Butterfly Effect

Have you ever heard of the butterfly effect? It’s apparently this really cool thing in mathematics that has translated to pop culture. It means that a minor change in circumstances can cause a large change in outcome. I think We Hike to Heal has been that for me.

We set the scene in Spring of 2018. I had been working on lots of things for quite a while. I was working with trauma and health issues and burnout and honestly just a very long list of things that I can’t even fully remember at this point.

I was in my phase of trying new things. I came across this EventBrite event on Facebook one day.

Apparently a group of women were going to hike up Stone Mountain together? There were going to be matching shirts?

I was intrigued. I had been hiking by myself for a while at that point. I was trying to figure myself out. I was still afraid of doing big things by myself at that point in my life. I wanted to go so I dragged one of my coworkers to it with me (She’s turned IRL friend and I get to see her get married this year. I love how life works.)

I can’t remember a lot about the first We Hike to Heal I went to.
We did a walking thought?
Some breathing exercises?

I definitely remember the way I felt afterwards. (and the funny picture of me struggling and laughing at the top of the mountain)

I felt like I found my people. Like this is where I was meant to be.

It felt scary and expansive and I was a little timid about what it would mean next.

I remember coming down that mountain a little lighter than going up. A little closer to those around me. A little more me.

And it’s crazy what has happened since.

I somehow became an ambassador, model, and blog editor for ODJT. (And friends with Kenya and Michelle)
I’ve met influencers from the hiking community and built my network.
I met an author and then became part of her launch team. I was introduced to fat liberation and now I’m that author’s friend? AND I am about to be on another’s launch team from meeting the first author.
I wrote my own book because I met those authors.
I’m on a screenwriting project with people that I’ve met through ODJT.
I started going on hikes with a someone who is going to be a lifelong friend.
I got into Chakras and energy healing and crystals.
Not to mention the healing from comes from hiking, especially the mental/emotional healing that comes from hiking by the Chattahoochee.

Long story short, my life has been changed because of a hike.

It’s been one step in front of the other. One flutter of a butterfly wing after the other.

A mountain was climbed, a life was changed.

If you ever need motivation to make a decision that you think will be insignificant, this is your sign to take a chance.

I have been hiking and healing for a long time now. I can’t wait to see where it will go next.