bucket list | Nourished Journeys

Tag: bucket list
- Goodbye 2018 Hello 2019
  
  Posted at 3:19 am by nourishedjourneys, on January 5, 2019
  Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. ~ Hal Borland
  
  Time flies so quickly and leaves us with another year of exciting experiences and fond memories. After a trying 2017, 2018 was bound to be better and it didn’t disappoint. We had a lot of firsts and celebration last year. I learned to climb in the gym and on real rocks in the outdoors with my son. My husband and I became empty nesters. I checked off almost all items on my to-do list from last year except for the daunting Spartan race. It will require a very rigorous training schedule and I’m still trying to figure out my own strength mentally and physically. However, it’s not completely off the table yet.
  
  I went on quite a few amazing hikes and summit a few mountains. When I was younger, I never pictured myself to be this active at my age and into hiking and climbing. I love the quietness and the serenity of nature and especially enjoy being high up on a mountain.
  
  I am fired up to start this year on the right foot. We began the celebration with a hike up a mountain with our family and friends on New Year’s Eve to welcome 2019. We started this last year and plan on continuing this tradition.
  
  So what’s in store for us this year? Time to set some goals and challenges to keep the fire going. Here’s a shortlist of items that we hope to accomplish.
  - We want to stay active and will embark on a 26-hikes year. I’m thinking of starting a spreadsheet and tally the miles and elevations with all the hikes. You can follow our journey on Instagram or my Facebook page (links on the bottom of the page).
  - Continue to improve on my climbing. My goal is to be able to set up top ropes to climb outdoors with my son and to introduce climbing to our friends.
  - Learn about backpacking and do at least one backpacking trip this year.
  Keeping an active lifestyle is not easy regardless of age. It is especially frustrating for me with arthritis setting in and dealing with the constant aches and pain. However, I am determined to beat this and continue to march on. If you are embarking on the same journey, I have a few tips to offer.
  - Find friends or family members who have the same interests to join your quests. Make sure to motivate and push each other in the right direction.
  - Keep a healthy diet and lifestyle. We are what we eat and keeping a clean diet will go a long way.
  - Take time to rest and recharge.
  - Most of all, spend time together, go outside and enjoy what nature has to offer.
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  Posted in lifestyle and reflections, photography, the great outdoors | 0 Comments | Tagged bucket list, featured, Hiking, lifestyle change, optoutside
- A Bucket List or A To-Do List?
  
  Posted at 10:42 pm by nourishedjourneys, on March 10, 2018
  “Unless we take that first step into the unknown, we will never know our own potential!” ― Allan Rufus, The Master’s Sacred Knowledge
  
  Since the beginning of 2018, I have been more active physically and pushing myself to try new things that I have always wanted to do but had managed to find all the reasons in the world to not do. Growing up I was not particularly athletic and I always wished that I could do this and that but never acted upon those wishes. Something inside me changed in the last few months and motivated me to feed that fire. I think as I am getting older, I view life a little differently than before. I learn to put myself first and although it may sound selfish, it is a crucial act that ensures my longevity and happiness.
  
  I have a bucket list in my head for many years. However this past weekend I learned more about managing to-do list and priorities. So my mind was spinning and to me, a to-do list sounds far more exciting and reachable than a bucket list. I found the definitions of to-do list and bucket list and my interpretation is that a bucket list is a wish but a to-do list is something you must tackle and complete.
  
  Definition of to-do list – a list of tasks that need to be completed, typically organized in order of priority. Definition of bucket list – a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime.
  
  This realization creates a new sense of excitement and motivation for me. The ‘beast’ in me came out of the shell and penned this exhilarating to-do list. My hope is in time I will be able to cross them off.
  1. Travel and see the world but especially to the world of my ancestors. I have not been very keen on traveling to China until recently. I have been watching a lot of Chinese television shows on YouTube to be more familiar with their culture and their daily lives to prepare myself for our first trip very soon. I want to explore all of China in the years to come. It is a vast country and it will definitely take us quite a few trips to complete the journey.
    China
  2. Be more active and try different types of activities. I am fortunate to have good friends (you know who you all are) who love the outdoors and push me into many new adventures.
    1. Start to run – with the longer days coming our way this is the perfect time to start running outdoors. Our first goal is a family 10K run in August. 10K won’t be a lot to most people but it is going to be a never-ending run for me.
    2. Start to bike – I had never learned to ride a bicycle when I was young. As a beginner, I did a 14-mile journey on my bike and survived with only some minor scratches. Of course, having a winery as the destination is a huge incentive.
      Chateau Ste Michelle Winery
      
      My friend started talking about STP 2019 (Seattle to Portland ride) on our way home and it sounds just a tad scary to me. My goal right now is to overcome the fear of riding a bike and especially sharing the road with cars. However, I won’t rule out that possibility when the time is right.
    3. Start to climb – I love climbing. Since I started rock climbing in an indoor gym in January, I have been thinking of climbing outside. It may take a little while to learn the ropes but I believe one day I will reach that goal.
      Found a climbing wall
    4. Improve hiking endurance – the goal is to reach Mailbox Peak this year, a favorite among local hikers. If you can hike Mailbox, you are golden.
    5. Ultimate goal – Spartan Race 2019? We will start this process by cheering on our friends this April and a preview tour in September. If my body can handle it, I will do it.
  There are a lot of unknowns on this journey but my new motto is “I can and I will” and who knows where this list will bring me in the next few years. Even if I don’t cross off everything on the list, I think by making this list, enjoying and exploring the possibilities out there is just as good as reaching the goals.
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  Posted in lifestyle and reflections | 2 Comments | Tagged bucket list, featured, Hiking, Life changes, lifestyle change, optoutside, outdoor, reflection
- Bringing You the Holiday Season: Pacific Northwest Style
  
  Posted at 7:32 pm by nourishedjourneys, on January 1, 2018
  I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something. ~Neil Gaiman
  
  Unlike the past holiday seasons, we teamed up with friends and decided to embark on a different version of celebration for this season besides the usual social gatherings. We started with snowshoeing at Gold Creek Pond Trail.
  
  Spotted a snowman on a snowshoeing trip
  
  The day we went was raining and not the best snow condition for snowshoeing but it was still a great outing to inaugurate our winter outdoor activities. Growing up in another part of the world accustomed to tropical climate, I don’t like cold weather and winter is usually the season that I tend to ‘hibernate’. But no more hibernating. In order to enjoy myself outdoor in the winter, I invested in quality clothing and gears that keeps me warm, dry and comfortable. I am able to shop and get healthy at the same time. A definite win-win in my book.
  
  On Christmas Eve, we hiked the Chirico Trail to Poo Poo Point. This is a short trail but because of the elevation gain of 1700 ft in less than 2 miles, it is classified by my friends as their favorite outdoor cardio gym. One definitely needs a pair of strong legs to get oneself moving up those oversize stairs formed by rocks. That was the third time I hiked this trail and I was still struggling. Your reward though for working out those muscles is an amazing view of Mount Rainier in the foreground before reaching Poo Poo Point. The Point offers a great view of all the surrounding cities and a place to watch the paragliders launching.
  
  The perfect place to rest and reflect
  
  Mount Rainier at the foreground
  
  View from Poo Poo Point
  
  A week later on New Year’s Eve, we embarked on a quest to find a true winter wonderland. The result? Waking up at 5:30 am, reaching the parking area for Franklin Falls before 8 am and started our journey. This is not a difficult hike and it is usually just 2 miles roundtrip from the trail head to the Falls. However the road to the trail head is closed due to the icy condition so this time around it is a 7.5 miles roundtrip hike. This trail is truly a winter wonderland with some cabins in the woods, snow-covered grounds and trees, a creek and the grand finale being the half-frozen Franklin Falls. This is on my list of possibility to come back when the Falls is completely frozen.
  
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  Adding to the excitement of welcoming 2018 and doing something new, we decided to take on a new challenge. We hiked up to Poo Poo Point again around 10 pm new year’s eve after a few hours of resting from Franklin Falls. We rang in the new year at the top of the Point with a million dollar view. City lights and fireworks twinkling simultaneously above the clouds. Two hikes in one day which is a first and overall we raked up about 12 miles of hiking, another first for me to reach double digits in a day. We finished 2017 and started 2018 on a high note. This is going to be a great year.
  
  New Year celebration at Poo Poo Point
  
  Some personal tips for a successful winter outing:
  1. Don’t forget your basic ten essentials or the winter version
  2. Good quality clothing – base layer, fleece, downs, waterproof outer layer (jackets and pants), warm hat/beanie, face cover, gloves, warm socks
  3. A good pair of waterproof hiking boots – I love my pair of Asolo for fall and winter hikes (it gets too warm for summer)
  4. Microspikes or crampons for your winter hiking boots for those icy and slippery trails
  5. Snowshoes and poles with bigger baskets to prevent the poles from sinking into the snow
  6. Insulated flask for hot drinks – nothing beats having a hot cup of tea or hot cocoa on a cold day
  7. Packs of hand warmers
  8. Bring family members, friends or anyone who would encourage you along the way
  2018 here we come!!!
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  Posted in lifestyle and reflections, photography, the great outdoors | 0 Comments | Tagged bucket list, featured, Hiking, lifestyle change, optoutside, outdoor, Washington state trails
- Bucket List – Yea or Nay?
  
  Posted at 9:26 pm by nourishedjourneys, on November 19, 2016
  Rule Eight: What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. – Cherie Carter-Scott, If Life is a Game, These are the Rules
  
  I have been thinking about this topic recently and I am conflicted whether to have a bucket list or not. On one hand having a list means I will have something to look forward to but on the other hand not achieving those goals will be very depressing, which defeat the purpose of the list. Chasing the dreams will not sustain happiness, you will always be one step behind. So instead of having a bucket list, I decided to reflect upon what I have accomplished and celebrate those achievements. Yes, there are still adventures that I plan on exploring but I will be constantly seeking out and creating those moments instead of waiting for them to fall on my laps.
  1. Traveled over 8500 miles to attend a University in this country when I was a teenager.
  2. Climbed a 13,455 Ft high mountain.
  3. Married for over 20 years and together we raise two wonderful and responsible teenagers (may be I should say young adults!).
  4. Provide a safe and comfortable home for our family.
  5. Living the American dream through hard work and dedication.
  6. Freedom to travel to different countries and experience different cultures.
  7. Learned to make food from scratch with ingredients I chose: gluten free breads, yogurt, ice cream, pasta, ravioli.
  8. Stick to our healthy food choices.
  9. Painted our house and installed floor for a bedroom.
  10. Researched, diagnosed and fixed the toilet.
  11. Learned to appreciate the outdoors and our planet.
  12. Went parasailing, kayaking in open waters even though I am quite afraid of the water when I can’t touch the bottom.
  13. Went zip lining in Mexico.
  14. Learned fishing, clamming and shucking oysters.
  15. Finding my dream job, or I should say I made it into a dream job where I can thrive and be happy.
  16. Started my own blog. (Took a while but I did it)
  Here are some tips to help us stay on task:
  1. Once decided on a path or experience, embrace it to the fullest.
  2. You’ll never know what you are missing if you don’t do it.
  3. No regrets – don’t think about the what if’s, learn from the mistake and move on. (Don’t repeat the same mistake)
  4. Don’t let others dictate your decision, be strong but not reckless.
  5. Most importantly – Be Happy!!
  “You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So… get on your way!” ― Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!
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  Posted in lifestyle and reflections | 1 Comment | Tagged bucket list, Gluten free, reflection
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  A little blue sky peaking out today. Perfect day to put on those snowshoes and head outside! #photography #hikingadventures #hikingwithfriends #snowday #snowshoeing #washingtonstate #washingtontrails #explorepnw #optoutside
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