She Walks The Walk

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She Walks The Walk

Feel like running away? She Walks the Walk curates small group, Global Walking Adventures for women. TICO # 50013851. Phone: 647-689-3884.
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Get off society's treadmill and rediscover your true self on a journey for the body, heart and spirit. She Walks the Walk is affiliated with Travel Professionals International (TPI). Direct line: 1-888-503-WALK.

07/20/2024

After yesterday’s travel chaos, I made it to this place of peace, here in Antigua, Guatemala 🇬🇹

Shout-out to the lovely Joelle from United Airlines who did me a solid, bumping me to an earlier flight so I wouldn’t miss my connection.

Shout-out to Donna from Avianca who managed to locate my bag and get me onto my originally scheduled Chicago flight even though the glitch in the system said I’d not checked in. Which I had. About 14 times.

Grateful. Here to lock down logistics for our Feb-Mar Walk Guatemala adventure. Squee!! 🥾🌋 Volcanoes. Culture. The difficult storied past of this beautiful country. Highlands. Tostadas con aguacate. I can’t wait to share it with you 💓

On a personal note:

Missing my dad, big time. This was his most favourite place in the world. His second home. I see him everywhere—drinking his coffee at all his old haunts—in the Parque Central watching the kids play. I wish he was here so I could pick his brain one last time. Mostly, to get one of his iconic, super-duper-stoked greetings, his “Sammmyyyy!!!” Like I’d made his whole day just by being there with him.

I know he’s still with me. And I’m also shouting him out for the genes he passed along. Wanting to explore and being curious and roaming incessantly. These were inherent in him. How blessed I was to have such a beautiful soul for a father. Miss you, Dad.

07/16/2024

If you’re a living, breathing human being—your passion matters ✨. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s impractical. Or unnecessary. Or self-indulgent.

Your passion IS the essence of you. It’s a reflection of what you hold dear and in my case, what you will literally go to the ends of the Earth for. 🧨🥾🌎⛰️

I don’t have the code cracked or all my problems solved. But I do live my life with passion and for that, I used to apologize. Like I didn’t deserve to feel fully alive.

Thankfully, I shed my guilt complex five years ago and now, the example I’m hoping to set for my daughters is to follow the passion and not the money.

I have nothing against money. Who doesn’t love security?!?!

But I’ve got beef with people sacrificing themselves in pursuit of a life full of stuff that ultimately collects dust, doesn’t matter in the long run and doesn’t fill us up.

Today is Amazon Prime Day. How many of us are going to buy some useless gadget because the media marketing machine says it’s the best day to pull the trigger? My own cart reflected the one thing I legit need and a pile of other (unnecessary) stuff that was lurking on the sidelines. Ridiculous.

I know that life costs buckets of money and it’s not getting any cheaper just to live. But for the young folks out there—I think it’s WORTH investing in yourself.

If you can take a gap year? Do it.

Take the time to explore and find what lights you up. Don’t blindly follow the roadmap laid out to you by your parents or society or some cultural pressure.

Back to passion. I sometimes find myself on another treadmill and I hate treadmills! But the difference with this one and the one I left is simple:

I’m doing what I love. I will chase that dream as long as I’m alive. And for that I’m grateful.

Photo cred: the talented and amazing and kind .p.i 💓overlooking Kvalvika Beach, Lofoten, Norway.

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06/18/2024

A HARD DOSE OF REALITY***

( if this is triggering. I just saw the lesson over and over again…)

Next time you complain about “getting old” remember that aging is a privilege denied to many.

Next time you think your best years are already behind you, remember that millions of people find their strides when they’re older.

Next time you shelve that goal another year, month, week—remember that today is the only thing we know for sure.

One of the blessings of working in insurance and finance was the constant dose of perspective I’d get. You hope that people are simply purchasing peace of mind—but after so many years and so many clients, all those “what ifs” start to bubble to the surface.

Car accidents.
Airplane crashes.
Unforeseen illnesses.
Houses burning down.
Family units breaking down.
Companies folding.

I’ve witnessed devastating circumstances implode people’s dreams. It messed with my head, big time.

It made me want to live MORE in the moment. It made me want to scream that all the money in the world doesn’t mean a thing if you’re waiting for “someday.” Because that day doesn’t always come.

Today is the gift. This hour, this minute, this moment. How are you spending your time?

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06/05/2024

On FALSE SUMMITS***🏔️

This is Stella Point… just 170m (600 ft) shy of the “real” summit on Kilimanjaro. Let me tell you, that smile is infused with tears, relief and also, frustration!

The push to get to this “point” involved digging deeper than I ever have. In fact, just twenty mins into our midnight summit bid, I’d wanted to turn back to the warmth of my sleeping bag. A wall of nausea had hit me hard as we snaked up and around the base camp tents… not even before we’d stepped foot on the proper trail lol, and I was already hunched over. Terrified I’d pass out. 😱

A fellow climber named Carlin rushed over with gravol. Our guide Freddy made me some tea. And teammate Shane did me the ultimate: he put his hand on my shoulder and told me not to give up. So, I believed him. He will never know how much those words meant to me.

Soldiering on well behind my team on that long night was an exercise in humility, patience and perseverance. As the sun rose, I could start to make out the infamous Stella Point. If I could only get there… I knew I’d have this summit in the bag. If I could only get there, then I’d be happy.

Well, it’s not quite that easy! The slog to push through the last 600 ft felt like an eternity. My team was already on their way back down, urging me to keep going but warning of the further false summits ahead!

The lesson I learned is this: there will always be another summit around the corner. We are never done. We never “arrive” because life keeps dishing out its curveballs. If we deny ourselves all those good feels until we get to the REAL TOP, well, we might never be happy.

If we can learn to appreciate even these false summits in life, to know that our baby steps are in fact huge steps… To savour the encouragement we get along the way. The journey will become our greatest accomplishment.

For anyone out on the ledge of your own false summit, I urge you. Keep going. You’ve got this. It’s not a race. It’s not a competition. It’s your climb in life.

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06/04/2024

The hiking community is not just for youngins on their gap year. There’s a place for all of us—silver hair, bad knees, wonky hormones and all!

Mid-life is the perfect time to pick up hiking! We’ve got one eye behind us and one eye ahead… contemplating all we still have to do with all we’ve already done.

Maybe it’s something huge like taking on a piece of the Appalachian Trail, like my friend Jessica is doing… Maybe it’s a trail on the other side of the world, like the rugged and wild paths of the Jordan Trail.

Just know that it’s not too late. Know that hiking could be the very thing to bring additional meaning and inspo into your life!

I ran out of slides to post all my tips. And these ones apply to anyone of any age and are mostly common sense:

🥾I’d always suggest bringing more water than you think you’ll need—just as a point of safety.

🥾Also, be sure someone else knows where you are and how to reach you.

🥾Don’t underestimate backcountry safety which is a whole other thing… Bring the bear spray. Know how to use it!

🥾Don’t hike with headphones on when out in the woods.

🥾Check and recheck your gear supply. Stash some extra protein bars just in case.

🥾Shelve your ego, because sweat and blisters are actually bad-ass!

My thanks to the incredible women featured here that I’ve had the fortune of sharing a trail with….

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06/03/2024

My weekend summed up in one epic photo—how blessed am I to have this little peanut walk on my tired old back?!

Thank you to my sweet niece Mila for the backyard giggles after hours spent shovelling out my pigsty house.

If you’re new here, I struggle with boundaries and working from home in what seems to be constant clutter. I come by it honestly, though… I never really was a neat freak (😂🤯😂) and let’s be honest, would die if you showed up unannounced.

Yeah, best not do that.

And so…. On the sunniest ☀️😎 most glorious day our city has seen in weeks, I gave it all up in a quest for some order.

We’re talking seven hours of focus, tunes cranked to the ‘80s… mindset ALL IN slash GET THIS SUCKER CLEANED.

Mission accomplished until, as we all know, the cycle begins again 🔫

I did love waking up to the zen of tidy this morning, though.

So happy to have you guys back here, ❤️

05/28/2024

**RANT ALERT**

When I was a little girl, I’d spend my time searching for leprechauns ☘️. I was convinced I’d turn over some mossy log and find these magical beings. The forest was my playground. And all the entertainment I needed. (Well, that, and Judy Blume books!)

As I got older, my search for magic morphed into fort construction in the field behind my house. My sister and I and the neighbourhood kids would spend hours building out our “dream homes” using sticks, brush and any other natural debris lying around. We’d stay outside until our moms eventually bellowed, “It’s time for bed!”

Over the last two decades, screens have shrunk from TVs we’d occasionally gather around to handheld devices we can’t look away from. The infinite possibilities of playing in nature seem to be replaced by building online worlds and staring at screens. 😳

I’m guilty of jumping right in. It started innocently with Baby Einstein DVDs when my girls were babies… I needed to get s**t done and that was an easy solution. This evolved and sure enough, getting the fam outside became an exercise in begging and bribery. Keeping it real here, folks!

The world beyond our screens is THE WORLD. It’s nature. It’s our parks and forests. Our oceans and rivers. These are places without judgement. Without blue light. Places of wonder… Places where hope can still exist (how things flourish under the most extreme of conditions reminds me that all things are possible).

Places where we can FEEL our bodies. Solve our issues. Reclaim our lost souls.

For me, nature is where I feel most alive. And feeling alive is what makes me happy.

[Sidebar rant: It saddens me when I serve a table with the entire family playing on their phones while they wait for their food. What happened to conversation? What happened to connection?]

This is a PSA that getting outside into the natural world offers up all kinds of goodness. If you’re having a bad day—go for a walk. Find some greenery within your urban setting. Pick up the pine needles and rub them together. Breathe in the scent of nature’s regrowth.

And maybe stay off the news?

05/23/2024

Why the rush? Deadlines choking you into submission? The ever-ticking clock? Is it the fear you won’t get enough done in the time allotted?

Getting s**t done and getting it done well and fast is an expectation of society. I call it the ‘Productivity Hustle’ and it’s a trap I regularly ensnare myself in. Sometimes, it’s hard to even breathe from all that I put on my plate. Panic sets in as this feeling of dread takes over.

And yet.

What I’ve figured out through hiking is that going fast is not enjoyable. Speed is an ego-game unless we’re in some kind of danger. And of course the time just seems to blitz by.

But when we deliberately slow ourselves down… slow our breathing… our pace… our commitment to the Task List… time also appears to slow down.

And isn’t that what we really all want? More time? Time to enjoy and be and witness and feel.

My parents listened to Simon and Garfunkel on repeat when I was a kid but it’s only now that these lyrics really hit home. It’s okay to slow down. It’s good to sit and ponder. Take in the view. Go the long way around.

I won’t pretend that I don’t regularly battle with my Productivity-worshipping self. But I’m grateful to the outdoors whose natural rhythm calms me, and reminds me that life is not a race.

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05/18/2024

SWIPE to see how we earned that nap!

Who doesn’t love the wiped out feeling after a hike?! It’s a satisfying, holy-s**t-I-did-something-epic kind of exhaustion.

This specific Exhaustion came after a hike to the summit of Jabal Umm Ad Dami—the highest mountain in Jordan (1,854m). If you’re in Wadi Rum, the climb is a must-do! Views are unsurpassed and the trek up is not too challenging. Pro-tip; arrive early so you can be the only one on the trail like we were!

A reminder to get outside and see what your body can do. Feel the rain on your skin. The sun on your cheeks. And the ground beneath you.

Happy “May Long” to my Canadian friends. Go take on the outdoors!! 🥾

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05/12/2024

ON BEING A MOM***

(Swipe for context…)

It was summer, 2016. We’d left our bubble to show the girls a world beyond Pokémon and Shawn Mendes. We took essentials only and backpacked through South America. Essentials in this case included a prized “athletic top” my daughter had saved for.

Somewhere in a random eatery in Ecuador, a drama began to unfold. My 13-year-old cut into her pork and everything went flying. RIP that prized shirt—now stained with grease, ketchup, you name it. A street dog popped in and lapped up the night’s winnings. What a score! Our guide Joaquin watched the scene unfold—“I see nothing” his eyes said, as my girl who likes order lost the plot.

No worries!! Mom to the rescue. 💪💗

“You take my shirt—I’ll go and try to remove the grease with the bathroom hand soap. No biggie. I will wear my jacket.”

Crisis averted.

To me this is a small sample of what it means to be a mom. Giving your kid the shirt off your back and eventually making a life lesson out of it: it’s just a shirt. S**t happens. Life goes on.

I don’t have the code cracked on mothering. But this role is my favourite of all. It’s the most rewarding, most challenging and most adventurous gig I can imagine.

Here’s to the moms. To the ones blessed to still have their moms. To my own mom, who would drop everything to be there for her “kids.”

And here’s to the future moms. The ones dreaming and trying and praying for the chance. I know personally how it feels to not be in control of your own fertility… may this be the year it all comes together for you.

Happy Mother’s Day, moms! ❤️💓💅🏻💃

05/10/2024

Admittedly, these are *MY* fears. But not like I haven’t heard them from others.

It’s hard to talk about this stuff. We’re supposed to be crushing it, rocking and rolling through life and mastering the fine act of juggling 🤹🏻‍♀️

But as we inch closer to our inevitable expiry dates (uggg—we aren’t cartons of milk!)… these fears bubble up until we can no longer ignore them.

We should talk about this stuff.

Getting older is tough, and, it’s a privilege denied to many. Still, the years ahead may be fewer than the years behind.

What truths do we need to face?
What regrets would we like to avoid?
What are we really afraid of?

My biggest fear in life is letting people down. Turning off, or more realistically, “turning down” the *I CARE* gene is nearly impossible. I’m still figuring out the balance between what is realistic and what needs work.

Those are my musings for today. I’d love to know what your biggest fear is. And I’d love for you to be dead-ass about it. Don’t hold back. We’re in this thing together.

(Yes, I said “dead-ass.” See the fear on wanting to be awesome with my kids and not so annoying. They seem to throw this term around a lot!)
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05/07/2024

When we’re born—if we’re blessed to have nurturing parents—they keep us alive and meet our immediate needs. They feed us, clothe us, change us. And over time, their caretaking nudges us in a particular direction, along a particular path. And why not? They brought us into this world and want to see us happy. 🐣

1️⃣3️⃣ In our teens, we struggle to figure out who we are. We try on various identities and see what fits. Who do we belong with? Where do we see ourselves? Our intention is generally to fit in. So we try our darndest not to stand out too too much.

2️⃣2️⃣In our twenties, we are generally following the formula laid out before us. Expectations, our own hopes and dreams along with society’s acceptable “path” create the footprint we step into.

3️⃣3️⃣ In our thirties, we start scratching our heads. Wait—is this really what I want? It must be, because we are starting to see the fruits of our decisions and hard work. Or?

4️⃣4️⃣ In our forties, we can become disillusioned and downright confused. What did we do wrong?!! Why is this inexplicable angst hanging around? Do we even want what we’ve created? We can begin to dream of a different path, then shut it down quickly owing to the pressures of what we’ve already built.

5️⃣0️⃣ In our fifties, we make peace with new roads we may walk. We no longer give a F*** about the opinions of others and know that life is short. It’s up to us to sort out our s**t and make the most of the time and health that we have.

I dunno. Just a reflection on ages and stages. What I know for sure is the formula isn’t always what it’s cracked out to be. Sure, predictability and security provide comfort. But they are illusions. Nobody knows when and how they’re getting out of here. Might as well have a go at doing it your way, in your own signature style.

Walk your own walk 🚶🏼‍♀️🥾

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05/02/2024

We are soooo close!!!! 💃🤸‍♀️🫶

Thank you to everyone far and near for taking the time to read our story and believe in our vision!!

We are especially grateful to all our early backers who jumped right in and sent personal messages of support. Bless you 🙌🏻 Our goal is within reach, but more importantly—we are humbled. I’ve always believed in the underdog, and, that it takes a village to make things happen.

Keeping it real, self-promotion is not something I like. In fact, I’d far rather tromp around a mall than shamelessly plug myself. Well, I hate shopping. So you get it.

This isn’t about me. It’s about YOU.

The woman who is running herself ragged on that treadmill.

The woman trying to take care of everyone else in her life, leaving very little—often, nothing—in the tank for herself.

The woman quietly questioning why she feels stuck and stressed out and when it all began to fall apart.

Both and I believe in challenging the ideals society has us chasing. We are gravely concerned for the state of mental health for women today.

Mental health emergencies, depression, and su***des are at all-time highs in North America. Globally, death by su***de is one of the leading causes of premature death according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Women are particularly impacted by mental health issues. Although more men die by su***de than women, women are actually more susceptible to the causes of su***de including depression. Not only that, women and girls attempt su***de about twice as often as men.

If any of this speaks to you, please take a moment to visit the link in my Bio ⬆️

We’ll be undertaking a challenging hike while searching for a kinder, softer, more realistic definition of “happy.”

Join our expedition to Bhutan along its (in)famous Snowman Trek… We invite you to hike vicariously and support our goal of bringing this important documentary to life 🤞🏻🫶🇧🇹

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05/01/2024

If you’d have asked me ten years ago if I was happy, my honest answer would have been, “I guess?” I had already knocked everything off the Adulting List: the marriage, the 2.0 daughters, the cute Old English Sheepdog and the thriving career. I had forty in the bag! 💪

But truthfully, I felt “off.” Like, in a vaguely suspicious kind of way. These inexplicable feelings fostered confusion and guilt—why wasn’t I happy?

Without any answers, I continued to chase society’s idea of happiness, squeezing convenience for every drop possible: whatever was faster, easier, and more consumable to help me win the marathon I was running every day. But, I was crumbling and that felt like failure, so I’d plaster on a fake smile and fall into bed disillusioned and dumbfounded.

Fast forward through a lot of walking and losing my dad. The question has taken on new meaning: am I HAPPY at fifty? Yes. And, I’m frustrated.

I’m tired of women being asked to do it all: have a successful career but also create a stable family life. Bend to societal norms. Give to the point of depletion. Stay in shape. Look young. Our mental health is at risk and we are spinning our wheels in a never-ending cycle of Success = Happiness.

I believe there is a strong connection between our Western definition of success—and the stress it induces—and rising mental health issues. So I’ve teamed up with filmmaker to challenge society’s expectations.

We’ll take our quest to the 350 km Snowman Trek in Bhutan, one of the most remote countries in the world. Its other claim to fame? The country measures Gross National Happiness over Gross National Product!

We’ll uncover what ‘Happy’ means in Bhutan, then share it in our documentary.

Today, we’re launching a Kickstarter to help us fund the film permit required by the Bhutanese government. With your help, Kendra and I will search for enlightenment as we hike along one of the toughest mountain trails in the world.

If you or a woman you love have been affected by mental health issues, please, support our What is Happy? documentary right now by becoming a backer today. Link in BIO ⬆️

04/26/2024

I’m a feelings person and sometimes that makes me ridiculous 🤪. Emotional, illogical, I often let my feelings control me. Sure, it makes me soft and squishy and full of empathy, too.

But feelings can dictate our entire lives if we let them.

I heard this thing from motivational guru, Eric Thomas, and it stopped me in my tracks, “at the end of your feelings is nothing. But at the end of each principle is a promise…. The reason you aren’t at your goals is you’re all about your feelings.”

So it got me thinking. What are some of the principles that guide me? Chasing feelings, at least for me, has sometimes backfired. Had me chasing my tail without any real dots connecting.

Principles, on the other hand, make up the credo by which we live. What do we believe? Where are our convictions?

These are just a few I try to live by. What principles shape the way you live right now?

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04/24/2024

As a recovering ACCOMPLISHMENT ADDICT (yes that’s a thing), it’s taken me years to figure out that my worth in the world is not determined by recognition from others.

It’s determined by how I choose to live my life: and that is, in alignment with my values.

Seems simple enough.

But values are tricky—hands up if you’ve scoured one of those fulsome lists and tried to narrow down what really matters? Its tough. Because we all care (at least a little) about all the things!

But what floats to the top is pretty recognizable if you’ve spent any time working on yourself, or even just knowing yourself.

Three of my highest values were out of alignment in my previous career. Adventure is a value of mine. So are Freedom and Self-Expression. That means, it took me twisting myself into this other person to “make it work” because I was going against the grain of what I believed in for ME.

I will tell you there would have been a LOT of pros to staying in the old world I left behind. I could have sucked it up and soldiered on like a good little doobie.

But I needed to get real with myself: what mattered most?

Trouble is, I didn’t know.

That’s why I went for a walk. To search my soul and strip away all the programming from society / parents / school. It was on the Camino about five years ago that I discovered the essence of my spirit.

The most authentic expression of myself is how I’m showing up in the world these days. A dreamer, doer, worker… A lover of hiking, connecting, helping, witnessing, creating and just being.

There is freedom in figuring out who we really are. Most of us are scared to look—I was, what if I didn’t like what I’d found and worse, what if it meant having to make changes (it did, lol)—but inside is where we must start.

Thanks for reading this dissertation and if you’d like any advice on where to start—that’s my jam! DM me if you can feel yourself being pulled onto a journey of self-discovery.

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04/22/2024

“I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances with our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually FEEL the rapture of being alive.”

~Joseph Campbell

To our precious Earth—whose rapture makes me feel alive ✨

Photo cred

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04/15/2024

We are never “ready.” What even is, “ready?” Can we prepare for all eventualities? Can we know the unknowables?

The LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE trope has been my storyline for a while now. Stepping in mud puddles… Making mistakes… Not having the exact right map… The little hurdles are what make life exciting. And, they train us for the BIG ones.

Likewise, if we wait for conditions to be perfect, we might well be waiting for eternity.

There will always be some “thing” not quite in a state of readiness. But I say—what if…

✨We were ready now. Or as ready as we’ll ever be.

✨We have been ignoring that call for change for too long now.

✨We were already on the cusp of our own adventure story?!

This is not a philosophical rant about going a massive hiking expedition (though y’all know that’s my jam!). It’s a reminder to not take ourselves too seriously. To take the chances we’ve been putting off. And to see life as the beautiful adventure it already is.

🎒🥾📢👢🤸‍♀️💃🪩

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04/12/2024

“I’m feeling TWENTY-TWO… 🎶”

We both woke up today and were like—“wait, is it our anniversary?!”

In honour of this epic adventure with the boy I coerced into marriage, a look down memory lane. From when we were very young to multiple hair colours ago and bodies that looked, well, much different!

you and the girls are the best parts of my world. Love love love you 🫶

Cameos by some of our loved ones departed. Miss you Dad and Leica! Xoxoxox

04/09/2024

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: MOM GUILT.

It’s a real thing 😩and I’ve struggled with it a LOT over the last 16 years. That’s how long I’ve been working on accepting I am worthy of down time.

Taking an epic hiking adventure is one of those “GO BIG, or GO HOME” things. It requires planning, buy-in from family and time spent training. It’s not like declaring a day off to spend at the spa.

But here’s what I’ve learned through my own adventuring and the lens of my clients: real TRANSFORMATION happens when we engage in a full-body experience. We return with increased confidence, a better sense of self and feeling more gratitude for the little ones we love to pieces (but who also drive us absolutely bonkers and any mother who disagrees is lying!).

So what of the guilt?! How can we cope?

Getting time off work—rather, feeling okay to take the time you need for you instead of sharing it with your family—is already a challenge.

And I know our kids are with us for a nanosecond. That’s how it seems to me, anyways.

But we also live in a world where our futures are uncertain. Nothing is guaranteed. Everything could change in a heartbeat and that makes today’s decisions about our mental wellbeing vitally important.

I am not saying we can avoid the Mom Guilt. I am saying we can try to tame it a little… Use it to spark some new habits. Show our kids that we value ourselves. Show them that sometimes life is about heading out into the unknown to ask the questions, “who am I?” And “what do I have within me?”

Modelling this kind of care for yourself smacks of selfishness. Hence the guilt. We are wired to serve, we are wired to be there for all the boo-boo kissing, emotional support giving, the homework helping and the sibling referee-ing. Surely stepping away from for a short time will mean it all falls apart.

It won’t. It doesn’t. And with the right kind of planning—everyone can win.

Even your kids. 🫶

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Address

3465 Rebecca Road, Suite 202
Oakville, ON
L6L6W2

Website

https://shewalksthewalk.com/

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Calling all adventurers! We have the answer to your 2024 Annual Leave question mark: how about a trek through the rarely visited jungles of Borneo?! This one ticks all the boxes if you crave: *an escape from civilization *climbing (ladders) and scrambling (the roots of the tallest trees in the tropics!) *unique and endangered wildlife *chasing waterfalls *an outside-your-comfort-zone experience Is this trek right for you? We've got 11 spots to those up for the challenge. Must have a sense of humour... Must be okay getting muddy... Must be "cool" with humidity (insert the laughing emoji). And must be intrigued by possible encounters with some of Earth's most bizarre looking lifeforms! Trek with @tropecotravel and @shewalksthewalk through the Maliau Basin in beautiful Borneo July 15 - 24, 2024. Reserve your spot now! For more details including why we recommend LEECH SOCKS, please check out my website (linked in my bio): www.shewalksthewalk.com ~ #shewalksthewalk #discoverborneo #smallgrouptravel #trekking #smallgrouptours #sustainabletravel #borneo #jungle #hiketheworld #adventuretime #yolo #bucketlistdreams #chasingwaterfalls

Kilimanjaro Climb: Dispatch SNEAK PEEK

So excited to finally share all our dispatches from our Kili Climb this past June. It's taken me more than a hot minute to process the adventure... the literal ups and downs, if you will. Suffice to say, climbing Kilimanjaro has filled me with renewed confidence. It was—in a word—EPIC. If you're curious, follow us on Instagram @shewalksthewalk or Youtube (samanthaplavins) for all the vlogs, beginning next Monday. Here's a teaser of what's to come! xoxo Smash your day, everyone!

Let me break it down for you: Walking in the High Atlas Mountains is a dream ☺️... But only if you enjoy a behind-the-scenes glimpse into real, rural Morocco. Must also love dramatic mountainscapes. Endless blue skies. And fertile valleys. The trekking possibilities are endless! A guide is mandatory on most routes and travelling without one in remote areas is irresponsible. The most frequently asked question I get: IS WALKING IN THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS HARD? Well, it's neither easy nor hard. The terrain is rugged and often dusty. You'll need strong ankle support in your boots and a great attitude. Sometimes we'll walk in water, other times a benevolent gentleman named Moha will show up and offer a piggyback across... sparing the soggy shoes! Our only job is to walk, one foot in front of the other, peer around corners, traverse some boulders, head up mountain passes and down into green valleys. We'll pick apples and peaches right off the trees, igniting our tastebuds in fantastic new ways. BTW, we eat like queens. Our chefs bake the fluffiest bread right on trail... We'll stop for a break and will have caught up with the mules and muleteers (our expedition team!). Everyone is busy sourcing fresh water and chopping vegetables for that savoury tagine. Mmmm... TAGINE! My favourite parts of this trek? Literally, everything! My cheeks hurt fro spending so much time "in my happy place," that is, the great outdoors. In a world where I don't know the culture and can embrace new ways of thinking and being. Surrendering to paths that seem to go on forever. Falling asleep to the gentle babble of a brook. Tomorrow we'll share some tips for navigating Marrakech. (If you aren't following on Instagram, I'm just saying, you totally should!) Check out Walk Morocco here: https://shewalksthewalk.com/gwas/walk-morocco/

What are you waiting for?

It's time to get off that damn treadmill! Challenge your body, invigorate your spirit, and have yourself a personal WIN this year.

The Barranco Wall: #kilimanjaro 🥾! AKA “the kissing wall,” requires trekkers to use all four limbs to scramble up the tight traverse. It is by far a highlight for most who tackle Mount Kilimanjaro, towering 257m in height after four days of hiking. This part of the ascent requires a single-file line as you hug (and kiss!) the rock on your way up and around. I can’t wait experience it! Join us this June with G’Adventures for our Discover Kilimanjaro trek, part of She Walks the Walks’s Inside Track series… your chance to explore while we explore! Open to anyone with a gritty attitude and good health. Registration closes March 15th, limited spots remaining. Ready to make your life feel BIG? Try a little adventure this year. Link in bio ⬆️ * * * #shewalksthewalk #climbing #kili #trekking #womenwhohike #yolo #bucketlist #adventuretime #smallgrouptravel #tanzania #2023 #selfdiscovery #explore #barrancowall

20 minutes sleep. Your toes are already numb. Your sleeping bag—so cozy and warm. But its’s time to wake up and breathe in that thinner air! Today—is #summitday on Kilimanjaro 🗻. One foot in front of another. That’s all it takes, along with the encouragement of your team and some grit, and you’ll conquer that mountain before you! She Walks the Walk is heading to Tanzania this June to knock a long-awaited dream off the bucket list! We have five spots left on our trek, all part of our Inside Track series of adventures. The Inside Track is a walking adventure with vetted partners I like and trust. It won’t just be ladies, and I’ll be there alongside you… having my own moments of exhaustion, exhilaration, and celebration. Link in Bio! ⬆️ * * * #shewalksthewalk #kilimanjaro #climb #trekking #adventures #adventuretime #hikingadventures #womenwhohike #womenwhoexplore #tanzania #2023 #globalwalkingadventures #getoffthetreadmill #yolo

How to “Have” an Adventure in 7 Steps! Brought to you by: Getting out of your comfort zone. and Nephews who inspire you to do things you don’t want (like, swim!). and The fury of nature causing a quick retreat to the truck. and Having to find new routes when the old one disappears. Featuring the crazy and courageous mindset of a 13-year-old who did what I would never do. What adventures await you in 2023? * * * #adventure #adventuregram #shewalksthewalk #faceyourfears #intothewild #intotheunknown #2023goals #makelifearide #dreambig #whatareyouwaitingfor #lifeisshort #yolo #seizetheday

The one sound you don’t want to avoid: NATURE. For when it all gets to be just a little (A LOT) too much. 🤪😳😩🤦🏼‍♀️ Our GWA to the mysterious and delightful Guatemala is just six weeks away!! Bring on the cloud forest, the monkeys, the ruins, the colourful textiles, the full-bodied coffee, the volcanoes both dormant and active, the cool rains, the hot sun, the altitude, the kindness of Mayan villagers, the quetzals, and the sound of our feet tiptoeing across rickety suspension bridges. Where is nature calling you? * * * #walkguatemala #shewalksthewalk #explore #getoutside #nature #travelgram #pilgrimage #womenwhohike #womenwhoexplore #trekking #findyourself #hikingadventures #hikeguatemala #naturetherapy

I’ve been where you are… and I can help. For any woman who’s at a crossroads in her life. Don’t let indecision rule you. Don’t let uncertainty trap you. CrossRoads is coming early 2023. * * .* #shewalksthewalk #takeaction #crossroads #lifeisshort #womensupportingwomen #womenempowerment #coaching #encouragement #support #personalgrowth #walkyourtruepath

Need a new point of view? TRAVEL. Drink the weird juice. Eat the fried bugs. Taste the unknown spice. Stand on that precipice. Hear the Berger calling his flock in. Play chess with a stranger. Ditch your rigid schedule. Count the falling stars. Uncover your hidden self. Open new doors. Shut out hurried habits. Travel doesn’t always take us far away… But it takes us FAR. Your Rx for a new point of view. * * * #shewalksthewalk #getoutside #travelinspiration #adventure #bucketlist #travelgram #traveltheworld #womenwhotravel #trekking #womenwhohike #globalwalkingadventures

No Regrets. It’s what I think about when deciding to leave first base. When having those, “holy sh**, life is short!” moments. Or putting myself out there, in a strange land, with new people. No Regrets means leaving no stone unturned. Taking the chance. Doing the thing. Spilling the feelings. Finding ways to forgive. Moving forward in uncertainty. It means running down the sand dune like we’re ten years old. Jumping in the cold water to swim with the rays. Crossing that rickety old bridge. Since losing my dad, my own already heightened sense of *seizing the day* has increased. This isn’t some reckless mindset, rather a commitment to be easier on myself and enjoy the ride along the way. No Regrets! We get one shot, right? How lucky are we to have the chance to exist? ✨ Love you, Dad. Thanks for instilling this in me. Thank you to @mohammad_ayasrah20 for the permission to share this crazy video. Another huge shout-out to @intrepidtravel for helping me add such rich memories to the bank that matters most. And to my fellow travel companions over the years…. I will always choose making a memory over buying stuff. Hit me up when the moments call to you. ❤️ @onthetreqagain @margaretsuanez @care_okon @travelist.k @tropecotravel @mattstirn @over30slimtim @soha_3m @intrepidtravel

A PSA from SWTW: 📢 Sometimes, we need to recharge. Our batteries become drained, in the service of those we love. But also in the hustle for our own growth. I know this experience personally. At 27, I had my first meltdown. My therapist called it a “nervous breakdown.” My disability forms labelled it a “massive depression and anxiety event.” I felt deep shame for not being able to handle the world I’d created. This was a world of constant achievement, and the more I tried to achieve, the more depleted I became. I thought it was what life was all about. The accolades and quick career growth fed my ego, so I jumped on the treadmill for more. I used to pull all-nighters at that first career. I was not only desperate to keep up, but I wanted to impress. When things went sideways—and I mean, I could not add 2+3 in my head—I discovered parts of myself I’d never known. I realized that nature had healing benefits. I stuck my hands in the dirt and created a garden. I watched things bloom and grow slowly. I began to hit the trails to quiet my mind. I see these same patterns in others, which is why I talk passionately about getting off the damn treadmill. If you’d have asked me in my early twenties what I thought it would mean to recharge myself, I’d never in a million years have come up with a tent in the wild… one we’d have to walk miles to reach. Nope. We all have different ways to restore ourselves. Just make sure you take the time to do it. We are no good to anyone else if we let our batteries run to absolute zero. I’ve come so close to that again over the last decade… Take the time you need!! * * * #shewalksthewalk #getoffthetreadmill #restore #recharge #hikingheels #naturetherapy #walktherapy #getoutside #explore #walkingadventures #womenwhohike #trekking #findyourself #wildcamping #globalwalkingadventures #womensupportingwomen #careerism #takeabreak

Hey everyone! In true Sam-style, I’m a bit late posting this… but take a few minutes to hear our BIG NEWS! 📣 (and those of you betting on my lateness can now cash in 🤣… you know who you are lol) Wait, there’s more! You had to know I’d share a personal story just to make this more meaningful. So. Sit tight, and find out why I believe climbing mountains is the greatest metaphor for a live well-lived. Plus… #climbingkilimanjaro! Join me this June, as part of our new Inside Track series… open to ANYONE seeking an adventure, while I embark on my own research and road testing of potential future SWTW programs. Link in bio! ⬆️ Coming to you with air kicks and guitar licks for this #bucketlist adventure. * * * #shewalksthewalk #climbkilimanjaro #kilimanjaro #climbing #climbthatgoddamnmountain #womenwhohike #epicadventures #trekking #liveadventurously #findyourself #takechances #getoutside #explore #gadventures

We could all use a little Soul Restoration. ✨ It’s time to get off society’s treadmill, set aside your corporate hustling, park the guilt and live a little. A walk changed my life. I mean, it LITERALLY changed everything. I sometimes wonder, if I didn’t do that Camino in 2019, would I still be pushing through a worsening sense of self in finance? Would I have just waited until I cracked?! Hard to say. But am I better off for taking the time to figure myself out? You bet I am. We all have sh*t to wade through. Trauma to face. Hatchets to bury. Truths to reconcile. Peace to make. Joy to reclaim. Tears to shed. Identities to discover. I’m making it my mission to share the incredible impact of a long walk; and how self-discovery in the richness of other cultures can light a fire in you. Soul Restoration is what I’m talking about. So, walk with me, in ‘23. 🥾 New adventure announcements coming soon! * * * #shewalksthewalk #selfdiscovery #womenwhohike #trekking #adventure #walking #getoffthetreadmill #explore #nature #global #pilgrimage #hikingadventures #womenempoweringwomen #yolo Photos and video (c) @onthetreqagain and Sam Plavins.

What if the question went from "What will happen if I take all this time away?" to "Imagine what could happen if I took all this time away!" Let's be real here. Kids, dogs, aging parents, spouses, work. The list goes on and on. You are needed in some capacity at every moment of the day. And we have a tendency to think that things will fall apart if we step away for a hot minute. Because nobody can do what we do. Or love the way that we love. Or keep all the balls in the air like us. In my experience, taking some REAL time for you results in everyone levelling up. Appreciation for all that you do bubbles to the surface. New systems emerge. Your life doesn't implode because you decide you need a break. It's actually the opposite. You return to your roles with new boundaries, fresh ideas, freed-up mental headspace, and an examined sense of self. What could be better? I'm not saying there's no guilt. Or that it's easy. But I am saying that it's worth it, and those you love and serve will notice this too.

Welcome back to another episode of Sam’s Backpack! Lost luggage, anyone? Extra fees? Hands up all those who enjoy waiting around for a suitcase to arrive… Didn’t think so! Missing bags are synonymous with air travel these days. But what if you never checked another bag again? I’ve learned my lesson over and over and now swear by the Carry-On Only rule. Today, I walk you through my TRAVEL LIGHT strategies so you never have to deal with the head-banging frustration of wondering what dark corridor your bag might be lying in. Featured here is my Osprey Transporter 65. I’ve never had a problem bringing it on board before. Note: this is not a paid promo! @ospreypacks Next time on Sam’s Backpack… The Nitty Gritty Odds and Ends every traveller / backpacker should bring. 🎒 Don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter… link in bio ⬆️ #travel #backpacking #travellife #carryon #travelhacks #travelhappy #adventure #adventuretime #globalwalkingadventures #traveltheworld #yolo

My new weekly feature to help you navigate travel with ease, style and always that sense of adventure! Hey everyone…. This is a day late! But my intention is to run a new episode every Friday. Would love to hear your thoughts and have you share some burning questions. Drop me a DM or comment right here to have your question featured.