The First Steps

Growing up in a world of pointe shoes, blistered and bloodied feet, and careful scrutiny of body health and awareness has taught me more than I could have ever imagined. Ballet showed me how to be passionate, disciplined, perseverant, and to give it your all 100% of the time. The overused phrase "no pain, no gain" basically ruled my life. While I sacrificed certain aspects of my life that most people consider essential to growing up and finding out who you are, the endless hours I spent dancing, and the few melancholy years after not dancing, has enlightened me in ways I couldn't have thought possible. As I have shifted my energy to a more forgiving practice and instruction of yoga I am only now realizing the affect my path has had on me up to this point in my life.

After taking an extended break from school, I couldn't help shake the feeling of being lost and not knowing where to go next. The ever-present existential questions of 'who am I?' and 'what am I doing with my life?' clouded my thoughts. Do I keep living with my parents? Do I move out? Do I go back to school? (What would I even study?!) The far-off dream of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail at some point in my life seemed to be moving closer and closer to the present without my even knowing it.

And now, here I am. Less than a month away from this spectacular, life-changing event. I think about my life in the coming five months and I'm almost unable to even comprehend it myself, let alone trying to explain to others the endeavor I'll be taking on and my reasons for doing it. I feel more confident about my decision to hike the PCT than any other decision I've ever made. As I prepare for the hike, I am grateful for those life lessons of discipline and perseverance that have been ingrained in my mind and I know that they will most definitely serve their purpose. I truly believe that everything that has happened in my life has led me to where I am, and there are a million steps I can take from here.

The Plan

As you may already know, I'm planning on hiking the entire length of the western United States via the 2,663.5 mile path known as the Pacific Crest Trail. In this blog I will share my journey with you, the good and the bad, as I hike to find myself and travel in my own direction. Enjoy!