The very act of achieving ambitious goals— doing the hard work, working past the failures, and remaining open to adaptation— transforms us and builds character.
THRU-HIKING THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL with no prior hiking experience was my first big outdoor goal. While I failed to thru-hike the trail in one season, the process of trying, failing, and going back to complete the remainder of the trail in a second season gave me the spark to tackle other ambitious goals like long-distance biking, thru-hiking the Pacific Northwest Trail, and completing a half Ironman. When I began delving into the outdoors, it started as the pursuit of a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, but since then it has evolved into a full-time way of life. It is where I go to meditate, share experiences, accept a challenge; to sweat it out, get the blood flowing; to balance my mood, get re-inspired, grieve, and reflect.
Doing things that scare us—whether physical or mental—is the very definition of bravery. Growing up, I thought bravery was about being bold and fearless, but as I’ve explored the backcountry, I’ve discovered bravery can be messy. It makes us come face-to-face with our most vulnerable selves, it asks us to sit in discomfort, and it asks us to try, fail, get back up, and stretch ourselves. Embracing fear has greatly affected and enhanced my every experience in the outdoors, and it has urged me to share these experiences and thoughts with others. These lessons I’ve learned have become even more powerful when translated into a template for everyday living. When I’m afraid to tackle things in my career, relationships, health, and beyond, I am reminded that even with trepidation, I can move forward and slowly but surely take one arduous step at a time. Only then will I be able to look back over the hills and valleys and see how far I’ve come.
JULIE A. HOTZ
