Preface to The Woman on the Ferry

Embracing Nature, Letting Go of Defeat, and Redefining My Path

Defeated

“You sound defeated,” my friend messaged. Yes, “defeated” perfectly described how I felt. My 2024 word of the year was "blockbuster." My book - Money Road Trip - was supposed to be a bestseller. Colleges would line up for my speech (“From Ramen to Riches”), and my summit, PlanetSmart Finance Fest, would kickstart an EcoWealth movement. I was thrilled as the new year began.

But here I am in May, feeling defeated. My book is nearly invisible. I had one paid speaking gig, and most campuses have “ghosted” me, despite a clever ramen noodle marketing campaign. And the summit? A complete disaster by the numbers. I put in long hours and believed in my products. But where is my audience? Where is the money?

In a society that often equates success with monetary gain, status, and external validation, it's easy to lose sight of what truly matters. As I sit here feeling defeated, having poured my heart and soul into projects that haven't yielded the desired results, I find myself questioning the very definition of success. Is it all about the degrees, the titles, the dollars, the likes, and the accolades? Or is there something deeper, more meaningful, and more fulfilling?

Maybe it’s Time for a New Quest?

In 2020, I set out on the journey of a lifetime, trading my suburban house in Virginia for the RV life. I’ve crisscrossed the country, experiencing sights I had only dreamed of. I found joy hiking in the mountains, watching sunsets, and waking up to birds singing. My move paid off spiritually, mentally, and physically—but not financially.

It’s been an amazing journey, but this past year, I slowed down. I set up a home base in southern California and reduced my travels. In December, I turned 60, which hit me unexpectedly hard. To make matters worse, I badly sprained my ankle hiking in Death Valley National Park the day before. Just another reminder that I’m no longer a spring chicken! The reality is that if I can’t make a go of this entrepreneurship thing, I’ll need to get a job. To me, the biggest benefit of having my own business is the flexibility it gives me in terms of time. I don’t want to give that up.

So a few days ago, I began to view this feeling of defeat in a new light. Instead of seeing it as a setback, I started to wonder: What if this sense of defeat is actually an opportunity in disguise? Could it be a chance to redefine success on my own terms, to prioritize what truly brings me joy, and to embark on a new quest for clarity and purpose? Maybe this feeling of defeat is the very catalyst I need to start a new chapter in my life.

The 1,000 Mile Adventure

Recently, I spoke with a dear friend who told me she missed my early blogs when I first set out to find myself on the road. She sent me a book, Squatter: One Woman’s Journey to Reclaim Her Spirt on the Ice Age Trail (by Yolanda Deloach). I realized I’d been so focused on my business that I hadn’t read a book for pleasure all year. So, I binge-read it. Having grown up in Wisconsin, home of the Ice Age Trail, I felt a deep connection with the locations and cultures described in the book. Those who complete the trail are known as 1,000-milers. Like many hiking narratives, the author uses the trail to break free from a relationship.

Squatter sparked a new idea, one that I’m excited to share with you today. In mid-June, I’ll head out on the road for four months. My journey is planned, and reservations are made. I can’t wait to get back on the road. The other day, I started doing some math. Can I hike 1,000 miles in the next five months? That’s 200 miles per month, about 6.5 miles each day. I'm going to try! For avid hikers, my goal might sound like a walk in the park. But I’ll be aiming for as many wilderness and waterfall hikes as possible, and many of these trails aren’t easy. Factoring in travel and bad weather days, it’s a manageable but challenging goal.

This journey will be about more than just the physical challenge of hiking 1,000 miles; it will be a quest to unravel the deeply ingrained societal definitions of success that have shaped my life. It's an opportunity to examine how our cultural norms and expectations push us towards a narrow, capitalistic view of achievement, often at the expense of our true happiness and fulfillment.

By immersing myself in nature, I aim to find clarity and reconnect with the joy and purpose that have been obscured by the relentless pursuit of external validation. This journey is a chance to listen to the wisdom of the wilderness, to rediscover what truly matters, and to redefine success on my own terms.

So, I invite you to join me on this transformative adventure. Free subscribers will have access to my weekly 60-second nature videos, offering a glimpse into the beauty and insights I encounter along the way. For those who wish to delve deeper into this journey of self-discovery and redefinition, paid subscriptions grant access to all my written reflections, as I share my experiences, challenges, and revelations on the trail.

Are you ready to embark on this transformative journey with me? Together, let's challenge societal norms, redefine success, and discover the true meaning of a life well-lived, one mile at a time.