venturesome krysia

I set a goal for myself that I would someday make it to Salt Lake City for the Outdoor Retailer Show. It only took a year-and-half to make it happen, which was surprisingly fast to me! It was a last minute decision, yet, everything lined up perfectly, which for me is always a sign that something is meant to be.

My head is still swimming from all the gear I saw and all of the people I met. I went as a volunteer, not as a blogger, so I didn’t make any appointments with vendors, but instead took it all in. After spending three solid days on the floor, I still didn’t get to see everything, hello, prAna Rejunivation Room, totally missed you!

I did make it to the 7AM breakfast put on by the Conservation Alliance that featured Aron Rolston who spoke of his life-altering accident that caused him to cut off part of his arm with a dull pocket knife. I haven’t been able to watch 120 Hours because I don’t have the stomach for it, but what a gifted speaker Rolston is. The audience was at times laughing, wincing, tearing up, and then laughing again.

Another event I didn’t want to miss was the “Kiss My Klout” panel with Yoon Kim (Viral Thoughts and Blogs for Brands) Sara Lingafelter (Verde PR), Mark Silliman (Spadout) and Darius Abbassi (The Clymb). For social media junkies like me, this was a must. Each panel member offered their own bit of expertise in the ever changing realm of “social”.

I would say the best part was meeting so many people in real life that I have only known through Twitter, Facebook, Skype, and email. I love how small our world has become because of these tools. There was a #ClimbChat Tweetup on Saturday where I got to meet so many awesome people, and then climb with them on Sunday. One of them was Climbrunliftmom who I actually met up with the day before and we became instant BFFs and channeled our inner 13 year-olds together. Good times.

If I had to sum up my experience with one word it would be Gratitude. I am grateful to be part of the Outdoor Industry and grateful for the people it connects me to. I am already plotting on how I can make it to my next OR Show, yes, it’s that good. Oh, and yeah, I also met a few rock stars…be jealous.

Having a beer with Dean Potter and Whisper.

What is the secret to happiness? I’m going to say movement. After being inactive for seven months, I finally began climbing and practicing yoga again this past week and I feel new and old again. New, because I feel fresh and revived, old, because I remember this blissful feeling. It feels like its been a lifetime ago, but I remember it. It is something you have to experience first-hand to know what I am talking about.

I remember reading years ago that Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher and founder of Waldorf Education, said something to the effect that movement was vital for babies to learn to speak and think. According to him, it is why children crawl and walk before they talk. I feel a new reverence to movement because of having to live with an inability to do what I love the most, active movement. It seems to me now that for months I couldn’t articulate what wasn’t right with me (besides the obvious, a bad ankle). It was my inability to truly feel happy because of my lack of active movement.

I’m not gonna lie and say I’m crushin’ it at the gym. No, I am not yet sending 5.10s but I am shocked at how much my body remembers. I wondered if it would be like starting over completely, but it’s not. My body knows when to turn my hips toward the wall and to move my feet up hoping there will be a good handhold waiting for me. It knows without me thinking about it, which is really exciting and amazing to me.

And yoga. Oh, yoga, how I have missed you working away all of my past stresses from my muscle memory! I have forgotten how good it feels to hold my back upright. I have forgotten how addicting it is to have my shoulders loosened by a session, but then craving more and more afterward because it’s not enough! This feeling was so clean and freeing to me that after my first returning class, I gave up coffee and diet soda and have not looked back. I don’t want anything to break this blissful state I am bathing in. And again, I am giving you my disclaimer, I am not even able to keep up with the class because of my ankle, but it doesn’t matter. I am doing what my body needs, working at my own pace, and it is just right.

Don’t judge yourself, just be present and experience the wonders of what your body can do. Move and be grateful. Show your body gratitude by filling it with healthy food, drink, and thoughts. We all deserve to feel our best at all times; choose to feel well.

My high school reunion recently happened.  I am not saying which one, or how many years, no sense in you trying to trick me! I had mixed feelings about going, I kept vacillating,  but in the end, I had a conflict that weekend and couldn’t go.

The reason I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go or not was because the thought of high school brought up a lot of old feelings for me.  I was always “trying” to be “somebody”.  After graduation, I didn’t really keep in contact with anyone.  And it’s not because they weren’t good people, in fact, Facebook has brought some of those people back into my life, which is awesome.  It was more me.  It was exhausting for me to try to keep up with the silly pretenses I had set for myself.

Thankfully, this is no longer the case and hasn’t been for a while.  I am not trying to “be” anyone or anything.  I am just me.  I am the happiest I have ever been.  And what may seem ironic, is that I feel my true calling is marketing through social media.  One may assume a marketer has to be a “spin doctor” or not be authentic to sell.  But that is the beauty of social media marketing.  It only works if you ARE authentic.  You can spot a phony in this field from a mile away.  I think this is why I am so drawn to it.

There has been some online conversations about the Internet, and if it is indeed the great equalizer or not.  In a way, I think it is, and let me explain.  It is an equalizer in the sense that I can, right now, become of a part of a large community without having to be exclusively invited.  Whether I am accepted is up to me, my behavior, authenticity, and values.  At no other time could this have happened.  Sure, I have a four-year degree, but so does just about everyone else.  This doesn’t make me stand out to potential employers or business contacts.  What does make me stand out is me: My end of the conversation, my ability to give and to support others, and my ability to receive with integrity.

I no longer feel inadequate like I did at 16 (and, honestly for a good chunk of my 20′s).  It may have taken me a while but I finally learned just to be.  I think the next time I will go to my reunion, no matter what, and I will challenge myself to be grateful to that 16 year-old-girl, because without her I wouldn’t be where I am am right now, which is a really amazing place to be.

Since my injury, my computer has become my best friend.  To say I’ve had a lot of down time is an understatement.  Besides my loving family and friends, what has been seeing me through is my positive attitude and social media.  Let me explain.

At the suggestion of by both my real estate-guru friend, and one of my favorite co-worker’s, I began reading a lot of books on positive thinking and the laws of attraction (like attracts like). I can’t say any of the concepts were new to me, just somewhat pushed aside or forgotten.  This post may be sounding awfully like some of my other recent posts, but forgive me, I feel the need to shout-out the benefits I am reaping!

Since opening myself up to opportunity and monitoring my thoughts (and more importantly my mood) so many great things have been streaming my way.  Four guest post slots, including one that is live today on Mark Schaefer’s Blog {grow} which is my first guest post not on the outdoors, but social media, my other passion.  And then late last night I received a call about a new opportunity that I don’t want to go into just yet, but is very exciting as well.

Even my children are noticing a difference in my attitude.  My daughter pointed out to me that I seem happier a few days ago.  Seems kind of ironic seeing as how I have an external fixture on my leg that is mostly painful; yet it is true, I feel happy and grateful for every good thing in my life and apparently, it’s showing!

Calling all rock climbers and outdoor enthusiasts!  I am hosting my first contest.  All you have to do to be eligible is to “Like” my Facebook fan page.  You can either click here, or click on my “Like” box in the right hand column of this page. I will send 1 lucky winner a $50 gift card to REI and donate $35 on their behalf to the Access Fund.  I chose the Access Fund because preserving open spaces to climb is something very important to me.

After you “Like” my Facebook page, it is very important that you come back here and leave a comment stating your first and last name (how it appears on Facebook) in the comment section of my Blog so I can keep track of all participants.  If you have liked my page in the past, no worries, you are still eligible, just be sure to leave a comment so I know you want to be entered.

I use my Facebook page to spread some of the latest news in the climbing community.  I also add links to new posts I have published.

I will run the contest until September 30, 2011.  After that day, I will write down everyone’s name on a slip of paper, place them into a hat and have one of my children choose a name. Very old school, I know, but believe me they will get a kick out of it.

Good luck, and thanks for playing

****The fine print**** This contest is not affiliated with or sponsored by REI or The Access Fund.