over the years I’ve spoken with women who have experienced atrocities one can
who have experienced atrocities one can
who have experienced atrocities one can only imagine but through their hardships
only imagine but through their hardships
only imagine but through their hardships they shared how they found their
they shared how they found their
they shared how they found their strength their voice and joy and life
strength their voice and joy and life
strength their voice and joy and life again and while they shared with me
again and while they shared with me
again and while they shared with me these brave stories I listened in awe
these brave stories I listened in awe
these brave stories I listened in awe and admiration I didn’t know if I had it
and admiration I didn’t know if I had it
and admiration I didn’t know if I had it in me to face my fears the way that
in me to face my fears the way that
in me to face my fears the way that these women had but on my own journey I
these women had but on my own journey I
these women had but on my own journey I would come to understand that not only
would come to understand that not only
would come to understand that not only is courage something we choose it’s a
is courage something we choose it’s a
is courage something we choose it’s a movement and to understand how these
movement and to understand how these
movement and to understand how these women’s stories would be pivotal for me
women’s stories would be pivotal for me
women’s stories would be pivotal for me I want to share with you the adventure
I want to share with you the adventure
I want to share with you the adventure that I’ve been walking for almost four
that I’ve been walking for almost four
that I’ve been walking for almost four years now one that I’m still on today in
years now one that I’m still on today in
years now one that I’m still on today in 2014 I left my home in Oregon to walk my
2014 I left my home in Oregon to walk my
2014 I left my home in Oregon to walk my way around the world now that probably
way around the world now that probably
way around the world now that probably tells you my sense of adventure is very
tells you my sense of adventure is very
tells you my sense of adventure is very slow walking allows me to connect to the
slow walking allows me to connect to the
slow walking allows me to connect to the people the environment and myself as
people the environment and myself as
people the environment and myself as fully as possible
fully as possible
fully as possible now I often do get asked if I wanted to
now I often do get asked if I wanted to
now I often do get asked if I wanted to go on a walk why didn’t I just go hike
go on a walk why didn’t I just go hike
go on a walk why didn’t I just go hike the Camino or walk the Pacific Crest
the Camino or walk the Pacific Crest
the Camino or walk the Pacific Crest Trail but the thing is I wasn’t looking
Trail but the thing is I wasn’t looking
Trail but the thing is I wasn’t looking to go walking nor was I even seeking an
to go walking nor was I even seeking an
to go walking nor was I even seeking an adventure I wanted to feel the world my
adventure I wanted to feel the world my
adventure I wanted to feel the world my walk is not about counting the
walk is not about counting the
walk is not about counting the kilometers or checking off the countries
kilometers or checking off the countries
kilometers or checking off the countries it’s more like an experiment of living
it’s more like an experiment of living
it’s more like an experiment of living on less trying to give more relishing
on less trying to give more relishing
on less trying to give more relishing solitude while immersing into the world
solitude while immersing into the world
solitude while immersing into the world now ambling around the world is a
now ambling around the world is a
now ambling around the world is a decently crazy idea particularly for me
decently crazy idea particularly for me
decently crazy idea particularly for me I’m an introvert before I began I had
I’m an introvert before I began I had
I’m an introvert before I began I had just done a few short day hikes I had
just done a few short day hikes I had
just done a few short day hikes I had never camped alone didn’t even really
never camped alone didn’t even really
never camped alone didn’t even really build a great campfire looking at a
build a great campfire looking at a
build a great campfire looking at a topographical map or navigating with a
topographical map or navigating with a
topographical map or navigating with a compass was a foreign language
compass was a foreign language
compass was a foreign language I was simply a woman with a compelling
I was simply a woman with a compelling
I was simply a woman with a compelling idea for an adventure one that would
idea for an adventure one that would
idea for an adventure one that would ultimately have me dismantle my cozy
ultimately have me dismantle my cozy
ultimately have me dismantle my cozy life as you can see I was essentially
life as you can see I was essentially
life as you can see I was essentially trading in pencil skirts for thermal
trading in pencil skirts for thermal
trading in pencil skirts for thermal underwear a career for homelessness and
underwear a career for homelessness and
underwear a career for homelessness and putting my few belongings into a cart
putting my few belongings into a cart
putting my few belongings into a cart quickly elevating me to bag lady status
quickly elevating me to bag lady status
quickly elevating me to bag lady status because I do pick things up off the side
because I do pick things up off the side
because I do pick things up off the side of the road that are useful and I carry
of the road that are useful and I carry
of the road that are useful and I carry all my rubbish until I can dispose of it
all my rubbish until I can dispose of it
all my rubbish until I can dispose of it there are four guidelines that I live by
there are four guidelines that I live by
there are four guidelines that I live by on this walk
on this walk
on this walk the first is self-sufficiency so I carry
the first is self-sufficiency so I carry
the first is self-sufficiency so I carry all my own food gear and supplies in a
all my own food gear and supplies in a
all my own food gear and supplies in a cart that I’ve named Athena second is
cart that I’ve named Athena second is
cart that I’ve named Athena second is affordability while I try to help raise
affordability while I try to help raise
affordability while I try to help raise money for organizations that support
money for organizations that support
money for organizations that support girls and women the only way that I can
girls and women the only way that I can
girls and women the only way that I can afford to do this is I give myself a
afford to do this is I give myself a
afford to do this is I give myself a budget of five dollars or less a day and
budget of five dollars or less a day and
budget of five dollars or less a day and that means I always camp outdoors and my
that means I always camp outdoors and my
that means I always camp outdoors and my dinners are usually two-minute noodles
dinners are usually two-minute noodles
dinners are usually two-minute noodles the third is intuitive mapping so my
the third is intuitive mapping so my
the third is intuitive mapping so my walk is not a continuous line I walk
walk is not a continuous line I walk
walk is not a continuous line I walk country by country and it’s shaped
country by country and it’s shaped
country by country and it’s shaped usually by my gut instinct where I feel
usually by my gut instinct where I feel
usually by my gut instinct where I feel called to go sometimes it’s the people I
called to go sometimes it’s the people I
called to go sometimes it’s the people I meet what’s happening in the environment
meet what’s happening in the environment
meet what’s happening in the environment or politically that shape where I walk
or politically that shape where I walk
or politically that shape where I walk next and lastly is walking every step
next and lastly is walking every step
next and lastly is walking every step myself so no form of transportation
myself so no form of transportation
myself so no form of transportation helps me to cross the country I’m
helps me to cross the country I’m
helps me to cross the country I’m walking now before I begin I did know
walking now before I begin I did know
walking now before I begin I did know some of the challenges I might face like
some of the challenges I might face like
some of the challenges I might face like losing toenails or not showering for
losing toenails or not showering for
losing toenails or not showering for days turns out sometimes weeks
days turns out sometimes weeks
days turns out sometimes weeks exhaustion loneliness and extreme
exhaustion loneliness and extreme
exhaustion loneliness and extreme weather and then there were the
weather and then there were the
weather and then there were the worst-case scenarios but I always knew
worst-case scenarios but I always knew
worst-case scenarios but I always knew were a possibility especially being a
were a possibility especially being a
were a possibility especially being a woman walking alone and my worst fear
woman walking alone and my worst fear
woman walking alone and my worst fear would take place one night in Mongolia
would take place one night in Mongolia
would take place one night in Mongolia that would forever change my visceral
that would forever change my visceral
that would forever change my visceral understand
understand
understand of courage and strengthen my
of courage and strengthen my
of courage and strengthen my determination
it was spring but the ground was still
it was spring but the ground was still heavy with snow I had walked 23 miles I
heavy with snow I had walked 23 miles I
heavy with snow I had walked 23 miles I made camp and a peanut butter and jelly
made camp and a peanut butter and jelly
made camp and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich I watched as the Sun set over
sandwich I watched as the Sun set over
sandwich I watched as the Sun set over the undulating hills of the steppes it’s
the undulating hills of the steppes it’s
the undulating hills of the steppes it’s utterly perfect solitude
utterly perfect solitude
utterly perfect solitude now I had already endured heatstroke in
now I had already endured heatstroke in
now I had already endured heatstroke in Australia and dengue and Vietnam so I
Australia and dengue and Vietnam so I
Australia and dengue and Vietnam so I was feeling a little seasoned perhaps a
was feeling a little seasoned perhaps a
was feeling a little seasoned perhaps a little overconfident and comfortable but
little overconfident and comfortable but
little overconfident and comfortable but I was still surprised and unprepared
I was still surprised and unprepared
I was still surprised and unprepared when a Mongolian nomads made his way
when a Mongolian nomads made his way
when a Mongolian nomads made his way into my tent that was the longest night
into my tent that was the longest night
into my tent that was the longest night of my life
of my life
of my life it felt like an eternity as I sat in a
it felt like an eternity as I sat in a
it felt like an eternity as I sat in a ravine trying to grasp the reality that
ravine trying to grasp the reality that
ravine trying to grasp the reality that I had just been raped every woman’s
I had just been raped every woman’s
I had just been raped every woman’s nightmare and the very reason that women
nightmare and the very reason that women
nightmare and the very reason that women are so often discouraged from even
are so often discouraged from even
are so often discouraged from even attempting solo adventures in the first
attempting solo adventures in the first
attempting solo adventures in the first place I felt shame and I felt like I had
place I felt shame and I felt like I had
place I felt shame and I felt like I had failed in some way but as I sat in that
failed in some way but as I sat in that
failed in some way but as I sat in that ravine I began muttering memorized
ravine I began muttering memorized
ravine I began muttering memorized poetry to calm my mind and my body and
poetry to calm my mind and my body and
poetry to calm my mind and my body and in this moment I went through some
in this moment I went through some
in this moment I went through some self-blame thinking about how I could
self-blame thinking about how I could
self-blame thinking about how I could have done things differently or
have done things differently or
have done things differently or prevented it I felt like I had let down
prevented it I felt like I had let down
prevented it I felt like I had let down all the women who feared this for
all the women who feared this for
all the women who feared this for themselves or even for me but as I move
themselves or even for me but as I move
themselves or even for me but as I move past those places I came to a place of
past those places I came to a place of
past those places I came to a place of acceptance of what just took place and
acceptance of what just took place and
acceptance of what just took place and that’s when I could see two choices
that’s when I could see two choices
that’s when I could see two choices clearly in front of me I could give up
clearly in front of me I could give up
clearly in front of me I could give up and go home because the fear that this
and go home because the fear that this
and go home because the fear that this could happen again could be just too
could happen again could be just too
could happen again could be just too overwhelming or find the courage to keep
overwhelming or find the courage to keep
overwhelming or find the courage to keep walking I was alone in a muddy pit in
walking I was alone in a muddy pit in
walking I was alone in a muddy pit in the middle of Mongolia I was terrified
the middle of Mongolia I was terrified
the middle of Mongolia I was terrified I had limited resources
and that’s when I remembered I
and that’s when I remembered I remembered those fearless women the ones
remembered those fearless women the ones
remembered those fearless women the ones who had shared their stories of pain and
who had shared their stories of pain and
who had shared their stories of pain and triumph who had endured brutality but
triumph who had endured brutality but
triumph who had endured brutality but found peace and love I could see their
found peace and love I could see their
found peace and love I could see their faces and hear their voices they were
faces and hear their voices they were
faces and hear their voices they were human like me they were women like me
human like me they were women like me
human like me they were women like me and this was the moment I was beginning
and this was the moment I was beginning
and this was the moment I was beginning to understand that there is no
to understand that there is no
to understand that there is no difference between the women I admired
difference between the women I admired
difference between the women I admired and myself they chose to step towards
and myself they chose to step towards
and myself they chose to step towards what they feared and discover what they
what they feared and discover what they
what they feared and discover what they were capable of they chose courage so
were capable of they chose courage so
were capable of they chose courage so could i by the time the Sun rose that
could i by the time the Sun rose that
could i by the time the Sun rose that morning I had made my decision and as I
morning I had made my decision and as I
morning I had made my decision and as I put one foot in front of the other with
put one foot in front of the other with
put one foot in front of the other with the faces and stories of those women
the faces and stories of those women
the faces and stories of those women encouraging me I became more determined
encouraging me I became more determined
encouraging me I became more determined than ever to keep moving it started with
than ever to keep moving it started with
than ever to keep moving it started with footsteps but as I kept walking it
footsteps but as I kept walking it
footsteps but as I kept walking it expanded I was walking West but I was
expanded I was walking West but I was
expanded I was walking West but I was walking towards forgiveness towards joy
walking towards forgiveness towards joy
walking towards forgiveness towards joy and humor trust and love we are not
and humor trust and love we are not
and humor trust and love we are not alone in our fears and by standing up
alone in our fears and by standing up
alone in our fears and by standing up and telling our stories we are
and telling our stories we are
and telling our stories we are connecting and encouraging each other it
connecting and encouraging each other it
connecting and encouraging each other it felt like I had finished walking across
felt like I had finished walking across
felt like I had finished walking across Mongolia with several women holding my
Mongolia with several women holding my
Mongolia with several women holding my hand and heart and as I continued
hand and heart and as I continued
hand and heart and as I continued walking today I make efforts to meet
walking today I make efforts to meet
walking today I make efforts to meet with local women so that we can share
with local women so that we can share
with local women so that we can share our stories and connect through our
our stories and connect through our
our stories and connect through our experiences so I see courage as a verb
experiences so I see courage as a verb
experiences so I see courage as a verb it’s a motion because you can’t do it
it’s a motion because you can’t do it
it’s a motion because you can’t do it standing still when we know what we’re
standing still when we know what we’re
standing still when we know what we’re afraid of
afraid of
afraid of it is the very action of moving towards
it is the very action of moving towards
it is the very action of moving towards it that is courageous not the end Rizzo
it that is courageous not the end Rizzo
it that is courageous not the end Rizzo it is the movement forward and it
it is the movement forward and it
it is the movement forward and it doesn’t take a grand adventure or a
doesn’t take a grand adventure or a
doesn’t take a grand adventure or a crisis for us to choose courage it takes
crisis for us to choose courage it takes
crisis for us to choose courage it takes courage to start a business to take a
courage to start a business to take a
courage to start a business to take a risk to follow your heart when everyone
risk to follow your heart when everyone
risk to follow your heart when everyone else wants you to do something different
else wants you to do something different
else wants you to do something different or to love in the face of rejection or
or to love in the face of rejection or
or to love in the face of rejection or pain I now know that it is the
pain I now know that it is the
pain I now know that it is the willingness to be afraid and to be
willingness to be afraid and to be
willingness to be afraid and to be totally and completely vulnerable in how
totally and completely vulnerable in how
totally and completely vulnerable in how we live our lives as we step into our
we live our lives as we step into our
we live our lives as we step into our challenges courage is a practice and
challenges courage is a practice and
challenges courage is a practice and it’s when you keep walking that you find
it’s when you keep walking that you find
it’s when you keep walking that you find it thank you
”
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