Author: Sloan

Watch Out For Dinosaurs!

/ Sloan / 2 Comments

As I gear up to move my life to Thailand I’m trying to fit in all the things that I never used to do into the next few weeks. I more or less have a ‘bucket list’ in Oregon, ‘things’ I must go do and see. Last week a friend and I went to the Jedadiah State Park (this is actually in N. California, but close enough). The trees were massive, the air was cool and the trails were perfect, conversation about love, life, adventuring, our futures flowed…

We decided to run Little Bald Trail, a 5-mile up and down trail that starts in the Redwoods and as you climb 1,800 feet the terrain changes drastically—trees thin out, the trail is more exposed and it gets HOT. Throughout the run we were either chasing or being chased by two women on horses. At one point we stopped and chatted, learned that we all have some sort of connection through a location, a mutual friend, a love for horses…it was a moment that made us stop and think about these woman and their lives, how one day it would be cool to ride up the trail instead of run.

The run ended, 10 sweaty miles later I was stoked from the run. I don’t know if it was a runner’s high, the big trees, hope for lunch or what, but I felt amazing being where I was, doing what I was doing. We drove to the coast, drank a beer and had lunch starring at the ocean and smelling the salt in the breeze. The cement post in front of us said “Live Free” that was our motto for the rest of the trip. I was learning to let loose and go with the flow a bit easier.

Hiking through the redwoods forces you to feel small. These trees are enormous, at any moment we were ready to see a dinosaur pop out and chase us down the path. This forest is only minutes from the coast, minutes from the Smith River and a couple hours from where I live. I love it. The world is so incredible; I want to see it all.

We plopped our tents down by the river and jumped in the pristine water, sat on rocks that seemed like they were made for out butts, we drank another beer and starred at the clouds passing by. Reflecting on the day, talking about the future, relating on the fact that we’re lost and confused. Remembering the horse-back riders, thinking that they are probably sharing with their husbands about ‘those crazy runners’ they saw on the trail, the small connections we make are the most important. This was the kind of bliss I needed; a night out of town, a friend to talk about life with, and a river to clean the salt off my body, I need this more often.

 

It’s funny how when I decide to change my life drastically I start truly enjoying what I have. I begin to really take advantage of my surroundings and love it. I think I just need to enjoy my surroundings, look forward to the future and see what happens with this upcoming adventure. I need to learn to stop worrying. Any tips?

 

Two Months From Today

/ Sloan / 3 Comments

If all goes as planned I will be embarking on the biggest adventure of my life, thus far. I will be arriving in Bangkok, Thailand for my teach abroad orientation. I have made a one-semester commitment to teach English in the Kamphaeng Phet Province. So currently I am working and working and working really hard to earn enough money to pay for program fees, plane tickets, doctors appointments and vaccines.

One of my biggest goals for the adventure is to really hone in and take this blog to a new level. I plan on traveling on the weekends, running in the lush green jungles, climbing the mountains and swimming in the Ping River. This blog is meant to be a self-learning experience. I want you to read it and be inspired and go off and do your own adventuring. I want you to write to me and tell me about it, I want everyone to know how great this country and this world is! Let’s discover it together.

Right now in this time of ‘getting ready’ any support you can send my way would be amazing. Positive thoughts, words of encouragement, emails of support would be amazing. I’m very excited but also really nervous about this whole thing. I will keep you all posted on my happens over the next two months and then while in Thailand I plan to take this blog to a whole new level!

 

But for today I’m headed to the Redwoods!!

Negativity

/ Sloan / 3 Comments

At the gym yesterday (I know, gym? In the summer? Believe me, when its 103 outside the gym is way better than running the streets, and mooching the a/c and watching free Olympics coverage…it was a win-win.) I was in the woman’s locker room using the restroom and notice a naked woman standing in front of the mirror alone. As I closed the door to the stall I kept my eye on her (in the least creepy way as possible) starring at herself, clearly judging body.

She was touching her belly button, noticing the curves of her breast, the stretch marks on her hips darker than the rest of her skin. Her hair still wet from the shower, she threw it behind her shoulders in frustration. Naked woman was probably in her early 40s, had enough confidence to stand completely and utterly stark naked in the middle of the gym locker room and stare herself down, yet I could see in her reflection the judgment she was passing. The hate she had for the bit of un-toned arm between her breast and armpit, she judge it and dropped her hand and her side, brushing her rounded bottom, annoyed with this action too.

Sitting on the toilette spying on this woman through the crack, I wished I could hear her inner dialogue. Suddenly she moved out of view, I finished up my business and stepped out only to hear the crash of the analogue scale being thrown back to zero. She was clearly unhappy with the weight the scale told her.

scale

This made me start to think about myself, how I view my body, how I’ve viewed my body in the past and all that negative self-talk that we all create from time to time. I remember being 11 years old and grabbing my belly crying wishing I could just some how cut off the fat. When I was 14 I figured I was going to be heavy my entire life and feeling bad about it would ‘just go away’ when I got older. As I lost weight as a 19 and 20 year old I heard older women in my life have negative self-talk about how jealous they were of my youth and ability to lose weight and how they were not feeling good in their bodies. Does this negative inner voice ever quiet itself?

How can make sure we treating our bodies, minds and souls with the respect they deserve.They are the only ones we have, so we need to keep them healthy and happy. What are you doing today to keep your body, mind, heart, soul healthy?