Misty mountain views and playing mermaids

Day 1 The day started with sleeping through two alarms and being late for a meeting (thank goodness for understanding colleagues). Then we got on the road. I don’t listen to many self-help/personal growth podcasts these days. But I came across an episode with Dr. Lisa Miller. She does research about the neuroscience of spirituality. In other words, she studies how the brain acts during moments of connection to life. It was fascinating to hear her discuss the limitations of science and the culture we push against. A culture that says you can only measure what you can see. But there is so much more to life than what meets the eye! Dr. Miller also talked about how important is it to trust our intuition and to lean into messages from the Universe. She described it as… when a red door slams shut, look for a yellow door (or that’s what I understood, anyway). I wanted to share this sentiment because sometimes we forget that goals can be flexible. When we are flexible about a path or final outcome, it creates more opportunities for young athletes. And those opportunities will come easier, too!

Okay, another notable thing about spirituality…. at one of the women’s retreats I went to, eagles became a thing for me. Eagles became a symbol of my family and ancestry; a sign they are cheering me on and are proud of the work I’m doing. Knowing I had a long drive ahead of me, I sent a wish out to the Universe. I asked to see eagles. I assumed this would be easy, considering I was on my way to the mountains. But I did not have to wait to see snow-covered peaks to see eagles. No. The Universe sent me eagles in the form of a sort of totem pole in a farm yard. I made a double-take. I swear 10 eagle statues on tall polls in this person’s front yard. It was such a clear message! My ancestors have my back.

I also got to see cows (I love the cows). Even a couple of bulls pushing each other around in a field. ‘Berta.

First stop when I got to Canmore was for snacks and food. I couldn’t help but notice the buzz in the grocery store on a Wednesday night. Everyone looked so vibrant. It was lovely to be surrounded by the energy.

Eventually, I made it to the hotel, ate said snacks, then played mermaids in the hot tub while I sipped my San Pellegrino (so fancy).

Day 2 As I sit supping my coffee on this damp morning, I realize how anxious I am. Wow. Rarely do I give myself the chance to sit and notice how I am feeling. My work is very “heady”, as in I spend a lot of time thinking and mulling over complex ideas. With that, it can be hard to be in my body when I am at school, particularly when I have deadlines to hit. The pressure helps me focus on tasks, which is good. But that focus also gets me disconnected from how I’m feeling. One example is that I sit so much that my body gets sore. When I say sore, I mean chronic back pain for 3 years because I dial in on writing tasks and don’t move for hours. Another example is how I continue to stay in my head is by being on my phone, watching YouTube, etc. I don’t really give my head a break. And I end up ignoring how my body is feeling. Having a slow morning here has me actually feeling the anxiety, the pressure. I notice that I’m not taking quality breaths. If I weren’t able to self-regulate, I would probably be screaming. So, may this be your sign to make sure you have coping skills that aren’t your work or sport.

Today started with a bit of schoolwork because the deadlines don’t seem to stop.

Then I planned my hike and was off to the races. It was a drizzly little day. But I was happy to go galivanting in the woods. The smell of the pine trees invigorated the senses. Mm. It was sweet to see other people and critters on the trail. I chose a shorter hike because I had a meeting to get back to. With it raining today, I decided to grab a pastry and a warm latte before returning to my accommodations. After my meeting, I had a couple of sessions for my dissertation project in the evening, with ramen, hot tubbing, and yoga mixed in between. It was a sweet day.

Day 3 What started as cleaning up my accommodations and a final soak in the hot tub before I made the drive home ended in me going on a hike and spending an extra night with friends.

As I soaked, I perused All Trails to see what quick jaunt I could go on before I hit the road. My search ended in deciding I needed to go on a longer hike. I eagerly accepted that I would be racing to finish before sunset and would not get home until 2 AM the next day. It would all be worth it.

As I started, I knew I was underprepared. I did not have enough layers. It has started snowing. But I was optimistic it might clear up, and if it didn’t, walking in a gentle snowfall would feel magical. And, I was right.

The snow coated the evergreens, painting a Hallmark card at every turn. When I got past the tree line, the clouds cleared just enough for me to make out a snowy peak of the neighboring mountain. On my way down, the fresh powder dampened the sounds of the great outdoors. There is a different sense of calm and quiet after a fresh snowfall. It was peaceful up there. As I walked, I felt safe, at home, free.

I ended up turning around before I hit the summit, on account of being underprepared for said snow. What damped my toes did not dampen my spirits. There were moments when the clouds cleared, leaving me in awe of this rock floating in space. How does nature make something as majestic as the mountains? Ugh. Incredible. I cannot get over it.

When I finished my hike, I started making my way to a nearby city to meet friends for supper. Guess what I saw! More eagles.

When my friends learned I planned to drive home that night, they met me with an invitation to spend the night at their place. This was music to my ears. While I would have gladly made the 7-hour drive home, napping in my car as needed, I was also grateful to have a cozy and comfortable place to lay my head after the day of hiking.

Day 4 (oops) I woke to the sweet sounds of their cat requesting breakfast. As I crawled out of my room, a greasy little gremlin (I did not shower the night before on account of being exhausted), I was greeted with a warm “good morning” and an offering of equally warm coffee. We sat around the living room, nestled into the couch, and talked about life. I could not have asked for a more lovely ending to my mountain getaway.

Peace,

Karissa