Blissfulbritt | Page 22

- Success for Less – an Individualistic Approach
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on March 26, 2018
  
  I’ve just finished an hour long walk through my favorite forest, which means my inspiration and desire to create is through the roof. Lately I’ve had this overwhelming itch to write, to create, to connect. This space has always been my first line of defense against whatever ailment plagues my mind, and although the last few years have been a valley of thoughts, I feel like I’m starting to see the peak.
  
  It’s uncomfortable yet necessary to have the valleys in life, without these we will never experience the peaks.
  
  I’m coming upon a new season in my life, one that I’ve been not so patiently waiting for. It’s been a long, unclear, and uncomfortable season for me the last few years, but as most say when they feel the end coming: I don’t regret any of it. I’ve discovered who I am as a person, what I’m capable of, and how resilient I am. I’ve also learned that when I feel stuck the best answer for me is to change something.
  
  Key words: for me.
  
  My mom claims a lack of responsibility to “stick things out” is a millennial thing. She doesn’t mean anything negative by this per se, but I always play devils advocate because my belief is that us “millennial’s” move around more often in life because we’re not afraid of chasing our dreams. We’re not afraid to break out of the mold we never fit into in the first place. I know in my soul when something doesn’t feel right, and those feelings manifest in other ways when I don’t listen.
  
  The awesome thing about all of this is that when we listen and take the time to learn about ourselves, we have the ability to discover what we need. Needless to say I’ve had a lot of self discovery the last few years. One of my daily focuses these days is minimizing as much stress as possible. For as long as I can remember I’ve felt stressed and anxious when it comes to “excess.” Friends and family often don’t take me serious when I tell them, “please no gifts” for holidays and birthdays, but most of the time those gifts I receive are donated or re-gifted. I don’t do this to be inconsiderate, but I don’t want more than I truly need.
  
  Living with less gives me so much more.
  
  I go through spurts of minimizing my already minimal belongings, and I’ve been on a big downsizing kick lately. I’ve downsized to only clothing I wear or have worn within the last month, because how many shirts can I actually wear at once. I sold my iWatch, because the constant connection was draining and I wanted to be more intentional with my focus. I gave away jewelry because let’s be real, I don’t wear jewelry. I threw away my mascara because I haven’t worn makeup in months.
  
  The list goes on…(I sold 11 thing on eBay and have raked in over $770 so far.)
  
  Literally all I use for “beauty.”
  
  What I gain each time I minimize is a sense of freedom. Freedom from belongings that bring me no value or joy, but just take up space physically and mentally. I’m a simple gal, with simple taste. I dress in dark neutral colors because it makes getting dressed in the morning effortless. I only wear things I feel truly comfortable and confident in because life is stressful enough without adding the pressure of “what will I wear today?”
  
  I’ve always had this mindset tucked deep in the back of my mind, but it wasn’t until the last few years I began to embrace this about myself. Sometimes it takes walking through a valley to reorganize your life and pay attention to what is important to you. Everything else has a way of fading into the background. As a teenager I cared about what people thought of me much too often, but as a “one year shy of 30 millennial” I’m more comfortable in my own skin than I ever have been.
  
  One of the perks of our 20’s, they truly are about self discovery.
  
  Be the one orange leaf in a sea of green.
  
  I’m well aware a minimalist lifestyle is not for everyone, but I do think everyone could benefit from consuming less in life. We live in a world where debt is at an all time high, we’re encouraged that if we don’t have the money for it to put in on our tab, when really if we don’t have the money for it then we cannot afford it. I struggle with understanding this mindset, because to me it’s always been obvious – if I can’t pay for it with cash, I can’t buy it.
  
  End of story.
  
  Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but I hope to see a day where we as consumers take control over our lives, and stop letting society influence us on what we consume. Do you really need that $80k car? Do you really need those $500 sunglasses? Or how about that five bedroom house that you’ll be paying off until you die when it’s just you and one other person living in it? Success is too often equated with money, and items, and the more you own the more successful you are, but is that really the truth?
  
  There’s nothing inherently wrong with having “stuff” if you truly find endless joy in something, but to know the different between a quick fix and true joy takes diving deep into our intentions.
  
  Success to me is a loving and healthy network of people, the ability to travel and learn about new cultures, the ability to have enough to get by right now, and enough to get by in the future (yes, I have a 401K and a Roth IRA) without the stress of needing a high paying job to pay for my lifestyle. My idea of success might be different than yours, and that’s OK, but I believe if you’re buying just to buy there’s likely a void in your life you’re trying to fill.
  
  Once the joy from the new toy fades, we’re left with the same discontentment. We’re left feeling lost, like being a tourist in a big city.
  
  This isn’t to say we should never buy things, I fully support when items bring true joy to our lives and will be used over and over. It’s the excess that acts as a coverup. The beauty of the world we live in is that we’re all entitled to our own opinions and ways of life, I won’t judge you for your consumption, but I also won’t pussyfoot around the destruction that can accompany a lifestyle riddled with excess.
  
  The goal is not to be perfect, the goal is to be aware. I have my moments of desire to purchase things I likely do not need, but being aware helps keep me on track with my values. How much of your stuff is cluttering your life, blocking the space of something you truly need? Blocking your desire to travel, to connect, to inspire?
  
  I love connecting with like minded individuals, either in real life, or through podcasts, social media, and books.
  
  This goes for other consumption as well. I don’t struggle with material possessions, but I do have two areas I need to be consciously aware of: food, and social media. I can easily get lost in a bag of cookies if I don’t eat with intent, and social media is a rabbit hole I’ve hopped down too many times to count. I recently deactivated my personal Facebook, and spent a week without Instagram on my phone because I was over-consuming both.
  
  Momentarily stepping away is all it takes for me to remember why I use social media: to connect, not to pass time when I could be doing something more productive.
  
  With all things in life there’s a balance. Consumption isn’t satanic, and living with less doesn’t make you above everyone else. I’m not telling you you’re a bad person if you buy a lot of things, and social media can be a great tool when used correctly. My goal with this post is to encourage and inspire those reading to listen to their hearts and stop letting others influence the way they live.
  
  This is not to confused with avoiding quality. I spend more on items I know I’ll use more. I once had a pair of Birkenstocks last for ten years. I have a pair at all times.
  
  For years I lived my life based on how someone else told me I should, and all that got me was a life full of stress, a mind full of discontent, a body overcome by disease, and a soul stifled with stagnation. It’s amazing how quickly things can change for the better when we start to live our truth. Our truth – everyone is unique.
  
  As always, when I pour my soul onto the virtual pages of this blog – I feel uplifted, relieved, renewed.
  
  To end I leave you with this – think about what success means to you. You don’t have to minimize to feel success. If you wan’t success to equal money then more power to you, but I’d argue most of us want more out of this life. Our truth is constantly changing, don’t be afraid to redirect multiple times. This is just one of my examples of success (I have many,) and yours will likely look different, but that’s what makes us all beautifully human. We get to write our own stories, no one else.
  
  Q: How do you define success?
  
  | 42 Comments Tagged Grand Forest, Life, Minimalist
- Onward
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on March 8, 2018
  
  I’ve noticed a pattern with my blogging. When I’m deep in the throes of school, I’m mostly MIA on this space. My brain becomes so convoluted with information I don’t ever plan to use that any and all creative juices are sucked up through a straw with a hole the size of Alaska. That makes for quick loss of creative juice.
  
  The good news is, I am down to my last class. Like…the last one…ever. I really never wanted to go to college, and to be honest with you I don’t know if I’ll ever want a job that requires a college degree, but I finally settled on a BS in human communication. We all have to communicate, regardless of what we do for work.
  
  Plus, Starbucks is footing the bill and I couldn’t really turn down a free bachelors degree. If you have an end goal I think college is great, but if you don’t, I think it can be a death trap for years of financial burden.
  
  I’m a big believer that college isn’t for everyone, but I’m glad it’s finally almost over. I’ll never have that “I wonder if” problem about finishing, but the only reason I started was because I felt like my parents wanted me to. I have to admit this was the worst possible time for me to finish college and the amount of stress I felt from my classes as well as from managing my health literally had me on the floor in a ball more times than not.
  
  Thankfully I’m a stubborn individual, and I refuse to take “this is your life now” for an answer. This is mostly the case for my autoimmune issues, which I don’t talk about much on the blog, but the thoughts of my body take up a large majority of my brain space. The sad reality is that most people think once they’re labeled as having an autoimmune disease, or any disease for that matter, they assume that’s it.
  
  They assume this is life now, bring on the cocktail of drugs to manage this new life.
  
  I don’t believe that, not for one second, no matter how many doctors seem to believe this. I believe autoimmune diseases are caused by excess inflammation in the body, for such extended periods of time that the immune system can no longer keep up in trying to put out the inflammatory flames. The goal is to find the source of this inflammation, whether it’s food, stress, toxins, parasites, or a combination of multiple things, and remove the triggers.
  
  I’m thankful for my stubborn mind because it will allow me to gain my health back in full one day, of this I’m certain. It’s not an easy road, but it’s a road that will be worth the effort (just like these snowy hike photos from my birthday last month.) I used to be notorious for quitting when things got hard, which is why it’s taken me 11 years since I graduated high school to finally graduate college, but this time I didn’t quit. I wanted to quit many times, because I don’t handle my stress well. I switched my major four times, and regret nothing.
  
  I’m certain stress was one of my main triggers for pushing my body over the edge, but patience is my best friend in calming the inflammatory fires.
  
  I refuse to quit the path of naturally healing my body through lifestyle changes, and it’s powerful knowing I have control over my outcome. I can taste the freedom that accompanies no longer having to read another textbook on a topic I have no interest in. I have a good sense of when to quit something because it’s no longer serving me, and when to quit something because I’m letting stress take over. It’s important for me to know the difference.
  
  I can also taste the freedom that comes from no longer handcrafting espresso beverages at Starbucks. I have two months left with Starbucks before I move onto my next adventure, and it’s a bittersweet goodbye. Five years ago I started slaving for the siren with no goal other than to busy my days and busy my mind after a painfully ugly breakup. Starbucks quite literally saved me when I needed saving, and because of that I will always have a soft spot for this chapter in my life.
  
  Plus, the solid 401K and free bachelors degree they’ve given me aren’t so bad either.
  
  From retail, to corporate, and back to retail I can confidently say my time with Starbucks has come to an end. I’ve become both comfortable and stagnant with where I’m at in life which means it’s time for a change. The stress that accompanies a job like mine is stress I can no longer afford to tax my body with. Although I’m sad to say goodbye I’m also ready to spread my wings and fly.
  
  One of the few classes I enjoyed taking during my time with ASU was an elective class (aren’t those the only ones most of us enjoy?) called Wilderness and Parks in America. I learned a great deal about the history of our national parks, and developed a desire to see as many as possible, including the first ever national park – Yellowstone.
  
  SO, I snagged a summer job at Yellowstone this May-October.
  
  I’ve never been to Yellowstone, nor any of the states that Yellowstone resides in (the majority of the part resides in Wyoming, but 3% of the park is in Montana and 1% is in Idaho.) After my recent trip to Alaska I fell in love with the idea of seasonal work in locations that allowed me to live a lifestyle I enjoy, and to be outdoors exploring as often as possible.
  
  I’m both excited and apprehensive about this adventure. My safety zone (my kitchen) will not be available to me, and I will have to learn how to navigate eating foods outside of my small circle of what is and is not helpful to my body. I’m confident that being in a new environment with new friends, and new hiking trails will continue to project me forward.
  
  I’m already daydreaming about all the people I will meet, both coworkers and visitors of the park.
  
  It’s no secret I’m a bit of a nomad, being in one place makes me feel stuck and weighed down, so this concept of seasonal work is something I’m chasing after right now. I don’t know what’s next after Yellowstone, and yet ironically this upcoming adventure has brought me more peace than I ever felt working a steady job the last five years.
  
  Not everyone is made for the 9-5 lifestyle and that’s OK. What’s not OK is waking up each morning and dreading the day ahead of you. This life is a gift and we only get one, so we might as well live it doing things we enjoy. Thankfully I’m a simple girl, with a simple lifestyle, and I can afford to run off to different states living the life I manifest for myself.
  
  Our bodies talk to us in many ways, and mine has been telling me it’s time for a change for a while now. The next two months I will continue to seek out my triggers for inflammation, continue to work through my stress, and finish college strong. Two weeks after I graduate I head to Yellowstone, and one week after Yellowstone I head to Scotland.
  
  Only we can create a life worth living for ourselves. It’s going to be a good year. Onward.
  
  Q: Tell me about your educational path, and what you do for work.
  
  | 62 Comments Tagged Alfred, ASU, Autoimmune Disease, Life, Starbucks
- Accepting Alfred
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on February 15, 2018
  
  Today is my 29th birthday. I’ll wait, you can go grab me some chocolate.
  
  Actually, keep the chocolate for yourself, I won’t be partaking in any of that this year. For the last 29 years I’ve associated my birthday with treats, just like 98% of the American population. We turn another year older and we must celebrate with cake, and cookies, and coffee, OH MY. Truth be told, I’d love to celebrate with those goodies, but I won’t.
  
  Life with an autoimmune disease means everything you ever knew about food must change. Unless of course you want to take the easy way out and stuff yourself with drugs to suppress your immune system, but I’d rather not do that. I’d be lying if I said it was easy avoiding these treats, but I’m getting to the point where the flare ups they cause are no longer worth it.
  
  It’s been two years since I was officially diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and I admit it’s taken me that entire time to finally accept that this is my life now. I’ve spent this entire time trying to “fix” the problem, to do whatever I could to heal my body in order to go back to how things used to be before my cup runneth over, but that’s not how this works.
  
  The way things used to be is part of how I got myself into this mess.
  
  If I’ve learned anything from this need for control over my body it’s that trying to fix something you have very little control over is exhausting. Day in and day out the denial and desire to escape this disease that follows me everywhere I go has had me running a race that I will never win. Rather than try to escape this card I’ve been dealt, I’ve decided to take a different approach.
  
  The other night I was lying in bed, when a thought entered my mind that I decided to focus on rather than trying to quiet. I thought about my autoimmune disease, and the idea of giving it a name. Like a friend. I wouldn’t try to run away from a friend, and I wouldn’t try to hurt my friend, and this shift in my mindset brought life to Alfred, my autoimmune disease.
  
  Alfred will be with me for life, though when the stars are aligned he will go on vacations. Hopefully those vacation are long ones (remission) and I won’t see him for long chunks of my life, but when he does show up (like the last couple years) I will be kind to him, honoring his existence as a part of me instead of trying to pretend he’s not there.
  
  Honoring Alfred means shifting my life completely, because growth comes from change, and change is almost always uncomfortable. Honoring Alfred means saying no to running, and going for a light walk instead. Honoring Alfred means minimizing my stress as much as possible, saying no when I want to say no, and removing people from my life that bring me down.
  
  Honoring Alfred means saying no to the cake, and opting for the avocado instead.
  
  I’m an emotional eater, and this was something that became very clear to me the last couple years. I never noticed it as a problem until my stress levels blew through the roof, and until I was told “you can’t” eat things if you want to feel better. It’s a painful pill to swallow when your life takes a turn out of your control, but it’s even more painful to have the flareups that accompany an autoimmune disease.
  
  Living with an immune system that thinks its own tissues are foreign causes a whole heap of symptoms that can make or break your quality of life.
  
  Food has a direct correlation to the quality of life for me. I am aware of what I should and should not eat in order to feel my best, and in order to keep my mind on board I’ve switched my verbiage from “I can’t eat that” to “I don’t eat that.” Sometimes even my “safe foods” cause a flare up, and in those times I do my best not to spiral. Everyday is a new day, and I’m getting better at handling the harder days.
  
  There will be days I eat foods that do not support my body, but I’m hoping with this acceptance the need for those days become less and less. I also hope that when these days do happen, I give myself more grace and find my way back on the bus rather than continue to spiral because I “failed.” There is no failure, there is no black and white, there is only balance, and life, and forgiveness.
  
  Giving in is not the same as giving up, I will never give up, but I’ve decided to give in. I give in to the lifestyle change that is necessary for me to thrive, I give in to turning down the cake today on my birthday in order to avoid the uncomfortable flareups, I give in to living a life with Alfred by my side, because in all reality his presence is helping me to live my best life. As long as I accept what he is trying to offer.
  
  Diseases often occur in our lives to wake us up to a life we’re meant to live. All too often our society tries to quiet the messages our bodies are trying to tell us by taking drugs, but most ailments can be moderated with lifestyle changes. There are surely some ailments where drugs are the only option, I’m not discrediting that in the least, but most of them give us a choice on how we want to continue to live.
  
  Acceptance didn’t come easy, I went through the stages of grief for over two years. There are few things that hold a flame to a steaming cup of coffee and a slice of chocolate cake, or even a long run, both of which my body no longer tolerates, but I find peace in honoring what my body is asking for. By honoring Alfred I’m given a sense of control again, because while I cannot control the fact that he lives with me, I can control whether or not I embrace his presence.
  
  Viewing Alfred from a place of warmth and love brings a positive energy to my life. There are days when I’m not perfect, there are days I cave and eat the cake, there are days I want to crawl into a hole and never come out, but those days are getting fewer and I’m learning how to cope and how to bring joy to my life through things other than food. This warmth also helps me to be kind when I make choices that don’t honor Alfred, and remind me that growth is all about the journey.
  
  Joy is a slow hike in the mountains (like the ones I took these photos on), joy is giving time to others, joy is the smile on a family members face, joy is the wind on my face, or the rain on my arm, joy is the vibration on my chest from the purr of my cat.
  
  Life throws us curve balls when we least expect it. It’s normal to stomp our feet in defiance at first, but eventually we all have to get over ourselves if we want to live our lives to their full potential. I’ve decided the temper tantrum I’ve been throwing has gone on long enough, and I’ve accepted this new life of mine. I’ve made life much more difficult than it needed to be the last couple years, but it’s all apart of the process.
  
  All this is to say it could always be worse, life is about what we make of it. I’m one year shy of being 30, and you can bet your britches I’m ready to kiss my 20’s goodbye. It’s true that our 20’s are years of discovery, and I’m ready to get the hell out of them. My final year of my 20’s will be spent polishing up the final touches before I head into a new decade.
  
  I no longer want to people please, and I no longer want to be shy about my dietary restrictions when around other people, I no longer want to feel the need to be strong when my fatigue is overwhelming. I’m proud of who I am, I’m proud of my body and all it can handle, and I’m proud of my life with Alfred. Giving in is freeing, and I feel a weight lifted from my shoulders and a cloud lifted from my mind. Acceptance is choosing to thrive instead of just exist.
  
  *2024 update: it’s been over six years since I wrote this post, and I am happy to say I have found a better balance with Alfred. This balance has allowed me to start running again, to eat the (gluten free) cake on my birthday, and live a less restrictive lifestyle. This will be a forever evolving journey, but I am thankful to have the tools in my toolbox to readjust as needed.*
  
  Q: Have you experienced any difficult lifestyle changes?
  
  | 59 Comments Tagged Alfred, Autoimmune Disease, Birthday, Hiking
- Thunderbird Park
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on January 22, 2018
  
  A trip to Arizona for me is not complete without a visit to Thunderbird Park. Mostly this is because my family lives near one of the trail entrances, so I walk half a mile and my hike begins. Not quite like the 1-2 hour drives I take to get to a trail in Washington.
  
  Not that I’m complaining, nothing compares to the hikes in Washington…yet.
  
  In my previous visits to Thunderbird Park, I stuck to a basic walk following the Coach Whip trail, taking me along three different mountains, but never to the summits. The park is split into three mountains, each with their own summit. One at Arrowhead Point, one on the Cholla Loop, and one on Sunrise Mountain.
  
  I decided to jump on board with the #52hikechallenge this year, where I hike at least 52 times throughout 2018. To make it easy, I started on Jan 2. Ideally I will hike once a week, but there will certainly be weeks I hike more than this (like when I’m hiking 8 days straight in Scotland, or when I’m hiking this summer at an exciting location – for another blog post), as well as weeks I don’t hike at all.
  
  I plan to listen to my body this year more than every before, like yesterday when I chose to go to a spin class instead of hike.
  
  Overall I have no strict rules for this goal, just to make an effort to hike as often as possible. I completed four hikes while in Arizona, three of them at Thunderbird Park in order to hit all three summits. I find it easy to start a commitment like this when I’m in Arizona because the sunshine is motivational.
  
  Plus I have a shitton of extra time, and Thunderbird is so close.
  
  Far left is Sunrise Mountain, middle is Cholla Loop, and far right is Arrowhead Point. All connected by the Coach Whip trail.
  
  Another angle view of the same three in the same order.
  
  You would never know from the above panoramic photos, but each summit is market by an American flag. This made it more fun for me, because I can’t say the view from the tops are anything to loose your pants over. Instead I used the flag as my victory reward. I did all of these hikes solo, and this park is well populated so I always felt safe.
  
  Each hike gave me a bit over 5 miles by starting where I did on the Coach Whip, but you could easily do more than one mountain at a time.
  
  First up for me was Cholla Loop – a 3.6 mile loop with an elevation of 1350′. The overall gain is a mere 561′ making this trail suitable for most everyone. I started at the same location each time, giving me a few extra miles. This was when I realized there were multiple summits, and this was when I decided to hit all three before I left.
  
  Next hike was somewhat unplanned. I set out with the intention of just walking the Coach Whip (which I did a few other times that I’m not counting) but ended up turning the wrong way. I was heading towards the summit of Sunrise Mountain, and ironically as I hit the summit the sun was starting to set.
  
  Sunset on Sunrise.
  
  I wasn’t planning a full hike, but one thing led to another. I still got 5 miles in on this hike, but had to call for backup because it was getting dark. Instead of walking back another mile and a half or so on the Coach Whip, I got picked up at the Sunrise Mountain trail head. Shout out to my dad and stepmom for coming to save me from coyotes and creeps. This trail is a 4.3 mile loop (I loved the loops!) with a gain of 626′.
  
  Lastly I ventured to Arrowhead Point Trail, which was the shortest of them all with a smaller elevation gain, but the shorter the mileage/gain ratio the more it burns. It’s short, but it gets the lungs burning. This loop is 2.4 miles with a gain of 439′. I was fortunate enough to have the summits mostly to myself.
  
  I sat at this summit for a good 10 minutes appreciating my life.
  
  I’ve officially conquered all of Thunderbird Park, and feel I’m a partial subject matter expert now. I’m excited to continue hiking in various places around the US, and in Scotland. And of course anywhere else I decide to travel to, because the world is my playground.
  
  Q: Did you set any goals for the new year? I think goals should be sent all year long, not just at the beginning.
  
  | 41 Comments Tagged Arizona, Hike, Mountain, Solo Hike, Thunderbird Park
- Desert Botanical Garden
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on January 19, 2018
  
  When I think of the desert, I think of dry, brown, arid environments with little to no life. I also think of hot fudge sundaes, but that’s because my brain has a hard time letting go of that extra “s” in the word dessert. While my original thoughts have some validity to them, I recently discovered the desert has a unique beauty that goes beyond the dry brown climate.
  
  A trip to the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ is all it took for me to open a small piece of my heart to the desert. For as long as I can remember, succulents have been one of my favorite types of plant. Little did I know a cactus is technically a succulent. You can tell I didn’t study horticulture in college.
  
  I also had no idea there were so many species of cacti. I was familiar with saguaro (I think we all are), barrel, prickly pear (thanks Jungle Book), and a few others I recognized visually (though I don’t know the names), but I discovered so many more.
  
  Octopus cactus (legit), teddy bear cactus (you touch it and it sticks on you and won’t let go), ones that had hair, and ones that looked like a fence.
  
  The cacti were educational, but the original purpose for this adventure was to see the Jun Kaneko sculptures littered around the gardens. Jun is a Japanese American artist who specializes in large, hand built ceramic sculptures. The majority of the sculptures we saw were of giant heads. They were weird, but a good kind of weird.
  
  Kind of like me.
  
  The gardens are spread over five trails, winding and looping together in one way or another. It took us two hours to cover it all, walking at a comfortable pace. It was a tranquil place and I found myself leaving much calmer than I walked in. The garden had sections for different plants, including an edible garden.
  
  My favorite thing about the gardens were the reminders that nature is healing. They have sensory gardens to relax the mind scattered around the property, fountains trickled water, birds chirped in the trees, and the air was fresh. My favorite sculpture and location had a fountain, and a view of the surrounding mountains.
  
  I could have sat there for hours.
  
  This experience was a good reminder that beauty is found anywhere, and sometimes it just takes a shift in perspective. I didn’t think the desert was ugly necessarily, but I didn’t jump out of my seat to call it beautiful either. What shocked me the most while visiting this garden was all the green. Green trees, green cacti, green succulents.
  
  Who knew the desert could have so much green in one place.
  
  The paths were surrounded by desert dwelling organisms, and every so often we’d stumble upon some sculptures. Art is funny, and really anything can be viewed as art depending on..you guessed it..perspective. Anything from a red line drawn on a black sheet of paper, to tall bear/pig hybrid statues.
  
  The one with stripes was my spirit animal. #twins.
  
  Art can come in all shapes and sizes, and everybody has their own preference. I enjoy art in many forms from written words, to paintings, to sculptures like these. Art offers a unique view into the mind of its creator, and has its own therapeutic and meditative benefits. Finding art within a garden makes a lot of sense when I think of it like that.
  
  One day, when I grow up, I will have a large garden next to a tiny home. I will spend my free time outdoors soaking up the meditative benefits of fountains, and nature, and it will be my place of zen. These botanical gardens have a powerful way of giving you the same benefits you’d get from meditation, and for that I’m a fan.
  
  Maybe I’ll even have a Jun Kaneko giant head, don’t they look like they’re meditating?
  
  My family bought a membership to these gardens, and I can’t wait to visit again at a different time of year. I don’t anticipate much will change with the plants, desert terrain doesn’t have seasons, but the different activities and exhibits will be fun. If I lived in Arizona I would come here once a week to recenter my focus and sit near my favorite labyrinth.
  
  The goal of meditation is not to control your thoughts, it’s to stop your thoughts from controlling you.
  
  Q: What’s your preferred biome? I have three: grassland, temperate deciduous forests, and taiga.
  
  | 33 Comments Tagged Arizona, Botanical Garden, Garden, Meditation, Mountain, Zen
- Walnut Canyon National Monument
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on January 15, 2018
  
  Raise your hand if you know the difference between a national park and a national monument. In simple terms, a national park is an area that is set apart for use by the public, typically because of the scenic, inspirational, or recreational value. A national monument on the other hand has pieces of history that need to be preserved such as fossil sites, ruins, or military forts.
  
  Knowing the difference between the two can help give us an idea of what to expect when visiting America’s parks. I recently took a trip to Walnut Canyon National Monument in Flagstaff, Arizona and took a step back through time. What made this location a National Monument were the preserved cliff dwellings that are over 800 years old.
  
  View from afar.
  
  The Island Trail is the trail you’ll want to walk first, a quick one mile out and back loop taking you along a flat path to view 25 cliff dwelling rooms. The elevation of this park is near 7000′ providing expansive views of the surroundings cliffs.
  
  There is also a short trail that walks the rim of the below cliff, providing a view from the other side. It’s a small park, one you can easily see all of within two hours, but one that showcases an amazing part of human history.
  
  While you don’t need to be in great shape for this adventure, you’ll want to be mobile. In order to access the Island Trail you must descend a set of steps 185 ft down from the visitors center. It’s well worth the stair master burn though, there’s no better way to experience the dwellings.
  
  I absolutely love taking a step back in time to see how people lived before America was so privileged. I couldn’t help but wonder what these people did to pass time, you know without technology and the unnecessary distractions we have today. I try hard to spend some of my time without distractions, but I admit it’s difficult.
  
  One of the reasons I enjoy living a minimalistic life is because I crave the simplicity that accompanies it. I’m not saying these people had a simple life, they worked damn hard to survive, but the contrast of lifestyles couldn’t be more different. I think our survival goal is the same today as it was back then, but the approach is so vastly different.
  
  Some of the dwellings were open like the above photo, and some were more enclosed with small doors and a small hole to allow smoke to exit the rocks. Each “apartment” like dwelling was connected to the neighbor next door. I imagine these people living like families, raising their children together and hunting for food together.
  
  The smoke stains on the walls brought my imagination to life. Did they have parties together? Did they keep isolated? Did they live a happy life?
  
  Tiny door.
  
  Tiny window.
  
  It’s no secret that often times those with less appreciate life more than those with excess. Those with less have a knack for making themselves happy without inanimate objects. When living in cliff walls I assume the focus of each day was where the next meal was going to come from, where the fresh water source was, and what to do in the event of an attack.
  
  I’m incredibly thankful for the life I have, but it’s good to have reminders like this, that the roof over my head evolved from something like a cliff dwelling. Eventually the people that lived in these cliffs moved onto new dwellings, naturally following the path of change.
  
  Time is valuable. Figuring out how to be content with idle time is a blessing I think a lot of us could benefit from. Myself included. Sitting in silence, not needing a distraction, and of course spending time with others. Surviving is a necessity, but how we do so is sometimes a choice. This choice is personalized, and no one way is wrong or right, but perhaps we can all learn something from those that live with less.
  
  Q: What’s your favorite national monument, and why?
  
  | 30 Comments Tagged Arizona, National Monument, Vacation, Walnut Canyon
- Arizona Ascents
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on January 11, 2018
  
  I’m currently on an extended vacation visiting my family in Arizona, and although I miss the greenery of my home state, I’ve taken advantage of the sunshine and dry hiking weather. Every time I visit Arizona I make it a point to hike a popular trail near Phoenix called Piestewa Peak, formerly known as Squaw Peak.
  
  Compared to the trails in Washington where I live, this trail would be considered small. The elevation is small, and the distance is short, but the gain happens quickly. The climb kicked my butt this time around, but I did make it to the summit quicker than I had in the past. I normally hike this with family, but this time I went solo.
  
  It took me 45 minutes to get to the top, rested for a few, and back down for a RT total of an hour and 40 minutes. Ish…
  
  One thing that sets this hike aside from what I’m used to is the uneven terrain. My preference for a trail is one that has a steady and smooth incline. The rocks, and stones make Piestewa Peak more difficult because it requires more energy to step up onto. This hike also requires more mental attention, I find myself thinking of my next step before I even take it.
  
  Sometimes, when the path has a rock-less option I take that path.
  
  To the right.
  
  I find it difficult to make the brown and dusty landscape look pretty, but that’s because my preference is always green. I was able to capture a few good shots before the dust completely engulfed the valley below, it was incredibly windy this day.
  
  The wind was so bad I had to stop a few times to blink the dust out of my eyes.
  
  This windy afternoon was the precursor to a “storm” that was coming. Hours later rain was falling from the sky like a flock of seagulls towards a loaf of bread. When I come to Arizona the weather is mostly consistent, and rarely deviates from sunshine. This day was completely unpredictable starting with sun, moving to wind, and ending with rain and thunder.
  
  The perfect metaphor for life, nothing is predictable.
  
  Learning to expect the unexpected has helped me cope when things don’t go as planned. How boring would life be if everything followed a schedule, or if we never let go of control to simply trust the process? This isn’t to say that we shouldn’t plan for things, but rather evaluate how we react when things don’t go as planned.
  
  I wasn’t expecting overcast on this hike, but I welcomed it with open arms. I wasn’t expecting to feel like I was going to die on this hike, but I accepted the challenge to whip myself back into shape. I wasn’t expecting rain in Arizona, but I sucked in the smell of it like a brand new vacuum.
  
  There is something magical about the smell of warm rain.
  
  Rain is invigorating. Cleaning the air and washing away dirt, it feels like a fresh start.
  
  It would be remiss of me not to update those of you that haven’t heard the latest on my cat. He is recovering amazingly well after his surgery, and will get his final evaluation on Saturday. He will also get to take off his cone of shame, and get his stitches removed.
  
  He has been given a fresh start.
  
  The little Houdini escaped the cone multiple times, is eating like a full grown grizzly, and is successfully urinating. I’d say he’s well on his way. Thank you again to those that helped this process. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as he undergoes one more procedure when I get back home.
  
  Q: How do you react when things don’t go as planned? Meditation has helped me to react less aggressively.
  
  | 23 Comments Tagged Arizona, Cat, Desert, Hiking, Solo Hike, Squaw Peak, Vacation
- Humbled and Thankful
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on January 3, 2018
  
  In my last post I briefly shared about an unexpected emergency surgery my cat was undergoing, as well as my impromptu decision to create a GoFundMe account. Within less than 24 hours I was given hundreds of dollars towards a lofty goal, more than I ever expected when I created the account. Friends and strangers donated in multiple increments coming together proving that no amount was too small.
  
  Each donation I received brought tears to my eyes, some from friends, some from strangers. This process happened so quickly, and has permanently changed a piece of my heart in a way I never imagined possible in such a short period of time. The generosity of giving and helping with my cat, while unplanned and not ideal, has shown me how powerful we as a species can be when we come together.
  
  This season is known for gifts and giving, but when the gifts are this monumental, they can change hearts.
  
  I spent a lot of 2017 with my focus inward. I continued to struggle with my health, and with finding my voice in the world. I spent far too many days with my arrows pointing in when they should have been pointing out. What we focus on continues to manifest, and I can guarantee that my focus on healing while helpful at times, caused more mental turmoil than necessary.
  
  What if I had spent more time stopping to smell the roses?
  
  I don’t claim to be perfect, but I don’t feel that I’m selfish. With the recent events regarding my cat I am inspired to turn this situation into something good. The inspiration I feel from the love and support I’ve been given has been humbling in so many ways, and while I am not a fan of new year resolutions, I can tell you I have an unexpected outlook on 2018.
  
  This year it’s time to make a plan that focuses on other people.
  
  This year I plan to spend less time focusing on myself, and more time focusing on others. So much of my life has passed me by the last three years because my obsessions and thoughts were elsewhere when I should have been present in the moment. How sad would it be to come face to face with death, and regret living a life where most of your time was spent inside the bubble of your own mind.
  
  Dark thought, but necessary thought.
  
  How many times do we read story after story about the healing power of helping others? How many times do we experience these healing moments, and quickly forget about them when problems arise? In the past I escaped to the woods when times got hard, or I would isolate myself, but what would happen if I challenged myself to help someone else when I was feeling low?
  
  This can be as simple as giving someone my time, and being truly present in the moment.
  
  My cat was given 12 hours to live if he didn’t make it to a specialist. The total cost for the procedure and multiple emergency rooms he visited was thousands of dollars. If we chose not to pay, he would have needed to be euthanized. I could never place a price tag on my family members, and my pets are my family.
  
  The emotional scar I would have been given if I took his life prematurely was a burden I chose not to carry.
  
  It’s been six months since I said goodbye to my 20 yr old cat, I wasn’t ready to say another goodbye. I spent a good amount of money on my last cat before we had to send him over the rainbow bridge, but we did all that we could and I don’t regret a single penny spent. Having a pet is a commitment I feel should not be taken lightly, and not doing all that I can is never an option.
  
  I don’t expect to get anywhere near my goal, but every penny I’ve been given was a penny more than I expected.
  
  What is life worth if we don’t have others around to enjoy it with? No price tag is too large when it comes to love and life. Money is variable, and it can always be remade, but life can never be given back. Not to our pets, and not to ourselves. I cannot thank those that donated enough, not just because it helps financially, but because of the emotional hug it gave me.
  
  I’ve never felt so loved, and this was the perfect reminder for me to focus my energy on other people.
  
  Sometimes others need our help or our attention when it’s not convenient, like an emergency vet clinic that’s open on a holiday, but these are the times when help is most appreciated. This new year I don’t plan to neglect myself, because doing so would jeopardize others, but I plan to better myself for different reasons. I need to better myself in order to fully show up for other people.
  
  A simple change in perspective was all I needed. A reflection of how I’ve been living the last year.
  
  I plan to do my part to pay it forward once the dust has settled with my current situation. The thought of bringing the unbelievable joy I feel from each donation is a feeling I want to share with as many people as possible. Sometimes all we need is to know that someone cares, and that someone is listening.
  
  Going into the new year I leave you with this – ask yourself what would happen if you made small changes to turn your arrows outward.
  
  In a world that is so convoluted with hatred, my heart is full of abundant love receiving such unexpected generosity. Prayers for recovery are welcomed and appreciated as he continues to heal. To some he’s “just a cat,” but he has saved me from so many heartaches in life, it was time for me to save him.
  
  Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.
  
  | 32 Comments Tagged Cat, Life, New Year
- Bladder Stone Surgery
  
  Posted at 8:43 PM by Brittany, on December 31, 2017
  
  **See update on how Little is doing at the bottom of this post**
  
  A few weeks ago I took my cat in for a routine check up, where I discovered he needed oral surgery that would cost me upwards of $1k. Before booking the appointment I consulted Dr.Google to see if there were any other options for dental care with cats, and what I discovered as the bottom line was that the answer is no, but I also discovered options to make the payment less painful.
  
  One of the options was to create a GoFundMe account, something I had seen numerous times for a myriad of procedures. I tucked this information into the back of my mind, because I planned to pay the $1k out of pocket and call it a day.
  
  Then something else happened.
  
  I’m currently in Arizona, thousands of miles from home, and I received a call from my mom telling me she had to take him in because he was acting bizarre. Come to find out he has multiple bladder stones and one is stuck in his urethra. After bouncing between multiple emergency hospitals the end of the day total was over $5k.
  
  Some people might say I’m crazy to shell out five thousand dollars for a cat, but when a member of the family needs help – you do whatever you can. He is too young to accept death as his fate, and recovery from this is probably. Euthanizing him to save the money would be the cheap route, but living with the remorse of taking his life because of a price tag would be a lifelong scar I choose not to carry.
  
  I’m un-tucking the GoFundMe idea, and have created an account. I struggle with the idea of asking strangers for money for a cat they know nothing about, but this cat has saved me from endless trials in my life and it’s my turn to save him. If anyone out there reading this can find it in their heart to donate even $5, every penny counts.
  
  This isn’t how I planned to spend my New Years Eve, but alas sometimes God has other plans.
  
  Below you will find the link to my GoFundMe. Thank you to anyone who feels inclined to donate, and for those of you that can’t prayers are welcomed and appreciated.
  
  https://www.gofundme.com/bladderstonesurgery
  
  **2/26/2018 UPDATE: Little has recovered amazingly well, but he continues to have check ups due to an odd urination stream. I am so happy he healed well on his tummy. He is still due for oral surgery still within the next couple months. Any additional support is greatly appreciated**
  
  | 42 Comments
- McKinley Explorer Rail Car – Denali to Anchorage
  
  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on December 29, 2017
  
  Alaska is a big state. Getting from Denali to Anchorage and vice versa is a 233 mile trek, and for some perspective on just how far that is, when I drive from Seattle to Portland it’s “only” 173 miles. Alaska is big. The airport we were to fly home out of was in Anchorage, and in order to get there we spent 8 hours on board the McKinley Explorer Rail Car.
  
  I felt like I was an extra character in the Polar Express.
  
  Up until this point we were placed on motor coaches in order to get around, and I tell ya what, not being stuck on a bus with the permeating smells of a lavatory was like finding snow on Christmas morning. Not to mention extra leg room, and options to walk around.
  
  Oh, and did I mention a better view?
  
  View from my seat.
  
  When visiting Alaska, a train ride of some sort is a must. I’m glad this was the train we were able to ride, and although 8 hours is a long time to be on any type of transportation, the train provided a handful of options to make the ride more comfortable.
  
  The train was separated into multiple different sections, but if you wanted to visit another car, or find your way to the caboose for a better view, you were able to walk about freely. I enjoyed being able to walk a bit and stand outside whenever I felt stagnant.
  
  Caboose view.
  
  Each car had a personal guide, providing information of the local surroundings as well as suggestions for prime photo spots. There’s a shop on board should you wish to purchase any last minute souvenirs, and the bathrooms are downstairs below the seating area.
  
  Yea, this train was two levels. Too legit to quit.
  
  The lower level also had a small restaurant, because who doesn’t get hungry in an 8 hour time span? We chose to visit the lower eating area for breakfast, while some chose to visit for lunch. The lower area doesn’t have the dome like windows, but you can still see your surroundings outside.
  
  Upper level dome.
  
  Lower level dining.
  
  This ride was quite enjoyable, and provided more views of Alaska I would not have seen had I traveled to Anchorage by motor coach. The train took us through back country landscape soaking up the final fall colors. Fall in Alaska happens quick, within one week we watched the leaves turn from red, to yellow, to falling off the trees.
  
  As with everything else, this train ride was 100% set up by Holland America, and was included in our cruise package. Before arrival in Denali we were given a packet with our travel information regarding everything land based. Badda boom, badda bing.
  
  Like a science.
  
  8 hours later we arrived in Anchorage, and were shuttled to our hotel, where we would spend one night before departure. Anchorage was like any other big city, but smaller. This was the only location I felt “meh” about. I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit Anchorage, although I ate the second best meal of the trip at Humpy’s. First place still goes to Skagway.
  
  There was limited time for exploring the morning we flew home, just enough to walk around a bit, find some legit wall art, and in the words of Dale Cooper I did find myself a damn fine cup of coffee. I lost all my morals at Dark House Coffee and ate myself a vegan/gluten free muffin with my coffee. I paid for it later, but it was worth it.
  
  #eatlocal
  
  And just like that, our trip to Alaska was complete. I cannot recommend an Alaskan cruise enough, and this is coming from someone originally uninterested in the idea of any kind of cruise. Sometimes it’s nice to let others do the work for you. If you’re on the fence about embarking on an adventure like this, in the words of Nike – just do it.
  
  Q: Where is your next adventure? I’m off to Arizona for two weeks, and we’ll be back to current time blog posts!
  
  | 19 Comments Tagged Alaska, Cruise, Holland America, Vacation
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