You worked in the healthcare industry for the majority of your career. Then, at age 58, you made an amazing pivot to become a park ranger! How did that happen? What was your journey?
I mostly enjoyed my career in healthcare, but I’ve always felt a strong pull towards nature and outdoor exploration. This pull became stronger over the years, fueled by a growing passion for parks and environmental conservation. The seed was planted a few summers ago when I shifted away from our typical family vacation and chose a solo volunteer work week with the Yosemite Conservancy instead. This was 100% out of my comfort zone! I did strenuous trail work by day and solo camping in the wilderness (with bears!) by night, and while I was exhausted physically, I have never felt more vibrantly alive.
With my new confidence and passion being fully sparked, after much internal work, I ultimately made the decision to pursue a career as a park ranger. This transition has been challenging (and sometimes scary) but fulfilling, allowing me to live amidst the beauty of nature, share my passion for the outdoors with others, and contribute to preserving our natural resources. Overall, my journey serves as a testament to the power of following your passions, embracing change, and seizing new opportunities, no matter your age or background.
You mentioned that pursuing “awe” as your “Compass Point” has allowed you to filter many opportunities and ultimately make this AWEsome pivot. Please describe what the Compass Point is and how it led you in this direction.
I was introduced to the “Compass Point” while participating in Camp Reinvention’s life-changing 12-week program for women in midlife and beyond.
Essentially, a Compass Point is a feeling state, and it is your answer to the following question: “How do you want to feel about yourself and your life on your very last day?” The feeling state of “awe” became my inspiring Compass Point, and it has been transformative in guiding my decisions and shaping my journey. Here’s how I approach it:
- Identifying Awe-Inspiring Moments: I pay attention to moments that evoke a sense of awe and inspiration in my life. I’m a detective for these moments, finding them daily in nature, art, relationships, and ordinary moments of my life.
- Reflecting on My Values: I reflect on the feelings associated with those awe-inspiring moments. What about them resonates deeply with me? What do they tell me about what I value and what I’d like to spend my time and energy pursuing?
- Setting Intentions: I am intentional about prioritizing and creating experiences and opportunities that cultivate awe in my life. This has led to amazing adventures (big and small), enhanced my relationships, and given me a sense of presence and gratitude that greatly enhances my life.
- Filtering Opportunities: When faced with opportunities or decisions, I use awe as my filter. I ask myself, “Will this opportunity/decision allow me to experience more awe and inspiration in my life?” If the answer is yes, I know that this choice is truly aligned with my values and how I want to grow and experience my life.
- Finding Balance: While awe guides my decisions, I also strive to maintain balance in my life. I recognize that awe-inspiring moments can be found in both grand experiences and everyday moments of beauty and connection. I see these everyday moments in a way I never saw them before and find more joy and beauty in the ordinary.
Overall, pursuing awe as my Compass Point has been a guiding light in navigating my life’s journey. It helps me stay true to myself, make decisions with clarity and intentionality, and cultivate a sense of wonder and fulfillment.
I appreciate your point about how both grand experiences and everyday moments can evoke awe. Without this balance, seeking awe daily could become overwhelming. Could you elaborate on this?
Lately, I’ve realized that it’s the feelings from awe-inspiring moments that I seek, not just the moments (like seeing waterfalls and rainbows) themselves. For example, I’ve started using awe to appreciate and counteract potential judgment towards others. For instance, when a friend faces an overwhelming burden, such as a sick parent or a struggling child, instead of forming an opinion or judging, I now observe with awe the grace they display in handling their challenges. This approach opens my eyes to a broader perspective of their situation and generates a deeper curiosity that goes beyond initial judgment.
Similarly, when faced with a daunting task, I visualize the awe in completing it. This energy motivates me to finish the task for the sense of awe, rather than just the satisfaction of completion. Recently, for example, I was involved in a trail-building project that required extensive volunteer work and coordination with a state agency. When the work wasn’t completed in our expected timeframe, we had to recruit new volunteers and reschedule with the state bureaucracy, all before the prohibitively hot weather descended on California. Despite the complexity, viewing the task through the lens of awe as pieces fell into place and the trail was made safe transformed my apprehension and overwhelm into a more relaxed state, allowing me to trust and enjoy the process.
This new perspective helps me find energy and motivation for new projects, knowing that the effort itself brings a feeling of awe, not just the results. How AWEsome is that?!
