I met Gretchen at the GOTG March Retreat and I spent time talking to her as we hiked. I could feel the depth of Gretchen’s soul as we talked and I knew how important getting out in nature was to her. It’s not easy being vulnerable and sharing your story. I am so grateful she shared her’s with us today.
Gretchen’s Story:
“Is it possible to be an introvert and extrovert? Or are we shaped by how we live? I believe the latter.
The more I am stuck inside without nature and human interaction, the more introverted I feel.
The more I am outside, active, with nature and people, the more extroverted I feel.
Hmmmm…I choose extrovert!
My name is Gretchen. I am 55 years young and I am an extrovert
I grew up in a small town in Ohio as a shy, overweight pre-teen and then moved to Idaho in 7th grade. My parents took us out exploring Idaho camping, fishing and skiing. However, it wasn’t until I was in my late 20s and early 30s that I found I had a passion for the outdoors and how it made me feel when I was challenged by some great outdoor adventure. As a Mom and a friend, I encourage others to enjoy the outdoors with me.
For the past three years, I backpack with a friend over our summer birthdays. Tough backpacking – heavy packs, long miles, serious elevation gains, but an awesome challenge. This year was no different other than I was completely out of shape from big life changes over the past eight months , but rather than fret about it, I really took time to mentally prepare and think about how good being outside with my friend was going to be. We set out on a five day adventure with a goal of 40 miles. Day one was tough. Not gonna lie. I was hurting. 40 pound backpack (4 nights, 5 days worth of “stuff”), 10 mile hike in to 8500 feet. We did a few days of daypacking (kept camp at one lake for three nights) and that really helped us get in the miles. We ended up with 46.7 miles, 8400 feet of elevation gain, a renewed strength, clarity to resolve problems at home and a “can-do” attitude. I’d like to share what I walked away with.
Lesson learned: Self-Compassion through Mindset. I went into this trip with a completely different mindset. I knew I was not physically well-prepared for this trip, but I stayed positive. Things I said on the trail were positive. I did not focus on how exhausted I was, but physically I was slow – and that was okay. I accepted that I was a bit out of shape – I accepted that this was me, now, in this moment. I had only myself to hold accountable and I had no excuses. I got to our destination on my own two feet…there was no one to carry me and I would never turn back. There was no “I can’t”; just “I’ll try”. I was not afraid to fail. It’s all for fun and adventure and no one was judging me. My friend was super supportive and encouraging. We listen to each other and mentally lift each other up. I also realized I would never, ever take these times for granted. The time with my friend and her dog are precious. The mountains, lakes, trails, people we met – just beautiful! I mentally soaked in all this while we were out on the trail. They say, “Stop and smell the roses.”, well, I did Took lots of pictures and tucked away many vivid images in my head for those tough days ahead.
Lesson learned: Connections. As we continued to hike throughout the week, it felt like we were in our own little world. We had gone with the intention of hiking in far enough and high enough to be away from most people. It’s sad how the current Covid situation leaves us feeling like we are in a battle to protect our own thoughts and feelings and not be mis-guided by others. I looked forward to being away from social media and the news in general. It was a wonderful break. But what I did not expect was the connections I would make with my friend (even though we have been friends for three years) as well as with those we met on the trail. We saw others and encouraged them. We stopped to chat and learned from them. We shared in the solitude and we connected with them. Father/daughter duos, girlfriends and guy friends, old and young and families with little kids that just blew us away. Everyone was respectful and everyone loving every minute of being there together. It was very special!
Lesson learned: Clarity. Do you ever feel like there is so much “noise” that you cannot think clearly to work through issues? Simple and big issues I face and I can’t find ways to deal with them until I’m out on the trail. Then everything is clear. I have quiet time to actually think through the issue and even talk through some issues with my friend. Many times, those thoughts and conversations are GREAT distractions during tough parts of the hike. It’s like having your own personal counselor. I also take time to meditate and write when I retire into my tent at night. It’s typically pretty early, but I don’t fall asleep for hours after. I’ll listen to mindful, inspiring podcasts and write in my journal afterwards. Something about having this time outdoors, listening to birds, babbling brooks, gentle breezes, it opens my mind and allows me to know very clearly how I’m going to resolve issues.
It’s outdoor adventures like these that really turn my life around! I’m so grateful I get to be out in nature with friends, family, or by myself and really take advantage of these opportunities. Not only do I physically feel stronger, but I feel mentally stronger from all I learned through connections and clarity. And I know, with the right mindset, I can do and be anything I want for myself. If you have the chance, get out there!”
Finding a beautiful trail that leads to a great destination is key to making a hike enjoyable. The Wind Caves Trail does just that. The trailhead is located above Cache Valley in Logan Canyon and leads to stunning views of natural arches and caves overlooking the valley. The hike is just under 4 miles long and is surrounded by wild flowers and large trees that offer just enough shade to stave away the heat.
As we began hiking the trail the women chatted with one another about their hobbies, families, careers, and the people they love. Having just met one another at the trail head they were curious about each other’s lives. Some of them had come with a friend or sister but most of them had come alone. The fear of not knowing if they would find someone to connect with quickly dissipated. All of the women instantly opened their hearts to one another and began to find a common ground and connected.
Along the trail there were portions that were a bit more difficult as it was narrow with a cliff on each side. For those women who had come without much hiking experience beforehand they put their best foot forward and kept hiking even though they worried about their ability to reach the end of the trail. They pushed themselves physically and were delighted to see the view at the top of the climb.
There is something remarkable that happens to us when we force ourselves to do hard things. Women had come not knowing if they would make a friend or be able to endure the hike. Having to face both of those two fears in the same moment brought about an inner strength that connected them. Within a mile up the trail new friendships had been made and courage was found.
At the top of the trail we reached the wind caves. We climbed the arches, examined the rock formations, and explored the caves as we freed our minds of the worries of the world. It was exhilarating to stand atop the arch with narrow rock below our feet. We then relaxed and enjoyed the spectacular vistas. Being in nature had a powerful impact on our minds as we realized how big the Earth really is and truly see the beauty of the trees, the flowers, the blue sky, and most importantly the people we experienced it all with.
Finding a beautiful trail that leads to a great destination is key to making a hike enjoyable. The Wind Caves Trail does just that. The trailhead is located above Cache Valley in Logan Canyon and leads to stunning views of natural arches and caves overlooking the valley. The hike is just under 4 miles long and is surrounded by wild flowers and large trees that offer just enough shade to stave away the heat.
As we began hiking the trail the women chatted with one another about their hobbies, families, careers, and the people they love. Having just met one another at the trail head they were curious about each other’s lives. Some of them had come with a friend or sister but most of them had come alone. The fear of not knowing if they would find someone to connect with quickly dissipated. All of the women instantly opened their hearts to one another and began to find a common ground and connected.
Along the trail there were portions that were a bit more difficult as it was narrow with a cliff on each side. For those women who had come without much hiking experience beforehand they put their best foot forward and kept hiking even though they worried about their ability to reach the end of the trail. They pushed themselves physically and were delighted to see the view at the top of the climb.
There is something remarkable that happens to us when we force ourselves to do hard things. Women had come not knowing if they would make a friend or be able to endure the hike. Having to face both of those two fears in the same moment brought about an inner strength that connected them. Within a mile up the trail new friendships had been made and courage was found.
At the top of the trail we reached the wind caves. We climbed the arches, examined the rock formations, and explored the caves as we freed our minds of the worries of the world. It was exhilarating to stand atop the arch with narrow rock below our feet. We then relaxed and enjoyed the spectacular vistas. Being in nature had a powerful impact on our minds as we realized how big the Earth really is and truly see the beauty of the trees, the flowers, the blue sky, and most importantly the people we experienced it all with.
It is the nature of women to look at our hearts, minds, and physical appearance and only see the flaws. We examine the pieces of us that we consider to be imperfect or broken and focus on them so much that we ultimately view ourselves as less valuable. At the Yoga Retreat we learned that although we all have weaknesses and have faced hardships in our lives we are indeed, not broken. It is natural that we feel pain, worry, heartache, fear, insecurity, and all the negative emotions that pass through our hearts and minds. They are a part of life and feeling them is not indicative of being broken.
The Wind Caves
We had a total of 16 women on the retreat and stayed in a beautiful brick laden AirBnB in North Logan. We kicked off the retreat with a 4 mile hike to The Wind Caves. The sun was shining, the women were brave, and the views were spectacular! After settling in at the house we enjoyed a delicious and healthy dinner prepared by Chef Lindsey followed by a workshop taught by Niki Olsen, a licensed therapist. We learned tools used in Mind and Body Bridging, a therapeutic approach that helps women understand that their pain and emotions have a powerful effect on their physicality. She taught us that we can, with practice, lessen that effect. Doing so can leave us feeling more powerful and in control of our emotions and negative thoughts leaving our bodies and minds relaxed and available to connect with those around us and feel joy in our lives. We finished the night off with an outdoor yoga session with Jasmine and cleared our minds with peaceful meditation as we watched the sun set over the beautiful Cache Valley.
On day two we prepared our minds and bodies for the day with early morning yoga under the clear blue sky. In this session we learned about the meaning of chakras and offered gratitude to our powerful bodies and the gift they truly are. We followed it up with a 3.5 mile hike up Richards Hollow where we stopped and had lunch at the bottom of a waterfall, giving us the opportunity to chat and connect with one another. Upon returning we were treated with a follow-up workshop with Niki, furthering our skills in bridging the gap between our bodies and minds. After another delicious meal from the chef we enjoyed a sunset yoga session and finished off the night with chatting, connecting and a lot of laughter!
Get Out There Girl retreats are intended to empower women. The Yoga Retreat did just that! Women from all walks of life made lifelong friendships through adventure, pushing ourselves physically, emotionally and mentally. We spent time together crying, laughing, and most of all learning that we are not broken after all and that none of our so-called “flaws” have anything to do with our value as women. We also learned that we have an indelible power to manage our negative thoughts and utilize them as fuel to bring improvement, peace and joy to all aspects of our lives.
