that day & that hike
THAT day
i choose the life i wanted to live
I had been waiting for someone/anyone to hike the sea to summit trail with me then one day, I woke up and asked myself "why the hell am I waiting for someone since when did I ever need anyone to do anything with me?"
On July 29, 2017 I hustled my way up a mountain and unknowingly doing so it would help shape my life for the next two years.
That day, that hike was the beginning of it all.
That day, that hike started to build a confidence in me that I had lost over the years.
That day, that hike led me to do a number of things that led me to more things.
solo hikes for the rest of the summer,
my first overnight hike to a natural hot springs,
flirt (if you can call it that) with someone I had been crushing on,
put myself out there (kind of)
found the courage to find closure with my past,
travelled to Bali all by myself,
talked to strangers,
opened myself up to dating again,
spoke up & asked for what i needed at work
fell in love
felt comfortable enough in my own skin to be photographed
shared parts of my story
quit my job
started my own business
accepted the fact that i can/will fail & it’s okay
learned that i suffer from depression & that is also okay
and realized it’s more than okay to be vulnerable.
That day, I made one of the best decisions ever and stopped waiting for someone, for something.
That day, I took my life into my own hands and created my own reality.
That day, I chose the life I wanted to live.
THAT hike
changed my life
That hike, will always be one of my favourite hikes; physically, mentally and emotionally.
That hike, to me represents the journey through anything in life.
The first quarter you will struggle, you will want to turn around, give up, question if you will make it and wonder why you agreed to do this in the first place.
The second and third quarter is where you realize that it’s not so bad, you are too far committed to turn around and there’s just enough easiness and beauty to get you through.
The last quarter feels like an eternity, you can see the light and you know you are so close but every time you think you are there, there is more.
Reaching the summit tho, knowing you made it, makes it worth every single moment.
That hike, helped me come full circle.
That hike, got me where I am today.
That day, that hike will always be the day and the hike that changed my life.
Over the last two years, I have hiked that hike a handful of times physically, mentally, and emotionally and every time I reached the summit.
On March 2nd 2019, I got to climb that same mountain with a group of friends some who had never hiked it, and some who have.
I couldn’t have asked for a better way to ‘close’ off a chapter in my life that honestly will probably never actually ever close.
I’ll leave you with this, I sincerely hope and wish that you will find that day, and that hike that begins to change your life.
visit my movement blog if you want the full trail details on the sea to summit hike which is probably what you really wanted to know.
“Stop waiting for permission to live your life. Nobody and I mean nobody can do this journey for you. Set your goals. Get fired up about your passion. Spread more life. Smile more. No matter what, just keep living. Keep finding yourself.”
