Although I didn’t summit, I shifted my focus. It was less about conquering extreme challenges and more about enjoying new experiences.

I’ve had the opportunity this month to help uplift others and be uplifted in the outdoors. I shared my story, gave away tips, and was taught how to maximize my fun in the snow. The month started with me protesting in Joshua Tree National Park to protect our parks, and it ended with an action plan to help protect the future of the planet and all the people in it.

Learning history is recognizing and understanding patterns that could predict behaviors. Knowledge is power, and anyone with power would do their best to keep it to themselves. It is an act of resistance to learn anyway.

Doing what you can should be your priority instead of trying to save the world all by yourself. It’s impossible to take on a giant on your own, but with planning, help, and the reminder that preserving your health and wellness is essential, we can collectively achieve amazing things.  

We know it will take a long time to rebuild the land and buildings in these communities, but I swear the relationships between the people have grown stronger despite such difficult situations. Because of this, I know we will rebuild these communities.

The only way to move forward is to look back. The only way to know the future is to know your history. The only way to adapt is to change, and right now, the world is changing fast. 

The holiday season is a wonderful time filled with fun and family, but it’s also a very important time for looking back on the year and reviewing what you find to plan for the future.

If we’re not careful, we may be the last generation to ever see the Joshua Tree, and they will become just a photograph in a history book and a forgotten memory.

First, stop for a moment. Make time for yourself, and then do what you can to cancel out the destruction.

Many U.S. citizens are giving up their right and their power to vote during this year’s election. Have you noticed this trend? Are you planning on voting?

October is the transitional time of death and rebirth as the summer fun ends and a new school year begins. However, many treat this time of change as a last chance in the calendar year to make big life changes. 

There are no guarantees of safety outside. The wild can feel unregulated and unpredictable at first, but like most things in life, there’s a pattern, and preparing for what you know, anticipating, and adjusting around what you don’t can take you places.

After the assurance from the hypnotherapist that I would not be hypnotized without my consent, I agreed to help. My random internship did expose me to the world of publishing, but it also helped satiate my interest in psychology while exposing me to knowledge about how to improve myself.

There is something about having to carry all that you’re going to need to live in the wilderness for days on your back that makes you question your entire life. Hiking heals, but backpacking takes it up a notch as you discover what is most important in life.

Civic Season is the time period between Juneteenth and July 4th, uniting our oldest federal holiday with our newest, mobilizing a movement to understand our past and shape our future.

Is Apple crushing what’s left of human creativity, or is their new ad a signal of the beginning of a new way of life in the digital world?

AI hasn’t taken over yet, but our computing machines are quickly recognizing patterns and preparing to think autonomously. In this age of advanced machine learning, how do we prepare for a world where computers learn to the point that they are making their own decisions?

Sometimes life seems difficult for seemingly no reason. However, keep in mind you can always shift your reality just by mindfully altering your perspective.

Every bit of nature counts. You can enjoy and commune in nature daily by just stepping outside and admiring the plants and animals around you. We don’t need to summit a mountain to enjoy ourselves outside. We just needed to be outside.

There are many times I find myself in difficult situations, but I become determined to see it through because I’ve already put in so much work into overcoming the obstacles.

The more you know, the more you have time to prepare for a situation mentally. That’s why I try to arm myself with knowledge.

For the last five years, on my birthday, I have ventured out into nature to write and meditate. It’s my own personal low-budget outdoor writing retreat that gives me a moment to reflect on my past and look to the future.  

Four years ago, I made a promise to myself that I would climb the towering giants in the SoCal 6 Pack of Peaks challenge. Last weekend, I crossed the highest peak in SoCal off my list by hiking another 20 miles in the San Gorgonio Wilderness.