This year was full of plans for turning the big FIVE-ZERO, and most of them didn’t have to do with work and graphic design. At my 49^th birthday some friends chalked up a plan to hike the Enchantments around my 50^th birthday, and so it became a bucket list item with a short term due date. And on August 8th, we made the dream a reality.

It was so much more than a hike. The training alone checked a lot of boxes – friendship, connection, health, nature…. and it brought many groups of friends together over many months. The hike itself was a humbling, awe-inspiring, mind changing event, as well as a place to face some fears. And I felt honored to have the time to train and endurance to finish. This is a 21.5 mile hike, with a 5000 foot elevation gain. You can apply for a permit to camp, otherwise it’s a thru day hike, which is what we did. Training for several months in different settings, 6 of set off at 4:30 am and the last step taken about 15 hours later as the sun was setting at 7:30pm. There were boulder fields, a pass that was a rock scramble for 2000 feet and a mile long straight up and a decent that was over 8 miles long and very steep at times where I personally really hit a wall of anxiety and managed to overcome. But the beauty and wonder of nature inside the Enchantments, which is an area of about 4 miles long of lakes, snow, peaks and mountain goats is just indescribable! The pictures in the gallery give you an idea of this magical place. In the end, thankfully, we completed it injury free and were blessed with perfect weather for a day none of us will soon forget.

I guess how this connects to my work, is that by taking on new projects and challenges in business, it pushes me out of my comfort zone. This is where we build grit and strength and expertise. There have been many projects pushing me outside my comfort zone, and like the enchantments, if I hang in there and keep the positive vibes, it usually works out. WE CAN DO HARD THINGS!  Mindset is probably over 70% of the puzzle in life. If you think you can do it, you will! What can we commit to in this next year, to build that uncomfortable spot where you grow and build resilience? Because on the other side of fear, is where great things live.