How to Appreciate An Unexpected Moment: Hiking and Healing

Tuesday morning, I headed for the Pratt Lake Trailhead at Exit 47. After aborting two hikes on Squak Mountain due to high winds and trail closures, and postponing a hike due to illness, I was desperate to get a good dose of mountain healing. The car needed servicing on Wednesday. And I knew I’d need …

Take the Next Step: How to Conquer Daunting Tasks

This week I shared with my writing group that I was feeling a little discouraged about my lack of progress toward some of my business goals. One partner suggested I move my arbitrary deadline to after I receive the results of my NBC-HWC exam. As soon as I realized her idea was the most self-compassionate …

Expect the Unexpected: How to Embrace the Journey

My most recent hikes to Tiger and Cougar Mountains, and Rainbow, Island, and Olallie Lakes have paralleled my discoveries as I prepare for my July 22 NBHWC Board exam. Each hike has reminded me to embrace the journey, not just the destination, and to expect the unexpected. Expect the Unexpected: Bear on High Point Trail …

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 …

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 …