blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hike

alison young
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Long-distance backpacker Alison "Blissful Hiker" Young has walked over 13,000 miles on six continents including New Zealand's Te Araroa, Europe's Pyrenean Haute Route, Africa's Drakensberg Traverse and the Pacific Crest Trail in the United States.In a series of personal essays coupled with found sound, this podcast explores her journey of self-discovery as a middle-aged titanium-reinforced cancer thriver, sharing the sometimes unglamorous but vital truth about empowerment, inspiring others to blaze their own trails in this journey we call life.

  1. Aliveness

    JUL 3

    Aliveness

    Send us a text “The goal of life … is not happiness, peace, or fulfillment, but aliveness.” —Hubert Dreyfuss 1. Sometimes curiosity about what’s around the next corner is enough to keep us exploring and moving forward. 2. Life doesn’t end once you’ve done “enough.” It keeps unfolding. 3. I hike because I am curious and because I can.  4. Here's a mantra I'll take with me on my next hike of the Great Divide Trail:  You’re not hiking for records, for ego, or for others. You’re hiking because you still can—and that’s everything. Each step is a declaration: “My body is capable. My spirit is willing. I am still in motion.” There may come a day when this kind of journey is no longer possible. But that day is not today. Today, you hike. MUSIC: "Poema del Pastor Coya" by Angel Lasala as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano.  Support the show

    9 min
  2. Mindset in Motion

    JUN 26

    Mindset in Motion

    Send us a text "You can think your way into a new way of acting, or act your way into a new way of thinking." Sometimes we can’t wait for the right mindset to show up. Sometimes we have to step into the behavior first, and trust that the mindset will follow. Credit is due James Loehr the author of "Mental Toughness Training for Athletes."  He says we tend to reside in three energy states:  1. Relaxed-Ready,  2. Positive-Energized,  3. Negative-Energized  4. and the dreaded Negative-Fatigued To move out of the more negative states into the positive ones we need to use our emotions as data. What are they telling us?  Instead of resisting how we feel, we can respond with tools like:  1. deep breathing,  2. focusing on the next small step,  3. reframing self-talk  4. and leaning on others. MUSIC: "Poema del Pastor Coya" by Angel Lasala as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano.  Support the show

    8 min
  3. Embrace the Suck

    JUN 19

    Embrace the Suck

    Send us a text The trail—like life—may not always be what we want it to be, but it offers us the opportunity to choose how we respond to whatever it doles out. In the hiking world we have a saying, "Embrace the Suck!"  It's a reminder that the trail doesn't care what we want it to be and is not there simply to meet our expectations. But we always have a choice to accept what is and manage it with faith that things will eventually change for the better.  A good mantra that emphasizes our power is, "Embrace the suck or it will embrace you!"MUSIC: "Poema del Pastor Coya" by Angel Lasala as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano.  Support the show

    6 min
  4. Open to Awe

    JUN 12

    Open to Awe

    Send us a text Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between is a great mindset when planning a major thru-hike – or any major life endeavor. Blissful is planning a thru-hike of the Great Divide Trail, a rugged and remote route that winds through the Canadian Rockies, tracing the continental divide between Alberta and British Columbia. In getting ready, the best mantra is from Maya Angelou, “Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.” Training to be unsurprised is not naive, but it's learning to be flexible and steady when things inevitably go sideways, while also leaving space for joy, wonder, and the things that can’t be plan for. In your next big endeavor, what are you preparing for, and what are you hoping for? How can being open make for a more successful outcome. MUSIC: "Poema del Pastor Coya" by Angel Lasala as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano.  Support the show

    6 min
  5. Freak Show

    JUN 5

    Freak Show

    Send us a text I didn’t expect much when someone asked to closely examine my deformed fingers—but the moment ended up teaching me about what truly matters – and what doesn’t. I may be a Blissful Hiker, but my body is twisted and deformed from severe osteoarthritis.I’ve learned to ignore their appearance and carry on with life, focusing on what they can do rather than how they look.When someone asked to inspect then comment on my fingers, I realized not only was it impolite and uncalled for behavior, but that my interests lie in more meaningful activities like cultivating my mind, my curiosity and my capacity to feel empathy. MUSIC: "Poema del Pastor Coya" by Angel Lasala as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano.  Support the show

    5 min
  6. Let the Day Unfold

    MAY 22

    Let the Day Unfold

    Send us a text Let the Day Unfold! Let its gentle voice guide you toward unexpected surprises and open your heart to the lessons it holds. The lowly New Zealand sandfly teaches us about impermanence, to keep moving forward and to stay open to possibility.Letting the Day Unfold is a refreshing counterpoint to the classic carpe diem mindset. Rather than gripping the day tightly and trying to control every moment, this phrase invites us to ease our grip, to stay present, receptive, and ready for whatever detours might appear.MUSIC: "Poema del Pastor Coya" by Angel Lasala as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano.  Support the show

    5 min
  7. Life is Wide

    MAY 15

    Life is Wide

    Send us a text Blissful's Great-grandma Emma used to say, "Life may be short, but it’s also wide." It’s a shift in perspective – from focusing on limitations to exploring possibilities, from dwelling on obstacles to finding creative detours.It would take walking the entire length of New Zealand on the Te Araroa for her to understand what Emma was talking about. The first lesson came in taking the risk to just go and do this thing – even in middle age –leaning into the unknown.Risk taking is good for us not because it promises a perfect life, but because it widens the journey ahead of us.  MUSIC: "Poema del Pastor Coya" by Angel Lasala as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano.  Support the show

    6 min
  8. Never Quit on a Bad Day

    MAY 8

    Never Quit on a Bad Day

    Send us a text When everything goes sideways and you’re having a bad day, repeat the mantra to not quit today but instead give yourself the self-love, the break, the reset to get back on track. We have a saying in the hiker community, "Never Quit on a Bad Day." It’s a reminder that it’s a good idea to hold off on making major decisions when things get tough and instead give yourself space to get some perspective.  On day 100 of the Te Araroa, New Zealand's long trail, Blissful Hiker hits a wall, sitting down to cry and consider quitting. But once she lets it all hang out, she realizes how silly she sounds and laughs at herself.  Laughing at yourself is one of the best tools in a resilient person's toolbox, because it keeps us from being narcissistic.  When we have a bad day, instead of asking, "Why me?" we can ask "What now?" and get on with what needs to be done. MUSIC: "Poema del Pastor Coya" by Angel Lasala as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano.  Support the show

    9 min
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4.8
out of 5
80 Ratings

About

Long-distance backpacker Alison "Blissful Hiker" Young has walked over 13,000 miles on six continents including New Zealand's Te Araroa, Europe's Pyrenean Haute Route, Africa's Drakensberg Traverse and the Pacific Crest Trail in the United States.In a series of personal essays coupled with found sound, this podcast explores her journey of self-discovery as a middle-aged titanium-reinforced cancer thriver, sharing the sometimes unglamorous but vital truth about empowerment, inspiring others to blaze their own trails in this journey we call life.

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