Kayaking trips are something I don’t think I have blogged about much in the past. We enjoy kayaking on day trips and we also enjoy kayak camping. This past weekend, we paddled 12 miles on the Catawba River with our kayaking group. It was our 6th annual River Feast and a Toys for Tots toy drive.
It was a great day on the river with friends who have become family. I met these folks over 6 years ago when they were just starting Crossed Paddles. I was still working at recreating my life after my life had dramatically changed in 2016. After being married for 24 years, I was still scrambling to figure out the single life! I bought my first Jeep and a kayak. This group of friends, without knowing it, helped me to heal and become whole again. This is why I suggest to all the women in the support groups that they get outside. I tell them to join a kayaking or hiking group. Being in nature, exploring God’s creation is healing.
I was feeling nostalgic and brought out my very first kayak, a Perception Joy Ride. It’s a fun boat! This is the boat that got me out on the water! I had kayaked in the past many times, but never owned a boat until this Joy Ride. This boat helped me overcome so much in my life.
I’ve been really bad about setting aside work so that I can exercise regularly. I have 1,683.6 miles. That’s an average of 6.1 miles a day. I’ve got to get back into a work-life balance! Last week, I drove a lot for work– I was able to listen to 4.5 books at 1.5 speed because I did so much driving. I finished the 5th book on Saturday as we drove to the put in for kayaking.
The one that I really found helpful was The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins. Stop wasting your life on things you can’t control. You unknowingly give your power to other people when you worry about their opinions or about them judging you. We often think, “If I do this or say that, they will stop judging me” “They will stop having negative opinions if I just explain this or that.” People have negative opinions about you. People judge you every day. Let them. Let them have their opinions and, instead, control the one thing you have control over—-YOU. They cannot have power over you unless you give it to them! Let them be mad about what you post online; let them be mad about the choices you make for your own life. Let people think something negative about you, let them disapprove. You cannot control other people’s thoughts. Let them! Let them!
The let them theory is about giving people the grace and the space to live their own lives and giving yourself the same. You are the owner of your own life and when you allow other people’s thoughts and words to dictate your choices, you are giving up your power. You own your life! She even says in the book, “What picture have you been waiting to post on social media? Don’t let their opinions make your choices.” People are allowed to think whatever they want and so are you!
Mel gave me a great insight to the silent treatment. My dad would ignore me for what seemed like weeks, but it was probably just a day or two each time. As a child, I think my sense of the length of time he would ignore me is probably off a bit. It seemed like an eternity to a child of 5 to 10 years. Mel talks about the silent treatment being unhealthy. An adult who gives you the silent treatment or cuts you off doesn’t know how to deal with his emotions or how to have a conversation. Anytime an adult acts like an 8 year old, let them. It is not your job to manage someone else’s emotions. Let them play the victim. Let them!
By the time my dad passed away, I was able to let it go and not allow his behavior to impact me living my life. It was good to get this reinforcement. If you are looking for an easy listen, this book is for you. I also listened to What an Owl Knows, The Doctor’s Wife, For You When I’m Gone and Didn’t See That Coming.
For You When I’m Gone is written by a Jewish Rabbi. It is a book of 12 questions to ask yourself when writing an ethical will aka a legacy letter. It was very interesting.
We leave for the AT next Tuesday. We will do 50 miles over 5 1/2 days. It usually takes us half a day to get on the trail. My backpack, without water, is coming in at 30 pounds. Which means I’ll be starting around 38-39 pounds, depending on the amount of water I start off with. Marty’s pack is at 40 pounds without water. This includes our food and Ghost’s food. We will get the final iterations complete this coming weekend. We aren’t carrying breakfast for the first day or dinner for the last, so we’ve got 5 1/2 days of food for each of us and for Ghost.
I’ll be trying out my Big Agnes Fly Creek UL 850 RDS Ultralight 25º Sleeping Bag on this trip. I used my Big Agnes Fly Creek 50º zip quilt for the adventure last weekend. My North Face bag was purchased before a kayaking camping trip many years ago. It was on sale and they only had it in long. It is not an ultralight bag, though it is real down. We’ve been backpacking enough that I decided to get a sleeping bag that’s my size AND lighter. I will also use this in our camper. Nothing else in my bag has changed. The extra weight is all of my food and half of Ghost’s for the trip.
We will start at Dickey Gap, VA 650 and end in Damascus. That’s the final plan and we will be sticking to it! We are still hoping to be able to do the 100 mile wilderness in Maine next July. Hopefully, work won’t need me. It is nice to be needed and I’m not bothered by cutting my PTO short. It’ll be fun to see a little of Arizona again. It’s a pretty state.
My Little Red Bike 