March 7, 2018

Designing this summer’s journey has been a roller coaster ride! Several itineraries have taken the stage, been proposed, envisioned, and evaluated. I sadly let go of my Ridgerunning job for this summer, replacing it with a progression of family visits and long distance walking. Now, yet another version calls! It evokes my allegiance to family to take center stage, letting other passions wait in the wings for another season.

My mom needs assistance!

So, I’m now looking at spending my summer with her in Ohio! read more

February 25, 2018

I just got off the phone with Barbara, my Forgiveness Walks muse! We’re planning a dynamic and exhilarating event and YOU’RE INVITED!  We’re doing a reprise of Wild Wind Songfest that was so much fun a couple of years ago! Mark your calendar for Sunday, June 10 in the Atlanta area and join us for Wild Wind Journey Day!  

Barbara encouraged me to change the title to something that emphasizes that this event is truly a journey into our hearts, way more than singing songs. It’s an in-person version of my Walk for a Singing Heart which I offer as an audio program supported by phone calls during your walk. read more

February 20, 2018

This was one of the hardest choices I’ve made in a while! I have loved my ridgerunning job, fulfilling 7 seasons in two different sections of Virginia. I remember one day on the job halting suddenly in a grove of red spruce on the slope of Bluff Mountain saying, “I’ve done it! I’m earning my living hiking!”  At the end of that season, I climbed up to a favorite outcrop on Spy Rock, set up my  camera with a ten-second timer and raised my arms in celebration of my season. A few weeks ago, a friend wrote asking if she could use that photo as a model for her vision of freely walking in mountains following her knee surgery.  What a perfect testimony to the power of that moment for me having walked into my vision!  Yes! Ridgerunning has been a fulfilling summer job! read more

February 7, 2018

Walking 32 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail sure is a good way to test the idea of walking for half the summer! A twenty-mile day yesterday, followed by 12 miles today reminded me that walking in Nature is my favorite way to live.

Today’s walk even included getting on a scheduled coaching call, with John contentedly waiting, and bantering about ideas afterward. “I can work on my business from the trail!” I thought.

Not only that, two women from my Facebook community wrote directly to me with their questions about the trail. “Women are seeking me out for suggestions and coaching while I’m out walking! I’m walking in service!” read more

February 6, 2018

With 10,000 miles of hiking under my feet, I am surprised when I forget something! But yesterday I did. My sunhat. What did I do?

Improvised!

Check out the hat I fashioned from my neck scarf and a three-pronged stick! Well, it loomed goofy, especially with the projectile poking out from my head. But, it worked! Don’t quit!

Improvise! What’s a story you have of improvising to save the day?

Forgot my hat? Improvise!

February 5, 2018

“Today is the day we could celebrate making a glorious choice and having a blessingway for our summer adventure,” I said when the waking music played this morning. It is the day John heard that our Ridgerunning boss wants to know if I want the 19-week job (with John subbing for me for three weeks while I babysit my grandson.)

“But, we haven’t done that, have we?” He replied.

A full conversation ensued, which thrilled me as a sign of progress in our communication! We even talked about money, and he stayed in the conversation, and we even concluded with words instead of stormy silence. Yay! read more

January 25, 2018

Today is my tenth anniversary of completing my thruhike of the Appalachian Trail. Yesterday, I got an anniversary message from my hiking partner that I eant to share with you, dear reader!

I added it to my 2007 Appalachian Trail Journal:

http://www.trailjournals.com/journal/entry/582378

January 24, 2018

I’ve been playing with possibilities for my summer occupation, with an end-of – January deadline for the secure, familiar job offer. I notice how synchronous messages are helping me, waking me up, calling, supporting my choice, teasing me to choose the new, unformed creation, the entrepreneurial one.

• My song muse wrote: “Let’s pick a date for our songfest. How about June 10th?”
• My Ridgerunner supervisor said, “We’d love to have you…and being gone for two weeks at the end of May would not be good.”
• I am committed to taking care of my grandson for two weeks at the end of May.
• My women’s hiking summit coordinator said, “Time to get your workshop description in for our summit in July.”
• My partner said, “I don’t think we’re good partners for each other” on the eve of our tenth anniversary of completing our Appalachian Trail thruhikes together and being together since.
• Ten women said “Yes! I want to learn your technique for climbing mountains easily.
• A hiker in the women’s group invited me to her AT thruhike group saying, “You always have good advice!”
• A women’s group friend posted as a comment on the thread of another hiker who is struggling with a detractor, “my friend, Regina, could suggest ideas about your Inner Journey.”

As wrenching as it is, being solo removes the puzzle of creating a mutually fulfilling situation for two. I can choose for myself. On the other hand it adds more personal responsibility for logistical details, transportation, safety, cameraderie. Most of all, it dissolves the luxurious thrill of intimate co-creation and reliable companionship. read more