Going tiny to live BIG

Hellooooo Old Friend,

Flashing back, I turned 49 on August 2nd and made a commitment to myself (and the world) that I would become #FierceatFifty. Setting that one year target, my vision was to go deeper by living a more values-driven-life, to build my best possible middle age body and to use my life’s purpose creating the best damn second half imaginable. So here is my 10 week progress report:

In August I buckled down at the gym and began work on building a Headstrong Endurance Team of like minded badasses. F.U.N. Sept 1st I hosted the SLO Ultra trail race and the US Trail Running Conference. The Monday after I flew to British Columbia to helped produce the Primal Quest Expedition Adventure race. Back home the third week of September, my husband and I began the massive task of downsizing 20 years of stuff ignorer to move into our California Central Coast tiny house. So basically I took my aging up launch towards #FierceatFifty rather seriously:)

Once we settled into our tiny house for a week, I took a deep breathe. In that ‘coming up for air’ I realized that my very public and deeply personal declaration to become #FierceatFifty was gonna be far more than my normal birthday resolution to “pick a big challenge to CRUSH.” This time it felt different with way more at stake and way way way more soul digging and spirit reaching. After all…….50 is a rite of passage.

(Rite of passage: an important act or ceremony that serves to mark an individual’s passage from one stage of life to another. ) It is true that one reason I am blogging this personal rite of passage is to inspire others who are middle-age to saddle up to their own lives in a braver and more authentic way. But additionally true, I want to share this journey with my family, my community and ultimately myself by using both words and photos to more fully move through this growth process. While making decisions I will use my personal life pillars of 1) choosing health 2) choosing simplicity 3) choosing adventure so I can be sure to stay on both the FIRECE as well as authentic path. Then by sharper focusing my work life to fully engage my life’s purpose of “creating meaningful experiences for people to build their best lives and bodies using endurance sports, outdoor adventure and human connection” I can better own my time and energy to ensure results. And going tiny is further allowing me to do all that.

Living a tiny house lifestyle, what I have learned so far, is that the space you have and whatever stuff you surround yourself all create an energy- ripple effect. Useful, beautiful, cluttered, wasteful, organized or burdening items and space hold all that positive or negative energy. By pausing to take inventory of what you have- you will see a true reflection of not only who you are but of the energy you project into the world. For me, I wanted my things and my space to be true to my values. That meant two weeks of

cleaning, donating, selling things, swapping things, painting, decorating, organizing and taking the time to create a world that is built on my own life pillars instead of some other crappy home foundation. This major life shift has allowed my mind, heart and relationships to shift as well. When you truly exercise your values the world responds to meet those values head on in the #lawofattraction .

When you shed things, weight, relationships or habits that no longer serve you then you make room in your skinny jeans for a better you. Old photos and old patterns no longer pull at your heart but instead inspire you to create your new story. This simpler and more free way of operating in the world opens up time for BIG human connection, the greatest gift we get and give while alive on Earth.

It’s the first week of October now and I am 10 weeks into this new birth year. As I write this we drive out of California though Nevada, Arizona and into Utah. As part of our big shift in lifestyle we are fully committed to embrace adventure and travel. Beloved Moab Utah is built upon my three life pillars as well and so we come here often. So I guess me becoming #FierceatFifty also means us going tiny to live BIG!