Welcome to Fired Up Fridays! A place where, each Friday, I share all the badass adventure inspiration I came across this week, in an effort to get you fired up to carve out some awesome adventure time over the weekend. So without further ado, lets arouse that adventurous spirit that I know is in you!
Let's Get Fired Up!
The Superbloom - A Good Excuse to Get the Adventure Season Started
There is no better excuse to plan a spring camping trip than to catch the Superbloom. And I am even luckier because I live in one of the most amazing places to view it, the California Central Coast (find where the wildflowers are popping up around you, here). Here the ideal time of year to view the Superbloom is mid-March to mid-April, so I texted my girls for a mini Superbloom adventure. With all the rain that has been pouring down all winter I am expecting nothing short of amazement. We will be traveling into the backcountry of the Los Padres Mountains in late April, so in an effort to make sure I will not miss the bloom, I will also be hitting up some of my favorite wildfire viewing areas in Big Sur this weekend. I absolutely love this time of year. Spring is always a time of rejuvenation and adventure planning for me, so the Superbloom is a great way to kick off the adventure season.
Wahine Project Dionne Ybarra - Reminding Me of My Blue Mind
Dionee Ybarra, founder of the Wahine Project, is somewhat of a local hero here in Monterey. The Wahine Project is a non-profit that seeks to eliminate the barriers that prevent girls from participating in the sport of surfing. I have taken a couple of Dionne's surfing classes for women, the first time I signed up for a surf class with the Wahine Project, I had just come off a week surfing in Panama and I was so stoked to try it out locally. I jumped out of bed, grabbed my coffee and practically ran to the beach but once I got there I almost peed my pants, the waves were huge! And it was so cold and windy. I think Dionne picked up on my fear, and we had a small pep talk on the beach. She challenged me to do the things I am scared of, to find that uncomfortable space between fear and and just going for it, the space between perception and reality. She encouraged me to find that space out on the waves that day and see what I could find. Needless to say I went out there, had an amazing time, and came back feeling so powerful.
Last week, I was lucky enough to see Dionne speak again at the Association of Environmental Professionals conference. Again, she really touched my heart, but this time she did not speak about fear but about self-care. She spoke about stress, and burnout, and how important taking time to be outside and tap into your "Blue Mind" is in success and happiness. The Blue Mind movement is pretty cool, I had heard of Wallace J Nicholas, founder of the Blue Mind concept, a couple of years ago and I am glad Dionne reminded me. I have been so busy lately, and to be honest starting to feel the disconnect. Essentially the Blue Mind is a somewhat meditative state that your mind goes into when you get out onto or near the water and have the opportunity to re-connect with nature and yourself. So take some time this weekend to hit your big blue reset button as Wallace would put it, get outside and be good to yourself.
"You are not a drop in the ocean, you are the entire ocean in a drop."- Rumi
Kim Chambers Podcast - Marathon Swimmer and All Around Badass
https://wildideasworthliving.com/facing-fear-with-kim-chambers/
Speaking of fear, I randomly came across a podcast featuring Kim Chambers the worlds greatest marathon swimmer. I had no clue who she was but once I heard her story I was obsessed. Her story is crazy inspiring, from thinking she was never going to walk again to setting a new world record becoming the 1st woman ever to swim from the Farallon Islands to the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco. And that's not even the craziest thing she has done! Kim is 1 of 7 people and the 3rd woman to complete the Ocean's Seven which consists of seven long-distance open-water swims, and is considered the marathon swimming equivalent of the Seven Summits mountaineering challenge. She was also on the first team of people to swim across the Dead Sea. If this women's story doesn't inspire you to push yourself past your limits, and challenge yourself, then I really don't know what will.
"Nothing is impossible if you're brave enough to say yes." - Kimberly Chambers
So there it is, hopefully your all fired up now and ready to hunt down some wildflowers, find time to tap into your blue mind, and push your limits.
XOXO, Quack