I arrived in Jackson, WY, on the only direct flight in from NY. It was the only way I was boarding a flight, at least for the start of my trip, especially for these times. My first flight and real vacation in two years.
I intuitively knew that I was standing still and needed to get myself on the flight to this hiking tour, so I can expand into the next phase in my life. I’m a fearless world traveler and badass warrior who has anxiety and who finds a way to travel anyhow.
A great deal of consideration went into deciding whether or not to travel. And then it was settling on the planning logistics to feel comfortable or reassured. Fears, anxiety, procrastination on making decisions and taking action, all came up for me. It made me realize I still have some things to take care of.
The truth is my anxiety and fears have been heightened for me with the last few hiking tours I’ve been on. Either riskier than past hikes or riskier because of the times. My doggie-mama self worries about what would happen to Preston, my Goldendoodle. Even though I know he’d be taken care of. But I need to get that pet trust set up and personal legal docs and where to find things sheet finalized. I need to create a budget and doc with all the info on how to care for Preston and where to get items for him. Just because, what if I get injured or sick, or leave this world before him? It’s time. This will allow me to breathe easier, stress less, going forward.
(HR/COACH REAL TALK: If for some reason, you haven’t set up those legal docs and sheets for yourself and your family, I strongly suggest getting that on your to-do list and make it an appt in your calendar, ASAP. Also, open enrollment is happening at year-end, so if your company offers a legal benefit, consider signing up for it, because you can leverage it for these tasks and some have easy templates to download.)
Moving out of the serious talk and into the living-my-adventurous-life now talk. In the end, after doing some research on options my heart was desiring to see and experience, I landed on a hiking tour in Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks. It all came together within a month.
My intuition guided me to reach out to a few travel friends. It so happened that my friend, Nicole, who I met from my last REI hiking tour (Zion & Bryce National Parks) two years ago, would be going on this tour, exactly around the time I was looking to go. And there was one spot left. It seemed as if it was meant to be.
Away for 10 days. We hiked 36 miles over the course of 6 days. These are my kind of ultra-marathons, miles completed over a course of a few days. It was lodge-based (AirBnB) and not camping this time. We all had our own rooms, except those that came together. We traveled responsibly.
And it was a truly memorable hiking adventure! Several challenging hikes (Osprey Falls trail and Avalanche Peak trail) that I wasn’t sure I could make it there and back. Check out my photos, videos, stories, and mantras shared on Instagram. I still have a few more hikes to be revealed in the coming days. Let’s connect and chat there!
May this inspire you to show up in your life today, tomorrow, and always.
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Tell me about your recent and/or upcoming travel adventure (near or far, roadtrip or flight). Some pondering Qs for you to consider, keep it simple and go with answering one for now:
- How did it change you or what are your intentions you hope to get from it?
- Any new perspectives or insights about yourself that you’ve gained (or hope to gain) as a result?
- What did you struggle (are you struggling) with most with either before, during, or after the trip?
- What would you do differently next time?
I love hearing and chatting travel talk!
Share your thoughts and this blog through email or social media (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook/LinkedIn). Feel free to comment, email me back, or chat with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
I deeply honor you. Thank-you for being part of the C&R Self community! Namaste. – Sarina
Sarina Tomel
Empowerment/Mindfulness Coach
Speaker ~ Writer ~ AdventureSeeker
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Sarina is working on a memoir about recovery through running, repeated heartbreak, and healing the trauma.
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