With ~600 miles left on the CDT I am looking back at the goals and intentions I set for myself before I embarked on on this journey to see how well I’ve lived up to them.
Earlier this year I set the intentions to:
Be brave and challenge myself
Explore who I am and who I want to be
Not adhere to prescribed path determined by family and society
Let go of control and expectations of perfection
Heal from past trauma
Practice being selfish
Journal every day
Connect with nature
Enjoy my time on this earth
Prove those who doubt me wrong
Embrace the brutality
Know the hard days help us grow/ give the journey meaning
Make my students/ hometown proud
Work to increase access to nature for all people
Bring the trail to the people through the trek podcast
Inspire others to chase their dreams
Be an LGBTQ advocate in the outdoors
Let the purpose reveal itself over time
Grow
Reviewing my intentions makes me feel proud that I have embodied most of these throughout my hike but this reflection has also showed me how much more I have left to learn.
My most important intention, in general, is to make the most out of my life and be the best version of myself at every stage. While my body is coming off this hike in need of rest and recovery, my mind and spirit feel invigorated and inspired for the next leg of the GWL. Reviewing these intentions has renewed my sense of purpose on trail
“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office and mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” - Jack Kerouac
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