Learning to Trust Your Intuition When Bobcats are Near

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Learning to Trust Your Intuition When Bobcats are Near

I went for a hike at my favorite nature preserve in Dallas this afternoon. It was slightly overcast with a light breeze which is rare this time of year. As I was walking, I passed a mother and her daughter whom I’ve seen here before. I smiled and waved as I saw them coming. The mom quickly told me, “Be careful. We just saw a bobcat in the woods.” I told her that I was glad they were okay and asked exactly where they saw it. I wanted to get a sense of how close this bobcat was.

In this moment, I had a choice to make. I could take the “better safe than sorry” route or continue on my way.

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The Evolution of Self-Talk

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The Evolution of Self-Talk

Have you ever stopped to listen to what the voices in your head are saying to you? When you mess up or make a mistake, what is the voice in your head telling you? Is it one of encouragement and kindness or one of ridicule and disgrace?

When I mess up or make a mistake, I am prone to listen to the critical, degrading voice in my head that tells me I’m stupid, ridiculous, careless…fill in the blank. If you had asked me which voice I listen to though, I would likely sugarcoat it and tell you, “Well, I hear the mean voice, but I don’t give much attention to it.” That’s a cute response that is completely untrue.

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Trusting the Path You Walk

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Trusting the Path You Walk

Throughout life, we go through various seasons that are entangled with life’s questions. Questions that cause us to ponder our existence (how we got here, who put us here, is there a who?), question our identity (uncover who we really are at the core), and question our path (where am I going? how do I know if I’m on the right path? what if I lose the path?). I’ve certainly spent my fare share of time exploring life’s deeper questions.

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Living with Curiosity & Wonder

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Living with Curiosity & Wonder

What was your favorite activity as a child? I loved going off the beaten path and exploring the world around me.

And still today, it’s a favorite activity. I never know what I’m going to find or what messages I’m going to receive from nature. I feel a sense of freedom and ease. I’m free to be me, explore, take notice of what’s around me, and listen intently. I like to imagine how old the trees are, how certain plants got there, and what animal killed the animal whose bones I find spread across the ground…It opens me up to curiosity and wonder.

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Finding My Way in Torres Del Paine

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Finding My Way in Torres Del Paine

There is a beauty to traveling on your own. You can stop as many times as you want to rest, eat, take pictures, meditate, etc. And while there were many times when I was missing my travel buddies, I knew this journey was meant to be on my own. It was just as much a spiritual, soul searching journey as it was one of fun and adventure.

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Trekking with Mountain Gorillas

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Trekking with Mountain Gorillas

From all of my experiences traveling, my favorite memories are always the ones that are unexpected or unplanned. Trekking with mountain gorillas in the Virunga Mountains was one of those experiences. We set off on a long journey from Kigali to the Virunga National Park. Virunga is located in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the border of Rwanda and Uganda, and is home to about a quarter of the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas.

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Unprepared for the Climb

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Unprepared for the Climb

I recently spent 2 weeks in Guatemala -- a country filled with luscious green trees, rolling hills, and active volcanoes. I knew prior to the trip that I would be hiking up a volcano while visiting Antigua. I had heard that it wasn't a major hike so hiking boots weren't needed (and I didn't want to take up the extra space by bringing them). Lesson #1: When going hiking, always pack proper shoes

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