leaning in

life has been moving at a million miles a second for most of the year (nothing new here).

since guiding in morocco this spring, there’s been little to no stopping. from leading trips in the atlas mountains to bikepacking across italy and into austria. a blissed-out month guiding in the balkans. jumping straight to japan to scout a new running tour (so stoked). barrelling back into north america to guide in british columbia. a quick two-day stopover at my folks, then straight to iceland for another trip. by mid-august, I finally carved out a month in canada (arguably the best time to be back).

but naturally, I oriented my time in canada to be filled with motion and travel. with a new-to-me ford ranger and a sweet little truck camper (shoutout to dave at yucca-pac), I spent thirty days joyously roaming through british columbia. two epic and challenging stage races in revelstoke and golden. long bike rides and new trails. camp meals and lake swims. reconnecting with old friends and creating new bonds. exploring new regions and visiting old favourites. and somehow, in the middle of all the movement, I found undeniable peace, joy and a deep sense of calm and recharge.

and now? I’m off again — currently en route to kenya to guide for a week, as I dive into another multi-month stretch of guiding and personal adventures (more on that to come).

in years past, this would be right about the time when burnout would hit hard. all the motion, the unknowns, the physical and mental wear and tear. I’d usually ending up feeling like half of a human, but this year has felt different. I haven’t stopped moving, yet I’ve been navigating any oncoming exhaustion with more ease, awareness, and presence. instead of the crash-and-burn cycle I’ve grown accustomed to, I feel grounded, excited, and aligned with where I am during this season of life. do I still get exhausted? well, duh - I’m still human. but my relationship to it has softened.. shifted.

so much of this year has been about leaning in. letting go of the need to “figure it out,” to have a plan, to be weighed down by expectations and outcomes. it’s not easy to continuously choose to lean into uncertainty, trust that things will fall into place, sit in discomfort, put myself out there, and take risks I’ve never taken before. but instead of chaos compounding the chaos, it’s been the opposite. a release. a lightness. a new freedom. and beyond just thinking about all of this, it’s been a full embodiment. I’m truly in the midst of a “fuck it, let’s live!” mentality that also feels entirely intentional. it’s been paving the way for a fresh chapter — one I feel I’m just stepping into now.

whatever is ahead, I’m leaning in fully and welcoming it all with open arms.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: life is a gift.