The other day, I went through my old blogposts in an effort to organize what belongs here professionally and which other ones- largely the personal entries- can be edited into ‘private’ mode.

Nine years of sharing my experiences on this piece of internet real estate is a long time. I scrolled all the way down to the beginning of the archive here with the eye of an editor- cut, delete, trim. Take out the vulnerable, I’m-exposing-too-much-of-myself posts. Leave the recipes. Those are safe.

And then, out of the blue, I received an email from someone who wrote thanking me in response to an extremely personal piece I’d written several years ago.

I paused. I realized that everything here, regardless if it relates to my ‘profession’ or not, has made me into the person I am today.

And so I’m keeping it here.

I started this sharing my writing here around 9 years ago as a way to document a “30 runs in 30 days” challenge. At the time I was feeling lost and unfulfilled, both personally and professionally. For those 30 days, I made a commitment to move outside in nature and snap a photo as proof.

Little did I know, I was rewiring my brain. It forced me to take my attention off of everything going wrong in my life and instead deliberately look for beauty. I think back and remember feeling the shift in my energy and well-being from merely spending time in nature. In 2016, I wrote in my journal- “Is there a way to pair nutrition coaching with nature?” and in the past few years I made this dream into a reality.

Nature provided a sanctuary for my own healing and established the groundwork for my practice. It connects me to old and new friends in ways that only outdoor adventures can do. What started as a 30 day challenge has fundamentally changed my perspective, my career path, the way I see the world and the people I spend my time with. These past nine years and the writing and photos I’ve documenting along this journey are proof.

It’s never too late to begin exploring outside. You don’t need to be an elite athlete. You can be an exhausted human being who spends too many hours mindlessly scrolling and feeling anxious about the future. Perfect! Put on your shoes and open the door and breathe in fresh air and look at the sky. Eventually the fog will clear and you will feel the light shine on your entire being. Nature will remind you that you’re here- awake and alive.

It’s also never too late to begin documenting your journey. Writing your thoughts down. Sharing what you learn. You never know who may be reading, anonymously, across the world.