When life gives you wind…

     Now that I have catapulted into my daydreams, and have finally settled in Sedona, I have taken every moment as an opportunity for exploration.  Each day it seems has been packed with hiking, biking, and yoga.  What more could a girl want?!  

Here is one of my views from the Cathedral Rock climb…

 

And this is Red Rock Crossing…

 

     Sedona holds a very special place in my heart, which is why I chose it as my starting point and my longest stay.  But this visit is unique to any other time I have been here.  I am IN Sedona, apart of it;  Close to nature and immersing myself into it’s community.  There are no tours, no pricey dinners, no shopping and NO DRIVING. The way I see it, why would I even consider getting into my car, when I am perfectly capable of walking or riding my bike to where I want to go? The environmental impact of my car, is incomparable to the impact of my bike.  That being said, I have set aside one day a week to utilize my car.  On this day, I will hike somewhere down an unpaved road(I cannot reach these places on my road bike, as it would destroy my tires), stock up on fresh produce for the week, and see some live entertainment in town.  I should preface this with the fact that I live anywhere between 10-20 miles from downtown, hike trailheads, the yoga studio and most other businesses in Sedona.  Only a few hikes sit under the 10 mile mark from my apartment.  Regardless, everyday I take at least one yoga class and hike at least one trail.  It is a 20 mile round trip for yoga, 5 miles walking on the trail, and at least another 10 miles for whatever else I do that day.  In total, I ride and hike an average of 35 miles a day, 6 days a week.  This means 210 miles of clean travel every week.  WHAT IF WE ALL DID THIS?!  Think about it.  How many of you could easily ride to school or work? Even if you are only doing 3 miles a day, those numbers add up very quickly.  It is such a simple and HEALTHY way to reduce your carbon footprint.  I am not suggesting we all get rid of our cars, but  thinking about the impact of our actions could make a load of difference in the world and maybe change the way we go about our daily routines.

        Riding my bike everywhere has also given me new perspective on how we see what is around us.  In my car, the views are beautiful and my eyes wander around the scenery, but I am still focused on my destination, my air conditioning, my blaring music.  Conversely, when I am on my bike I discover new things, I see brighter colors, I am feeling everything around me, and I am challenging myself both physically and mentally.  Pushing up a huge hill is one thing I love to do on my road bike.  It is challenging and so rewarding when I reach the top.  But there are definitely days when I find myself struggling to get home.  Primarily days when the wind rages in the opposite direction I am riding.  Head winds are my worst enemy and I find myself cursing out mother nature as I keep peddling.  A few days ago, there were 20 mph gusts coming at me on my way back from yoga, and it hit me… I am wasting so much energy getting angry at the wind, something I have no power to change.  Life throws us crap like head winds all the time.  Perhaps for you it comes in the form of a boss who is never satisfied, a relapse from your recovery, or something as simple as a rude person ruining your perfect mood.  But whatever your “head winds” look like, life put them there for a reason.  I have become grateful for the head winds, because every time I push through them, I am reminded that I have two legs and a heart that will be stronger in the morning -something that not everyone in this world has. With our challenges, whatever they may be, comes awakening and strength –if we choose.  I have watched my closest friends and family endure the worst of life’s challenges, but each of them has emerged stronger and with a greater thirst for life.  With the choice to have gratitude for what was in front of them and taking difficulty as a chance to grow, I have seen the greatest beauty come from their situations.  My point is that we have a choice. I can choose to let the wind or another imperfect moment ruin my day, or I can utilize that energy for something positive.  Of course there will be bad days, but there is always tomorrow to change your perspective.  While sitting at the top of Bell Rock today, I read a quote that made me think of this…

“If you want your life to be a magnificent story, then begin by realizing that you are the author, and every day you have the opportunity to write a new page” –Mark Houlahan 

And here is the top of Bell Rock : )

 

      On this gorgeous afternoon, I am sitting outside of my Sedona apartment, looking straight ahead at the beautiful red rock mountain I just spent the morning climbing.  As I hear about college graduations this past week, I cannot help but think of the many paths I could have chosen for this moment.  There is a part of me that yearns for a steady income, working and volunteering in Philadelphia, living near or with my best friend, and spending my weekends finding new places to eat.  But while that part of me appears, as I fill with pride for Liz and her new job in the city, I snap back to this moment that I chose and feel comfort in knowing that I will have that, someday.  For years I craved adventure, exploring nature and answers for my curiosities. Well, I have created that reality for myself; I am living that daydream now. So after my adventures and my months of learning from some great business leaders, I have faith that I can create whatever situation I want for my life, regardless of where my feet happen to be standing.  And that moment, the moments that came before it, and the moments that follow, will be perfect, head winds and all. 

Forward Now, With Intention

Leaving your home for an extended period of time, completely on your own, is a very scary thing. Granted my trip is only 3-4 months, but it will be the first 3-4 months that I have ever been away from my family and friends for more than 2 weeks.  Even as a college student, I saw home quite a bit.  I loudly applaud all of my friends who have had the courage to plant roots elsewhere, away from everything familiar… I left the familiar exactly two weeks ago, today.  So far so good.

3 days of driving west on route 40 landed me near Taos, New Mexico, the first stop in my travels.  Taos was absolutely beautiful; the landscape, the art, the people, everything.  And I could not have picked a better starting point for my plunge into sustainable business and communities.  Taos is packed with unique local businesses.  In the short few days I was there, I got to experience the best of them…

Upon arrival I checked in at The Adobe and Pines Bed and Breakfast. It was perfectly tucked away from the tourist crowded downtown.  Though I must also consider myself a tourist, the choices I make concerning where to spend my money will be a bit different from your typical traveler.  First of all, my budget is incredibly tight; which is something I actually do not mind.  It would do the world some good if we could all learn to live a bit more simply, myself included. Also, how can I expect businesses to be mindful in their choices if I am not mindful in mine?  Therefore, my dollars and cents will be in support of sustainable, ethical, socially beneficial businesses, ONLY.  I am not quite sure what took me so long in making that commitment, but it’s better late than never. I plan to make this choice a permanent one.  Sure, it takes some research and maybe a few more miles on my bike, but I am finding it to be much easier than I thought.  And what better way to promote “better business” than to refuse anything but!

The first local business I got to experience was right outside my bedroom door, The Adobe and Pines.  Renee and Phillip, the owners, were the most warm and welcoming people I could have hoped to meet.  Each morning they prepared a fresh, healthy breakfast for all occupants.  If eggs were on the menu, they were farm fresh, from the chickens living outside.  The entire property, chickens and all, was just wonderful; countless places to sit and soak in the mountain air, a hammock, a labyrinth for meditation, wood-burning fireplaces in nearly every room, and two friendly dogs who called this place home(lucky dogs!).  Needless to say, I would have gladly stayed much longer.  They make it hard for you to leave.

On my second day in Taos, after some incredible homemade pumpkin oatmeal, I headed up the road on my bike for a solid 10 mile climb.  Probably not the wisest choice of roads, being the first day on my bike in a week, and still getting used to the elevation.  Regardless, it was worth the shortness of breath, and the 10 mile downhill that followed!  Here is my view from the top : )

I spent the bulk of the next day at a place called Ojo Caliente to hike and soak in the hot springs.  I took some “off the beaten path” directions from a local bike shop, which led me and my car through a series of thin, windy, dirt roads along the river at the bottom of the canyon.  Ojo Caliente Resort is in the middle of no where.  But trust me, if you are ever in New Mexico, it is worth a visit.  For a small fee, you have access to all of the grounds which include direct access to miles of hiking, several natural hot spring pools, the spa facilities and too many hammocks to choose from!  I spent the day relaxing in these wonderful hot springs, one of which required me to cover myself in mud, and napping in hammocks all over the property. “Lazy” cannot even begin to describe this day.  But amongst the laziness, I did manage to learn about the business and what they are doing in terms of sustainability.  Not only does Ojo Caliente use energy efficient building materials for all new construction, but they also have their own on-site wastewater treatment center and use geothermal energy from the hot springs to heat and cool all of their buildings.

Ojo Caliente is not the only place in town with a focus on sustainable energy though.  There are dozens upon dozens of other companies which I unfortunately did not have the time to visit.  Luckily, I picked up 3 different “green focused” publications so that I could read all about them.   And there is certainly no hesitation to take advantage of the sun.  Every other building I passed was covered with solar panels.  But what I found the most interesting about Taos was the educational institutions. The Municipal School District in Taos, primarily the high school, incorporates sustainability into their classrooms, like SJU incorporates ethics into its curriculum.  Here are some of the things they have done(just to name a few): A solar energy bank, greenhouses and green energy class offerings.  Here is a quote I found from the Taos Green Chamber of Commerce publication that describes their mindset perfectly, “We don’t just teach sustainability, we help young adults see the connections between sustainability issues, economics, government, social justice, science, technology, culture and society”.  Imagine if all schools managed their curriculum this way… And to top it off, The University of New Mexico Taos has a 3.5 acre solar generating plant which provides power for 100 percent of the campus energy needs.  Awesome!

After Ojo Caliente, I traveled back into town to enjoy my last evening in Taos.  My research and empty stomach landed me at a small farm to table establishment called The Love Apple.  I walked through the doors of this old chapel-turned-restaurant, was escorted through the kitchen into the dining room, and sat down for the best meal I have had since my trip began.  They had me as soon as they walked me through the kitchen. The menu is created based on seasonal and local availability and I happened to arrive on the day they changed their menu for the new season.  What a treat!  This place instantly reminded me of a great restaurant in Philadelphia called Fare; all organic, local, & sustainable.  My best friend, Liz, took me there for my birthday and it was wonderful.  Anyway, I started with a fantastic glass of Syrah, followed by a few starters and ending with… Antelope?!  Yes, you read that right.  I do not eat red meat, primarily for health reasons, but also because of the awful treatment many of these animals are subject to.  Even white meat I try to stay from.  But on rare occasion when I am confident of where my food is sourced from, I will indulge. This was one of those occasions and OH, MY, GOSH. It was out of this world.  These next few months are all about trying new things right? Well this was the first, and oh so worth it.

My starters.  Yum!

Before I indulged in my meal though, the owner Jennifer, was kind enough to chat with me about her business.  Her passion is in serving her local community. She wanted to create a restaurant that supplied affordable, local, delicious food to the residents of Taos.  Because Taos is a big tourist attraction, most of the businesses here target “out-of-towners” as their primary customers.  The Love Apple aims at just the opposite.  When they say local, they are not just referring to their menu.  But despite the fact that I am not a resident, I was still treated with the same amount of kindness and hospitality as everyone else in the room.  Jennifer went on to tell me that although it takes more time and effort, she enjoys buying from dozens of different vendors to ensure the quality and fair treatment of her ingredients.  And after her business is done serving their community, they give back further by saving all food scraps for the local chickens, aiming to pay employees a living wage, and recycling materials themselves because the local government is lacking in a good recycling program.  The word “waste” does not exist in this beautifully run business.  I could not have been more thrilled to support them by dining at one of their 13 tables that night.  Included in their philosophy on their website is a statement that I believe can and should reflect the way we do business in our world, “It’s challenging and fun to work within parameters of integrity.  It supports the environment that we all call home and want to care for.  It supports our local economy and community by helping our friends and family and neighbors and customers stay in business and be able to have a life here”.

Taos, it was truly a pleasure.  And though your recycling program could use some improvement, I have confidence that the well educated people and mindful business owners of this area, will soon create powerful change.

Off to Sedona!

What’s Next?

For the past several years I have been asked by others and asking myself, “what do you want to do?”, “what’s next?”.  Whether it concerned what I wanted to major in, what internship to take, or what to do after graduation.  Well, it took me nearly three years of college to pin down a major, and two semesters before graduation to really grasp onto my area of interest(which by the way, happens to be something I did not major in).  Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing I regret doing in my 5 years(wow!) of undergrad. Had I not chosen art school in Philadelphia, I would have never transferred to SJU. Had I not majored in finance, I wouldn’t have realized how greatly bothered I was with bad ethics in business, which would not have led me to switch my major to Management.  And if I did not have to choose MHC(Managing Human Capital) electives, I would not have taken Dr. Steingard’s Business, Stakeholders and Ethics course; which hit me like a ton of bricks.  Stakeholder Theory and Social Responsibility set the tone for the rest of my education at Saint Joseph’s University(which was unfortunately only a semester and a half).  But regardless of the short time I had left at SJU, that course and the people I met during my last year there, will have changed me forever….

But that still leaves my last question unanswered.  I know what I am interested in and I know what I am passionate about, but what do I do with it?  WHAT’S NEXT?! I have answered this question in many variations, but none of them actually solid or completely honest.  Lets try some honesty… I have NO idea.  I really don’t.  There is an endless list of areas I could focus my career on, but how do you pick? Sustainability and social responsibility is so far from specific.  Do I want to consult businesses on how to reduce their carbon footprint and increase their community outreach? YES.  Do I want to put programs in place that help reduce food waste, while simultaneously helping the homeless population?  YES.  Do I want to focus on promoting sustainable transportation by creating bike-friendly venues? TOTALLY.  I could really keep going with this, but I think you get the point.  I feel passionate about all of the above, and then some.  So what do I do with that?

Well, a few months ago I became addicted to this subscription called “The Daily GOOD”.  I get a message in my Gmail inbox every day that describes something totally awesome going on in our world, in our communities today, that puts sustainability and/or social impact into action. Basically, it is a community of professional do-gooders(for lack of a better term), sharing their impact and their ideas.  I am also a member of the Philadelphia Net Impact Professional Chapter, which gives me access to even more “GOOD” information.  Well, its pretty cool to have access to all of this info and inspiration, but after nearly a year of reading cool articles, I want to be up close and personal with these people, these projects.  So this is where my “next step” comes in…

I may not know where my passions will lead me, but I do know that I want to get in on the action, or at least learn about it first hand.  That being said, I have embarked on the most epic and awesome journey of my life. Over the next 3-4 months, I will be traveling the opposite side of the country in search of tall mountains to climb, beautiful winding roads to bike up, and local businesses that harness their power for good and make sustainability a priority.  I want to experience any and everything I can(adventurous, spontaneous, scary and otherwise). And I want to see and experience the impact of businesses, in every place I plant my feet this summer.

So after quite a bit of back-story and explanation, this personal blog is intended for those who wish to keep up with my adventures and maybe gain some insight about the communities and businesses I speak to and learn about in my travels.  Enjoy!