Skyline to Sea

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”
-Socrates

I left for the woods the day after my going away party. #Juxtaposition

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep.
-Robert Frost

My rock star hiking crew and I set off for the Skyline to Sea Trail in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

3 chicks & 30 miles

While in the woods, introspection led the scene (per usual for me).

The woods provide stomping grounds for novel notions.

In the woods we return to reason and faith.

No matter where we come from, we all go through tough times. Times where directions fail and paths blur. It’s easy to think these periods are self-defining, when in reality, they’re just a small passage in the entire trail of life.

Just like on a hike, it’s easy to get discouraged. We humans have the tendency when we’re lost to say “what’s the difference and why does it matter what I do next?”

Does it make a difference? Yes. Escaping reality and giving up leads to stagnation. Instead, plow forward.

The secret? Just start moving. It can be scary, but the next time will be 123% easier. You can quote me on that number. 😉

May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.
-Nelson Mandela

Take time to tell yourself you don’t have to race down difficult paths. Take a (meaningful) hike.

Escort your impulsive thoughts through re-direction.

Nothing is stopping you from self-correcting during the voyage.

We’re fortunate to be able to learn from our actions.

The quality exists in being able to explore various possibilities and contemplate these treks.

Execute time for your well being.

Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.
-John Muir

Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed.
-Thich Nhat Hanh

Awareness, an agent for change, allows manageability.

So from the Skyline to Sea Trail in NorCal, I just touched down from another skyline to the sea in Hawaii! Aloha! Get pumped for some Hawaii posts coming at you v. soon! 😀

“The mind that opens to a new idea never returns to its original size.”
-Albert Einstein

…and so the adventures begin.