Go Take a Hike
March 4, 2022 | Words by Emily Rappold
To celebrate Women’s History Month, every Monday and Friday during the month of March, we’re highlighting just some of the many women that are a crucial part of NCFIT. Today, we highlight Emily. Emily is a head coach at NCFIT and she’s on a mission to ride the wave towards progress, not perfection.
I recently had the opportunity to explore Yosemite National Park. Being from Montana, getting outdoors and experiencing what Mother Nature has to offer is a way of life.
When you are at the bottom of an 8,800-foot mountain staring up, you feel microscopic and insignificant. On the flip side, when you are at the top of that mountain, it is quite the opposite — you feel fierce and ready to conquer the world! What I have come to realize is that my journey as a female trainer is a lot like hiking: You never know what variables Mother Nature is going to throw at you. Will it be the weather? Will it be the terrain? Will it be the wildlife? Who knows. However, what we need to remind ourselves is that we can only control what we can control, and that holds more importance than anything else. It ultimately comes down to what you choose to do with that control.
The cards that I have been dealt have challenged and changed who I am as an individual, as a coach, as a friend, and as a colleague. I coach and work with an amazing group of talented, down-to-earth individuals.
THE NO. 1 GOAL FOR MYSELF: LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
Yes, there are some days where I deviate and go rogue on my macros or choose to Netflix and chill (go watch “Blown Away”), but I get back on course. I control these choices day in and day out. No one else. ME.
There are times when I am staring up at a magnificent mountain and I think to myself, “How the heck am I going to get to the top?” The same applies to my BHAGs (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals).
MY SOLUTION: BE VULNERABLE AND TRUST YOURSELF. YOU WILL NOT KNOW YOUR WORTH OR POTENTIAL IF YOU DO NOT ATTEMPT CHALLENGES.
This is still a work in progress for me.
I am constantly learning self-awareness, self-worth, self-trust, and overall confidence. This does not happen overnight; it takes time, dedication, and grit, and it will ebb and flow. That, I can promise you.
My No. 1 recommendation to overcoming challenges: Take the plunge. Yes, it is quite easier said than done. However, you will regret it later in life if you do not. We do not want to go out thinking “what if?” Personally, I’d rather slide into home base or reach that summit knowing that I faced those challenges head-on, asked questions, and did it all with hutzpah.
The next step (no pun intended) is about elevating (pun intended) those around us. In my opinion, life should not be about some rising and others falling. It is up to us to take action, lead, and build others up in order for us all to reach the top of that arduous mountain. It also is not any fun to do things alone, so why not step it up, take charge, and be the guide who instills passion, grit, and confidence in others?
Every time you step foot onto that trailhead, you do not know what is in store. Every step, every turn, every breath can and will be different. Do not let the distance, elevation, or competition scare you. The distance is there to allow for some failures with room to pick yourself back up and forge onward. The elevation is there to make you stronger and build up that capacity in order to keep going the distance. The competition is there to build you up and learn.
LIFE BEGINS ONCE YOU STEP OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. MY RECOMMENDATION: GO TAKE A HIKE TO FIND THAT THRESHOLD. ONCE YOU FIND IT, STAY THE COURSE, BE THE STRONG LEADER THAT YOU ARE, AND KICK ASS!
