Committing It to Paper: Recording My Experiences in a Travel Journal

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adventure, adventures, courage, free-writing, Grand Tetons, journaling, national park, travel, vacation, write28dayschallenge, yellowstone

I wrote a book this past year. I’m super pumped and proud of my accomplishment.

I do, however, feel the need to explain. This isn’t a story for publication. Chances are, no one else will ever read it besides me.

So why am I so excited to have finished?

Taking Small Steps Toward Change: Step by Step, Word by Word

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books, bullet journal, free-writing, journaling, learning, racing, running, write28dayschallenge, writing

Whether it’s a natural part of my personality or a talent, I pick-up habits fairly easily. Currently, I’m tracking my fruit and vegetable intake, journaling, and “suiting up” for exercise daily. As a reformed perfectionist, I’m working to see this as simply information for future growth, rather than a report card of my worth as a human.

This habit tracking served me well when I first took up running. The discipline of running 3-4 times a week and building up mileage weekly carried me through my first half, all the way through my last marathon. Highlighting the box of the completed workout kept me motivated to lace up my trainers and complete those runs.

Embracing the Warmth of an Early Spring as the Weekend Approaches

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free-writing, insomnia, podcasts, running, spring, training, training plan

The signs of spring surrounded me today at lunch. When I saw the Five Minute Friday prompt “Green” I knew exactly what I wanted to write about. Leaves, trees, I don’t have to look very far to see new life emerging from a hard winter.

Yet, when I sat down to write, my brain started chasing squirrels. Metaphorical ones of course – I have no love for furry rodents. Thankfully we left those behind us in last year’s big move.

Scripture, the Enneagram, and Habit Tracking: How to Turn Weakness into Strength

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bullet journal, enneagram, free-writing, habit tracker, hiking, perfectionism, running, write28dayschallenge

Always tracking behaviors and learning new ideas, I sometimes grow tired of being able to perceive what needs to change in my life. However, unless we are aware of our habits, we have no hope of steering them in the direction we hope to go.

When I first read about the Enneagram, I had no clue that some people struggle to determine their type for months or even years. When I read about Type 1: The Perfectionist/Reformer, I immediately discovered my type. I’ve fought perfectionism my whole life, knowing this weakness prevents me from being the person I ought to be.

The Enneagram has taught me, however, that my greatest weakness is also my biggest strength. This lens of viewing the world helps me consistently grow through life.

How to Shift Perspective on Giving Up

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audio books, books, Grand Tetons, national park, stairs, training, working out

My attitude towards working out resembled that of other days. “But I don’t wanna.” I’ve previously written about how I overcame that attitude. The last time I felt this way, I suited up and knocked the workout out of the park.

An object in motion stays in motion. 30 minutes and 50 flights of stairs later, I let myself stop. Legs shaking and sweat dripping down my back, I felt that same sense of accomplishment from my early days of running. Who doesn’t need the extra endorphins in these “unprecedented times?

Me, 2 weeks ago

“Don’t you just hate those perky people who enjoy their workouts?

My Surprising Encounter with Wildlife While Relaxing in Yellowstone

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books, fly-fishing, hiking, journaling, reading, travel, wildlife, write28dayschallenge, yellowstone

When I first saw the prompt for this week’s Five Minute Friday, I considered spinning the word into another story about our trip to Yellowstone. I thought about writing about our time on Slough Creek and Jay as the observant fisherman.

I could then share about how un-observant I became as I sat on the bank reading a book. The bartender from the night before had written about Hemingway’s time in Yellowstone. We purchased the book, and I knew I had to pack it for our hike/fishing trip. As I sat there, reading, I became engrossed in the story. I could easily picture the places he described.

Suit Up: The Inner Argument of the Barely Motivated

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free-writing, goals, motivation, racing, running, self-compassion, suit up, training, write28dayschallenge

In another life, I was a runner. I strictly followed my training plans as I pursued my first 5K, a half marathon (13.1 miles) PR, and “just one more round” with the marathon distance. I’m a rule follower by nature and an Enneagram type 1. Tell me I’m supposed to do something and I’m compelled to follow through.

I used this mentality with each race I tackled. Each day’s workouts set the expectation for me. Printing off the training plan and highlighting each workout as I completed it made my heart happy. My exercise regime gave me a sense of accomplishment, not to mention a wall full of finisher medals.

Facing Panic and Altitude Anxiety on My Epic Adventure

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anxiety, beartooth pass, free-writing, hiking, national park, travel, write28dayschallenge, yellowstone

What a predicament – an adventurer and writer taking an epic vacation, and only sharing a paragraph about the whole experience. Check out that summary on my September Share Four Somethings post.

Back in September of last year, my darling and I drove to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons for our first visit to those parks. Along the way, we also drove through several states we had never visited. The entire trip counts as an epic adventure and I hope to share more in the future.

Help Me With the Dilemma on Everyone’s Mind

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diet, food, free-writing, meal plan, menu, write28dayschallenge

What are we making for dinner tonight?

I got into a fairly consistent menu plan routine a few months ago. I’ve not asked this question in a while. This week, however, Camp Fradd has decided to mix things up. While I’m not a fan of food restriction, Jay researched the Mediterranean Diet and wants to pursue it. We need to be healthy for all the adventure travel we have planned for the future, so how can I say no?

Braving My First Overnight on Mount Leconte

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family, five minute friday, great smoky mountains, hiking, national park, write28dayschallenge

Living in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Mt. Leconte has almost legendary status. While not the tallest or even the most difficult, Leconte is “the” mountain to climb. The mountain, complete with 3 distinct peaks, is easily seen and identified from town.