Trail Marker #6 Three Pillars for Joy, Vision, and Connection
December arrives with the holiday season and a surprising amount of busyness, all in preparation for slowing down and spending time with friends and family.
I am approaching eight weeks post my first knee replacement. I am moving, but at a very slow pace. This reality has heightened my awareness in ways I did not expect. I think through every movement, walking up and down stairs, standing from a chair, and pacing my day. That awareness has extended outward as well. I notice how others move through this season and I feel a deeper sense of how interconnected we all are.
Returning to work has added another layer of complexity. My mind is active again, helping people, developing tools, and enhancing experiences. When I am fully engaged, I enter a state of flow where time seems to disappear. The challenge shows up when I have been sitting for too long and forget to move. My knees quickly remind me when I stand. I am learning to balance self care with meaningful work and to honor both my physical limits and my deeper sense of purpose.
As I think ahead to the days when I will hike again, especially the days on the Appalachian Trail, I find myself asking an important question. How do we stay present and motivated over a long journey, whether that journey lasts six months or a lifetime?
For me, the answer continues to return to three guiding pillars.
Pillar One: Seeking and Celebrating Joy
Even in the midst of pain and recovery, there is always something to celebrate. Each day I look for small wins and quiet moments of gratitude. Joy does not wait for perfect conditions. It lives in the present moment. Seeking it daily is about living the life I love and loving the life I live.
Pillar Two: A Clear Vision of Where I Am Headed
Having a defined vision matters. Writing goals down, sharing them with others, and bringing them into the real world helps align my thoughts and actions. This clarity is guiding my health journey, deepening my learning, and increasing the likelihood of achieving both success and significance.
Pillar Three: Relationships
The quality of my life is directly proportional to the quality of my relationships. When I approach others with a servant leadership mindset and focus on their needs, challenges, and goals, trust grows. In that space we overcome setbacks, co create solutions, and experience shared joy.
As I move slowly through this season, I see more clearly how essential these three pillars are to my present peace of mind and to the future I am building.
In this busy time of year, I invite you to reflect. How are you slowing down and prioritizing the people in your life. How are you intentionally seeking joy each day. How are you living today in a way that supports the future you want to create.
🔥 Campfire Update
In the spirit of this reflection, I want to share a few current health goals I am working toward with my medical team. My aim is to consistently remain under two hundred pounds, maintain a normal A1C level, live an active life filled with hiking, gardening, and biking, walk without pain, and enjoy life fully.
• Progress remains slow with walking and movement and I do not yet have a new range of motion update for my right knee.
• My most recent A1C is 5.1, firmly in the normal range.
• My current weight is 227 pounds, representing a twenty percent reduction in body weight over the past five and a half months.
• I plan to lose an additional twelve percent to reach my target range.
• I am continuing to plan gardens and hikes for 2026 and slowly increasing my time on the exercise bike during recovery.
I feel deeply blessed and wish you joy this holiday season.
🥾 Trail Notes
Be present and find joy in seasons of both abundance and depletion.
Thank you for being connected to my life.
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