to move your body, send me an Email to set up a FREE 15-minute consultation. Let’s get you on the path toward making change stick.