September 27, 2024 • 56 mins
From Burnout to Bliss: How Jessica DeAngelo Transformed Her Life Through Nature
🌿 Feeling trapped in the never-ending corporate grind? Jessica DeAngelo knows the feeling all too well. In this episode, we dive deep into her inspiring journey from corporate exhaustion to rediscovering peace and clarity in the great outdoors.
🌍 After years of leading global sales and strategy with Fortune 100 companies, Jessica made a life-changing decision. It all started with an impromptu hike through Portland's Forest Park—what she found was a new path to success, free from burnout and full of purpose.
🗻 Discover how 31 days of daily hiking during a brutal Idaho winter reshaped Jessica’s life. She shares how her outdoor adventure reignited her passion and creativity, revealing the profound benefits of nature on mental well-being and professional growth.
✨ What You'll Learn in This Episode
- 🌱 Unlock the Healing Power of Nature: Learn how tech-free hikes can reduce stress, improve creativity, and even combat cravings for unhealthy foods.
- 🧠 Boost Your Mental Clarity: Jessica explains how reconnecting with nature can silence negative self-talk and enhance cognitive function.
- 🥾 Take the Hike 31 Challenge: Commit to 31 days of daily hikes and transform your mindset, body, and soul.
🔊 Whether you’re a corporate leader feeling overwhelmed or an entrepreneur searching for new inspiration, this episode is your guide to tapping into nature’s transformative power.
Listen now and start your journey from burnout to bliss!
https://jessicadeangelo.com/
Text HIKE to 33777 for more info!
#HIKE31
#HIKE31CHALLENGE
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Audra (00:00):
Welcome in everyone and thank you once again for joining
me again this week.
This week, my guest is going tochallenge you.
That's right, we're going tochallenge you.
She and I have got something instore for you.
My guest this week is JessicaD'Angelo, and she is a
trailblazer in nature-inspiredbusiness consulting, offering
(00:23):
transformative experiences forimpact-driven leaders and their
teams.
As a keynote speaker, businessstrategist and motivational
hiker, jessica blends herstrategic business expertise
with outdoor adventure.
Are you guys intrigued?
Yet?
With a background in globalsales and strategy, she's worked
with Fortune 100 companies,including Amazon, nike and Uber,
(00:47):
managing diverse multiculturalteams worldwide.
Jessica discovered that hikingcould prevent burnout and ignite
creativity, not just forherself, but also for her
clients.
I know you guys are thinking,hmm, what has Jessica got in
store for us?
(01:07):
Just hold on tight.
Today, jessica is the chiefhiking officer and strategic
visionary behind the brand Hiketo Become and the creator of the
Hike 31 Challenge.
Known as an innovativedisruptor at heart, she
revolutionizes speaking andworkshops by taking people
outside, helping the audienceconnect with themselves, their
(01:30):
teams and their greatestpotential.
Her approach is nature-inspired, backed by science and
human-approved for a trulyprofound experience.
Just wait until you hear whatJessica has in store for us.
It is my pleasure and my honorto introduce to you Jessica.
Jessica, thank you so much forbeing here and welcome to the
(01:53):
show.
Jessica (01:55):
Audra, thanks for having me.
I am absolutely thrilled to bejoining you today.
Audra (02:00):
I am very excited for you to be here, especially when
we tell everybody what you'vegot planned for them, what I
should say what we've gotplanned for them.
But we will hold that for amoment, because you know we've
we got.
We got our secrets, we got oursecrets.
So first let's tell everybody alittle bit about you.
Jessica (02:20):
Sounds good, thank you .
So I think you know my storyreally starts when I was working
in corporate America.
I was a global myself reachingthis point of I guess you would
call it burnout, or I like tosay you know autopilot mode or
(02:56):
being in survival mode, which alot of us find ourselves in in
the busyness of life.
And so one day, as I was just onback-to-back Zoom meetings, I
remember I looked out my windowI was living in Portland, oregon
at the time and I saw ForestPark, which is this beautiful
it's the largest urban park inall of the United States and I
(03:19):
kind of looked out at that parkin the treetops and thought it
was like I saw an old friend,audra, that I hadn't seen for a
really long time, and I had thislonging and I realized I hadn't
been out in the park in a longtime.
Work was taking all of my time,and so that day I actually
canceled some internal meetingsand I just went for a walk in
the woods, left my cell phone inthe car, and that is one of
(03:44):
many experiences I've hadthroughout my life where I just
really lost perspective, and thething that helped me find my
way back to myself was hikingregularly, and not just hiking
but practicing it in the waythat I will teach you and your
audience a little bit later inthis podcast.
But it was truly transformativeand continues to be throughout
(04:08):
my life.
Audra (04:09):
Well, I think that everybody can relate to the
position that you were in theback-to-back Zoom meetings,
especially in this era ofpost-COVID, where some of us
have not returned to completelybeing in the office and a lot of
us don't want to workcompletely in the office because
we have found a way to it moresuits our lifestyle to be able
(04:33):
to work from home.
But because of that, we are innow in this more virtual world,
which means now that we ourschedules, are now back to back
in virtual calls and it's thisbusyness that we have all these
calls and then, if you're likeme, you're like okay, I have all
these calls, when do I get mywork done?
(04:53):
And it's exhausting andoverwhelming, and you're trapped
in your house, in your homeoffice.
So, instead of being trapped ina building where you actually
get to leave once a day, nowyou're trapped in your home
office where you may never getto leave, and so you've lost
(05:13):
that grounding and you've lostthat perspective, and I know
that lots of people can relateto that feeling of I haven't
left my house in four days, andI think that everybody can
picture themselves lookingoutside, seeing the green trees
and going when's the last timeI've been outside.
(05:36):
I wonder what the air feels likeon my face.
I wonder what it'd be like tojust go take a walk, right.
I wonder what it'd be like tojust go take a walk, right.
And you did a brave thing andcanceled all your meetings and
thought I just need to get outof here, go get some fresh air
(05:56):
and go take a walk, because Ijust need to clear my head.
You were probably reaching avery, very close point of
burnout and thought I'm not goodto any of these meetings anyway
.
If I'm that close to burnout, Ijust need to breathe and off
you went.
Jessica (06:11):
Absolutely.
I think what's interesting tooabout that story, audra, is it
still took me, I would say,another two to three years from
that turning point to where Imade the decision of where I am
today.
And you know, I realized hikingdaily brought me back to myself
and I made some big lifedecisions after that practice.
(06:33):
But fast forward to December ofthis past year.
I had another moment, you know.
I started, I left corporateAmerica, I guess two years ago
now, and I started my ownconsulting practice and I had a
similar moment of burnout.
So I just want to be reallyclear it doesn't matter whether
you're working for corporateAmerica or yourself or you're
(06:56):
working part-time.
I think all of us in today'sbusyness are susceptible to this
big challenge of just feelingcompletely disconnected from
ourselves, which is the problemI'm trying to help people solve.
But just sort of fast forwardto where this pivotal moment
happened for me is that DecemberI reached a similar moment of
(07:17):
burnout in my own business,audra.
Being an entrepreneur is veryhard.
It's difficult to build abusiness and a brand from
scratch.
And I woke up early one morning, December 23rd it was like 5 am
and I decided to take myselffor a hike.
My family was all asleep and soI drove out to the Boise
foothills.
There was fresh snow on theground, it was probably less
(07:38):
than 20 degrees.
I could see my breath in theair, and I remember I hiked up
to the top of a foothill thatmorning and I sat my butt down
in snow which was not a smartidea, by the way.
But I just watched the sun comeup and I remember in that moment
thinking like what am I doingwrong?
Why is this not working?
(07:58):
Owning my own business is notworking.
Like I felt like why am Ihaving burnout?
When I thought it was the faultof being corporate America.
Well, it's not.
It's applicable to all of us,no matter what we do.
And that's when I realized I wasasking myself the wrong
question.
And that's when I said well,let me think about when was I
(08:22):
the happiest, the healthiest andthe most fulfilled in my life?
And it was like the universalirony came out and just sort of
hit me and I realized it'salways been when I was hiking
regularly.
No matter what job I had or howbusy my life was or my
responsibilities, I've alwaysbeen the happiest, healthiest
and the most fulfilled.
So I'm someone that's hypercompetitive with myself and I
like to see a problem or achallenge and I go for it head
(08:44):
on.
And so I said, all right, well,if hiking's the solution,
january has 31 days.
I'm going to challenge myselfto hike for 31 days straight in
the month of January and I don'tknow what's going to happen.
But at the end of this monthI'm hoping I'll get some clarity
as to what to do with my life.
Audra (09:03):
And what happened?
I mean, you challenged yourselffor 31 days to hike every
single day.
Yes, in.
Jessica (09:10):
Idaho.
By the way, in Idaho, which islots of snow, really cold, I
like forgot, audra, that I livedin Idaho.
Now, when I made this challengefor myself, I thought I still
lived in Pennsylvania or maybeOregon, where it's much more
moderate.
I thought I still lived inPennsylvania, or maybe Oregon,
where it's much more moderate.
What happened so, in brutalhonesty, there were days I did
not want to hike.
(09:31):
There were days where it wasreally hard for me to get out
the door.
There were days when I had tohike before the sun came up
because I didn't have time in myday to do it otherwise.
There were days when I had tohike with my one-year-old son
strapped to my back at 7 pmbefore bedtime, because I didn't
get my hike in that day.
(09:51):
What happened, though, isbecause I made this commitment
to myself and I continued toshow up in the way I knew how to
practice it.
I found extreme clarity into myproblem, and my problem was
that I was unhappy in theentrepreneurship world and I
felt thrown out and deflated,but the reason for that was
(10:14):
because I wasn't showing upauthentically in my work, and I
realized, through spending timealone in nature, in movement,
and being unplugged fromtechnology, that all I needed to
do was show up authentically.
And it just so happens that theuniversal irony is that
includes hiking with my clients.
That includes taking my love ofthe outdoors and adventure and
(10:38):
being in nature into myconsulting business.
Audra (10:49):
And it's completely changed my business and my
personal life.
Jessica (10:50):
So just by taking yourself outside you literally,
for just taking myself for awalk for 31 days straight.
Audra (10:54):
Yes, okay, so, so you?
So you took yourself for a walkone day.
Basically, that's all you didis that every single day, you
took a walk outside.
Now, granted, you took yourselffor a hike because you're in
idaho, so you have some amazingviews, amazing, amazing
(11:14):
mountains and whatnot, but youtook yourself for a walk, yeah,
every single day.
A basic human ability for mosteveryone, most everyone.
I mean.
Some people have differentabilities, you know that are
available to them, but for themost part, you took yourself for
a walk and suddenly you hadtotal clarity of what to do with
(11:38):
your life.
Jessica (11:40):
I know it sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?
Audra (11:43):
It sounds insane.
Jessica (11:46):
I mean.
Thank you for your honesty.
It does.
It sounds totally nutty.
Here is the what would you callit Like this disclaimer on my
walking Couple of things.
First is about a week and a halfinto this practice, audra, I
started sleeping better.
I started feeling less stressand anxiety.
(12:07):
I started to have much morefocus in my work.
I was way more productive onthe time I was spending in my
home office or with clients, andso I'm a researcher at heart.
I actually really love data,and so I started digging into
this.
Like wait a minute, why is thisworking so well?
And so, while you and I can sithere and joke, I just took
(12:30):
myself for a walk.
There's actually a very specificway I practiced this hike
methodology that I now call it,and I was really strict with
myself on how to do it and,based on my scientific research
on why it works.
That is the game changer indoing this process.
So I do.
I have friends, I havecolleagues and people in my
(12:52):
network that say I do this allthe time.
I go for walks and listen topodcasts, or I do X, y and Z and
I'm like that's not.
That is not actually the methodthat I did or what I now teach
other people to do, so we candig into it on why it works, but
I know it sounds super silly.
The other component to thisthat I think is really
interesting is it doesn't take alot of time.
(13:13):
At least 30 minutes a day isthe goal.
You don't have to be hiking upa mountain for three hours to
get benefits is what I foundthree hours to get benefits is
what I found.
Audra (13:23):
Well, first let's talk about your methodology yes, and
then we'll talk about why itworks, because you said there
are very specifics on yourmethods yes, and then let's talk
about why it works, okay.
Jessica (13:41):
So I I like things that are easy to remember for
people, so I affectionately callit hike, and if you think of
the acronym for hike, I'll getinto each part.
But H stands for hike or walk.
A lot of people joke with methat, like I said, hiking
(14:02):
scaling a mountain.
And actually no, it's not.
If you look up the definitionof hike in the dictionary, it
literally means a long walk inthe wilderness.
It doesn't talk about howstrenuous it is or the terrain
you're on.
It's literally walking innature.
So H stands for hike or walk,and the goal there is that
you're in movement and ideallywhat we like to call movement
(14:27):
where you're moving both yourleft and the right sides of your
body.
So walking does this, hikingdoes this.
I know that you're an avidbiker, audra.
Biking does this, and what thatactually creates is a
phenomenon called bilateralstimulation, and that is
stimulating both the right andthe left hemisphere of your
brain.
That has incredible cognitivebenefits, so much so that Dr
(14:52):
Francine Shapiro, who wasactually the founder of EMDR
therapy, discovered this whileshe was taking a walk in the
park.
She realized she was processingnegative emotions at a much
faster rate, and so she usedthat as the basis for EMDR.
So H stands for height or walk,and that is creating that
bilateral stimulation.
(15:12):
Doesn't matter how strenuous itis or how fast you go, you just
need to be in movement in thismethod.
So that's the first component.
Audra (15:19):
So just bilateral meaning legs and arms walking,
moving forward at the same time,correct.
Jessica (15:32):
Nothing more complicated than that.
You're doing it while you gofor a bike ride, cross-country
skiing, for example.
So really, anything that you'redoing moving the right and left
side of your body I pick, hikeor walk.
Obviously, I'm very partial tohiking.
However, it's got to beaccessible to everyone, but I
(15:52):
want to explain the sciencebehind it so people can choose
how they practice.
So fairly easy, easy, yes,which leads us to I, and I
stands for being in nature.
This is a top question that Iget asked of a lot of the
audiences that I speak to iswell, I live in a city, so can I
(16:15):
just go for a walk?
I really dug into the researchon this one specifically around.
It's called Shinrin-yoku andthat is the japanese art of
forest bathing.
Uh, this was developed back inthe 1980s, um, and the idea is
that you immerse yourself in anatural environment like a
(16:36):
forest, and experience it withall five of your senses.
But there's a reallyfascinating study that they did
behind shinrin yokuoku and howeffective it is, where they took
two groups of individuals Onewas they called it the city
group and one was the forestgroup.
And the city group and theforest group first they just
took a baseline biometricreading which included cortisol
(16:58):
levels, which is your you knowhorrible stress hormone, and
then heart rate and bloodpressure, and they set that
baseline at a relaxed state.
And then they separated the twogroups and each showed them
each a picture.
One just looked at a picture ofa city for 20 minutes.
The other looked at a pictureof the forest for 20 minutes.
Can you guess what happened tothe biometric readings of the
(17:21):
forest individuals versus thecity?
Just a picture to the biometricreadings of the forest
individuals versus the city.
Audra (17:26):
Just a picture, Just a picture.
I would assume that when theysee a city because there's
always more activity of a citythat that probably raised their
stress levels a little bit,because they can imagine the
sounds and the activity andbasically the general chaos that
(17:47):
goes on in a city.
Jessica (17:49):
Fair.
So the city group, I believe,state just about the same as
their baseline biometric ratingnot much changed.
But the forest group what wasreally interesting, audra and if
you notice I have plants behindme in my home office.
I have beautiful pictures ofnature the forest group that
just looked at a picture.
Their cortisol levels droppedby almost 16%.
(18:12):
That may not sound like a lot,but it's pretty substantial just
from looking at a picture.
But then any guesses whathappened when they actually took
both groups out into thoseenvironments?
City group went for a walk inthe city for an hour.
The forest group went for awalk in the forest for an hour.
Audra (18:28):
What happened.
I can't imagine what theresults are.
I bet you that they wereextraordinary.
Jessica (18:36):
So the forest group cortisol levels dropped about
another 15%, so a total of 30%cortisol drop in the heart rate
and blood pressure in the forestgroup dropped as well, where
the city group again stayedpretty stagnant or slightly
elevated based off of theirbaseline metrics.
So why the I standing for beingin nature so important is that,
(18:59):
even if you live in a city Iencourage people try to find an
area where you're seeing moregreen trees, grass, could even
be blue sky.
You know, if you live close toan ocean, look at ocean waves.
It can be any natural element.
Your goal here is to get abigger percentage of natural
elements that you're looking atthroughout this walk or hike
(19:20):
than buildings or coffee,because you're going to do that
work where your stress andanxiety will come down.
You're basically going toexperience all those benefits I
just talked about, and so that'swhy surrounding yourself in a
natural environment is reallyimportant.
Even if you live in a city,just try to find a place where
even a tree-lined park or atree-lined street will work.
Audra (19:43):
You want to lower your cortisol levels because, let's
face it, this is the hormonethat holds on to all of those
nasty fat cells.
Jessica (19:53):
Yes, or makes you want to stress, eat a pizza at the
end of the night, or something.
Audra (19:59):
Exactly, or, you know, drink two or three glasses of
wine, or whatever the case maybe.
Yeah, so yeah, go find a park,find a nice quiet park to go and
see some trees, even if youlive in a city.
Jessica (20:20):
Yes, and see some, some trees, even if you live in
a city.
Yes, and so the the third umletter in hike, which is k for
keep it off, meaning keep techoff.
This is where I lose a majorityof people.
I hear all the whining, I hearall the like what do you mean?
I can't wear my smart watch andsee how many steps I've done,
or I can't live without my cellphone, or I can do this, I just
need to listen to a podcast.
It is so, so criticallyimportant that if you're
(20:42):
practicing this method, the wayI've designed it is that you're
just keeping tech off entirely.
Your cell phone and yoursmartwatch is off, not on you in
airplane mode, in your backpack, left at home in the office,
(21:03):
because scientific studies showthat just by getting one ping,
one notification, it's going todistract all of these amazing
cognitive benefits that you'rereceiving, which we'll get to in
a minute, and so it's almostlike, if you take tech with you,
you are doing the completeopposite of all the beautiful
things that being in movementand being in nature is providing
(21:23):
for you.
So K stands for keep tech off.
Audra (21:28):
This is when Jessica told me about this.
This is when I gave her thestink face and went.
Jessica (21:33):
She had me at the first face and went and she.
Audra (21:35):
she had me at the first two and I was like.
I was like Jessica, do you knowme?
This, this, this one, thisone's going to be hard.
This one's going to be really,really hard, but I'm going to
give it my best shot.
So this is going to be astruggle, because that means I'm
(21:58):
alone with my thoughts.
Do you know how loud mythoughts are?
Like they're, they're really,really really loud, and they're
not always that fun.
I mean, they're, they're,they're really obnoxious, I mean
(22:18):
super obnoxious.
Jessica (22:21):
Yeah, you know well.
First and foremost, thank youfor your honesty and your
candidness, because a lot ofpeople I don't even think are
comfortable enough admittingthat piece out loud.
But that's the reality, Audra,is that we are never alone with
our own thoughts, Like if wereally think about our day and
the day of an average, let'sjust say, American.
We wake up first thing in themorning.
(22:41):
What's the first thing you dofirst thing in the morning?
Check my phone, check your phoneand listen.
We all do it, everybody does it.
Even, like all the studies say,don't be on your phone for the
first hour of waking up and lookat natural light and all the
things.
We are all stuck in this sortof technical environment.
(23:01):
So the beauty of this hikechallenge is it is.
I think one of the biggestchallenges is staying off tech
for 30 minutes and being alonewith your thoughts.
I've had some clients and somefriends who have practiced this
and they will all openly admitto me I get lots of text
messages and voice memos, whichI love that the hardest part for
(23:23):
them is either the first weekor the first 10 to 15 minutes of
just walking or hiking alonewith their thoughts.
It is uncomfortable, it isweird.
Thoughts.
It is uncomfortable, it isweird.
Here's what I love about it,though I am a terrible meditator
Like I am so bad at meditating.
Like I just can't.
I don't know.
(23:43):
My monkey mind goes crazy.
Meditation has never worked forme really well.
However, this method worksbecause, instead of trying to
control my thoughts or think Ioh, I'm having I think they call
it monkey mind and meditation Ineed to bring it back to the
breath.
In this method, you let all thethoughts just flow, just wash
over you like ocean waves andjust be with your thoughts.
(24:06):
And if you start to getcomfortable with that, you'll
notice after, I'd say, likeeveryone's a little different,
but some people experience itright away, some people take,
you know, a week or two.
You'll start to experiencethese incredible ideas that you
otherwise wouldn't have, becauseyou got over this uncomfortable
hump of being alone with yourthoughts.
Audra (24:28):
Hmm, ok, we'll see.
Jessica (24:33):
You have to try it to just like give it a try.
Audra (24:35):
I'm absolutely gonna try it, but and I have tried many,
many times to meditate and, likeI said, my thoughts are
obnoxious, yeah, and I start outlike great, and then they want
my thoughts wander and then Istart making grocery lists and
and then it, then it's just alldownhill from there.
(24:56):
So I'm like breathing andmeditation is just clearly not
for me.
Jessica (25:03):
Yes, and I agree with you.
I found the same thing formyself.
I love it If people get valueout of it.
I think it's incredible.
But for me this method works somuch better.
It's much more powerful andimpactful.
And it's just me being alone,you know, with my thoughts.
Quick story about this thatmight solidify, I think, like
the idea of what really happenson the hiking trail.
(25:25):
I'll get really vulnerable withyou and your audience for a
minute.
Hiking trail foothill in Boiseit's, you know, december and I'm
making this like challengedmyself.
I'm going to hike for 31 daysstraight.
I get up my butt's all wet fromsitting in the snow and like
thinking, you know,contemplating life, and I start
(25:46):
hiking down the side of thefoothill, audra, and like I slip
and I fall in the snow and themud, like not once, but twice.
It was like thank God no onewas around because it was
mortifying and in that moment Ihad.
I went from like this is agreat idea.
I'm so excited to do this.
Maybe I can inspire otherpeople to do this To very
(26:09):
quickly.
I'm like sitting in mud andsnow and I saw those like imp
imposter syndrome.
I'm not good enough.
Thoughts start creeping in,right.
Like you said, your thoughtsare obnoxious.
You should have heard mythoughts that day.
It was like you're so out ofshape, who are you to be
encouraging other people to hike?
Who are you to even hike for 31days?
Maybe you should just try likepainting again, like it was like
(26:32):
all these, like really meanthings I was saying to myself.
But here's the difference I wasalone, my cell phone was off, I
was hiking, so I was inmovement, I was in nature
beautiful snow, landscape, and Ijust kept moving and I just let
those thoughts sort of washover me.
And what I look back and whathappened, that was so different,
(26:56):
I think, than had I been in myoffice or with my cell phone or
distracted is.
I actually came to my own rescuein that moment and I said wait
a minute.
All the reasons I just said Ishouldn't do it are all the
reasons I actually should do it,because most people are just
like me.
Most people can't run off intothe wilderness for three months
(27:19):
and backpack to solve theirlife's problems.
We have businesses we run, wehave teams that depend on us, we
have families and children andsignificant others that would
miss us, and most people aren'tat the peak of their physical
fitness right now, and mostpeople are dealing with the same
level of burnout and exhaustionthat I am.
(27:40):
So what if, instead of waitingto become who we want to be, to
do the things that we want to do, what if we just started
showing up every day like wealready are that person?
Started showing up every day,like we already are that person?
And that is kind of the magicand the story behind my brand of
Hike to Become is the idea thatwe don't have to wait to be
(28:04):
this person that we think thatwe're ultimately trying to be.
We just need to show up to bethat person every day.
And so it's the idea that youcan hike to become, ultimately,
whoever you want to be, and soit's the idea that you can hike
to become ultimately, whoeveryou want to be, which is amazing
.
Audra (28:18):
Which basically means come as you are, come as you,
come as you are and we'll getthere yes, yeah, you and I
talked a little bit before weput the record button on about
um.
Jessica (28:30):
I think we both used to work out at the gym quite
frequently and you know you canspeak to your experience.
There's a lot of pressure atthe gym and it's everyone's
taking these selfies andInstagram reels and it's like
less about working out and moreabout, I don't know, just being
seen.
And what I love about thehiking trail Audra is like it
(28:52):
will hold you at whatever weightyou're at.
It's got no agenda.
It will wait for you.
You just need to show up, and Ilove the feeling of the trail
under my feet and fresh air inmy lungs, and it's really
accessible to everyone.
Audra (29:09):
And that's exactly been my experience.
I used to love going to the gymbecause it was a place where it
cleared my head and gave mesome peace and it was a place of
solace for me.
But over the last couple ofyears it became a place of
(29:30):
stress and depression.
I found myself going less andless and really finding dread,
and I couldn't put my finger onit.
I just couldn't figure out why,until it finally dawned on me
it's because it's no longerbecome fitness, it's become more
(29:50):
about more about the.
I need to get the perfectpicture Right.
So so I stopped going andstarted getting myself outside,
and that has changed quite a lot, at least for me.
Um, mentally has changed,changed, changed my entire
(30:13):
perspective of getting myselfoutside.
And before we came on I saidI'd never considered getting
exercise outside because I livein Arizona, it is hot, it is 152
degrees in July.
I'd never considered it before.
But it can be done.
You just have to get up at 4.30in the morning to do it.
Jessica (30:35):
So I'm curious the days that you do get up at 4.30
in the morning and go for yourbike rides, how do you feel
yourself differently throughoutthe day versus days that you
aren't able to get out and gofor your bike ride?
Audra (30:52):
I have an extraordinary amount of energy.
I don't feel drained at all.
You would think I would.
I don't, and I have a whole lotof mental clarity.
Yes, and you'd also think thatI would be exhausted by the end
(31:14):
of the day, but I don't.
I'm not.
It's a weird thing.
It's very strange that youwould.
I would.
I really expected all of thesethings.
I thought, oh my gosh, I'mgoing to be in bed by eight
o'clock.
I'm going to be craving allthese bad foods for me.
I'm going to be hungry all daylong.
No, none of that.
(31:35):
Yeah, and my mood has improveddrastically.
And all of all of my obnoxiousthoughts?
I can put them at bay, or atleast the obnoxious thoughts
that come into my head don'tstay as long.
Jessica (31:49):
Sure.
Well, maybe you're giving themsome room to breathe so they
quiet down a bit.
I don't know.
Well, maybe you're giving themsome room to breathe so they
quiet down a bit.
I don't know.
I don't know, who knows, whoknows, but I, you know.
It's interesting.
You mentioned that.
I agree, like on days that I getout for a really long hike
really early in the morning, Ianticipate all the same things
you just rattled off Like I'mgoing to be super hungry, I'm
(32:11):
going to be tired, and it'sactually the opposite.
Earlier this week I did apretty wonderful hike in the
Sawtooth Mountains in Stanley,idaho, and got up at like 5 am
to hit the trailhead by 7 am andI was the only person out there
, audra.
I didn't see another soul onthe trail the whole way into the
(32:33):
destination and I thought so.
It was about eight miles roundtrip, and so by the time I got
off the trail at like 1030 inthe morning, yeah, I was tired,
I was definitely tired, but Ifelt like so energized
internally and just like mybrain was on fire and I just
(32:53):
felt so good Like, and I justfelt so good like, and I just
spent a couple hours in thewoods by myself, in movement, in
nature, unplugged from tech,and uh, yeah, it's incredible
yeah, it's, it's amazing, I meanthere.
Audra (33:09):
There are moments during that movement, like for me
around mile 11.
I start questioning my life'schoices, as to what in the world
I'm doing on the bike.
Yes, yes I understand, yeah,but when I'm done I'm like oh
yes, this was totally worth it.
Jessica (33:26):
Yeah, I agree, there was some some pretty much all
the elevation on that hike waslike towards the end and I
questioned my life choices.
In that moment.
I was like I was like being amotivational hiker to myself,
giving myself a pep talk aboutlike you've made it this far,
just like half a mile left to goto see this alpine lake.
You can do it.
But yeah, I understand.
(33:47):
But if you can power throughthat moment, just the the
feeling afterwards of theaccomplishment and just like
look at what I was able to do,yeah, it is worth it, but you do
have to power through that thatlength of it.
Audra (34:00):
You're just like yeah, I am out here at 630 in the
morning and trying to get upthis hill.
When, what am I doing?
Jessica (34:12):
And I guess we got a bit off topic maybe, but the
last letter in hike is E forevery day, and just talking
about the numbers and themetrics.
So when I arbitrarily set thisgoal for hike for myself in
January, audra, I just said likeI'm going to do 30 minutes a
day, like I had no rhyme orreason to that number.
I just declared like at least30 minutes, I'll practice this
(34:34):
because I'm an entrepreneur, I'mbuilding my business, my brand,
I'm two toddlers at home, I'm awife, you know, I'm an active
member of my community.
Like I don't have two hoursevery day to go do something, I
have 30 minutes and so.
But once I started researchingsome of the science behind it.
So 10 minutes or more in naturewill reduce stress and anxiety.
(34:56):
The studies also show that 20minutes or more is going to
increase your emotionalwell-being.
It's going to get thoseendorphins flowing.
But what I'm really mostinterested in and I think a lot
of your listeners might be isthe 30-minute mark is where your
brain switches on to adifferent mode of cognitive
function.
(35:16):
So if you can stay unplugged inmovement and in nature for at
least 30 minutes, you are goingto see a drastically different
way that your brain startsbehaving, and that includes
remembering information moreclearly, making sounder
decisions, being more focusedand productive.
Like a lot of times, I'll sit atmy desk Audra, I don't know if
(35:38):
you do this, but sometimes Ihave like 80 things I'm doing at
once and like none of them well, and I realize I'm I call it
the death spiral at my deskwhere, like nothing's getting
done.
If I take myself out for aquick 30 minute walk and I come
back, it's like a wholedifferent person entered the
office and I go wow, these 45things or 80 things, I only
really need to do two of themand I'm just going to do those
(36:00):
two and do them really well andthen I'm done.
It's just a different way.
Audra (36:06):
Yeah, I'd say there.
I actually said this earlierthis week.
Is that actually?
It was last week before Istarted really putting myself on
a regiment?
Was I misread an email and Iwent round and round and round
until I finally got clarity is?
This was actually what I askedand my response was I'm so sorry
(36:28):
.
I have too many tabs on mydesktop and my brain open all at
the same time.
I apologize for the round robinon this.
I will get right on it.
So, yes, there are times whereI have way too many things open
and I should absolutely not betrying to solve them all at the
same time.
Should not.
(36:48):
Should not be trying to do that.
That would probably be theoptimum time for me to walk away
and go take a break.
Jessica (36:58):
Yes, and like you're not alone, I think that's all of
us right, Like we are thedefinition of insanity,
ourselves literally trying toaccomplish all these things,
doing them, none of them well,like, okay, well, we're going to
go for a walk.
Here's I think the biggestchallenge people make, or what I
see is, or I would say, mistakein that exercise is people then
(37:19):
get up from their desk and gofor a walk, even in nature,
Audra, and then they call acoworker where they call their
Aunt Mildred, who they haven'ttalked to in two years.
They feel this pressure to usethat time versus just being
alone with their thoughts, whichis really where the magic
happens.
Audra (37:40):
Yeah, they use the pressure to be productive.
Jessica (37:43):
Right.
We can't possibly be productiveif we're alone.
Right, Like that's the.
Audra (37:48):
Couldn't possibly be Right.
And you're saying that thescience is working because
you're giving your brain arecharge.
Yes, by allowing movement andgiving your brain a rest from
(38:08):
the technology and from thestimulation of everything else
that's going on, and allowingyour brain to close some of the
tabs Totally or all of the tabs.
Jessica (38:21):
Yeah, I think you know I know this.
I practice this myself.
I see it a lot, but I recentlyhad a client interaction.
It's a quick story I'll sharewith you as to how powerful this
is.
So I work with executives andentrepreneurs, I do one-on-one
coaching, and that always startswith a VIP guided hike where we
(38:41):
just hike together, we talkabout their profession, their
business, what keeps them up atnight, what their ultimate
passion is.
And I started a new engagementwith a client.
I think it was back in May,audra and unfortunately, on our
VIP day where we had scheduledto do this hike, it was
torrential downpours in Idaho,like like not like a little
drizzle, like oh, let's still go.
(39:02):
It was like no, this would bemiserable.
So we spent six hours in myoffice doing his strategic plan
and we still weren't finished atthe end of the day.
And so I said you know, look,I'm going to make this up to you
next week.
Let's like do a redo, we'regoing to go for a guided hike on
a nice day and we'll just we'llwrap up this plan.
So he was game.
He's actually an avid hikerhimself.
(39:24):
So the following week we metAudra and we did an hour hike
together.
It wasn't anything strenuous,but we practiced my method.
We talked a lot.
When we got back into my officeafter the hike, not only did we
finish his strategic plan in, Iwould say, like 45 minutes to
an hour, we then moved on todeveloping his intellectual
property within like 15 minutes,of all his ideas in an
(39:47):
organized manner that he couldthen communicate to his audience
.
The only difference betweenthose two days was practicing
hike at the beginning of our day.
Audra (40:01):
Is this a normal thing?
So you're doing one-on-oneslike this, you're taking groups
out like this, so is this anormal response to what your
your results are getting whenyou're taking groups out to do
this?
Jessica (40:17):
it is so, um.
Another example is back in juneI spoke to a group it was a
group of thought leaders andauthors in dallas uh, it was
like a book camp event whereeveryone was writing either
their first or second book.
And I led two guided hikesduring that weekend and I
explained the Hike 31 challenge.
(40:37):
And so one of the guided hikesI did Audra was at the 6.30 in
the morning on a Sunday morning.
I was not anticipating a goodturnout, let's just be clear,
but a bunch of people showed upand that Sunday was the day of
the writer's workshop, wherethey actually put their ideas
down on paper.
And I told everyone if you comeand show up for this hike, you
(40:58):
will have so many more ideas andclarity around your concepts.
I kid you not.
Throughout that entire Sunday Iwas approached by multiple
authors saying you'll neverbelieve what I thought of on our
hike or you'll never believethis idea.
That came to me hoursafterwards.
And yeah, I have example afterexample of people who either
(41:18):
have been hiking with me ingroups, practice my hike 31
challenge on their own, or issomeone I work with one on one
where, if they are trulycommitted and do this process,
the ideas that come to them.
Audra (41:33):
It's just incredible Big picture.
So you do so.
I just want to make sure thatI'm hearing what you're saying.
Big picture is you do a hike 31challenge, which is what we're
proposing to all of you.
If you haven't already guessedthis, yeah, you do a hike 31
challenge, which is what we'reproposing to all of you.
If you haven't already guessedthis, yeah, you do a hike 31
challenge, which we're gettingto the meat of this.
I promise you, if you do a hike31 challenge, you're going to
(42:01):
get some clarity on On some bigideas, some Some questions to
life, maybe even that what do Ido?
Next question I'm not going toput words into your mouth, but
what are they going to find?
Jessica (42:17):
So, based on what I've experienced this past year or
throughout my life myselfpersonally or working with
clients or bigger groups here'swhat are people going to find
self-personally, or working withclients or bigger groups.
Here's what I'm.
What are people going to findIf you are bold enough, if you
are brave enough to embark onthis hike 31 challenge and if
you practice it the way thatwe've just discussed.
So, H hike or walk, I be inmore natural elements than
(42:40):
man-made structures.
K for keep your tech off yes,even your smart watch, you're
still going to do the stepsanyway.
And E, e practice it every dayfor at least 30 minutes for 31
days straight.
Quick disclaimer here if youfor if you miss a day, do not
get the defeated and give up.
Just get back on the trail thenext day.
Like, move on.
Reply uh, give yourself grace.
(43:02):
We're all humans, we're alljuggling, juggling a lot.
But to answer your question,audra, what will people find?
There's's three core componentsthat I think most people get
clarity on.
The first is like who am I Inthis world of constant
connection via social media orjust constantly being on the
screens?
I think a big problem we haveis we have all lost connection
(43:22):
to the most important person inour lives and that's ourself.
And I like to say you can'tauthentically connect to anyone
else until you authenticallyconnect with yourself.
So that's question one I thinkdoes get answered if you choose
to practice this type 31challenge.
Second is why am I here?
A lot of people get some clarityor epiphanies on, maybe, their
(43:44):
job or their career or theirtrue calling in life, on be it
their job or their career ortheir true calling in life.
And then the third is what do Ido about it?
How do I meet my calling tohelp others?
Those are the things I'm seeingon a wide scale if you choose
to practice this, and thenthere's just all sorts of other,
(44:05):
just, I think, yummy, wonderfulthings.
I'm hearing from people whochoose to practice, whether it's
a great idea for a book or achange in their family lifestyle
or just an epiphany aroundwhatever.
Just spending this time in thismethod alone with your thoughts
, I think it just unlocks a lotof potential.
I can't.
(44:26):
It'll be different for everyoneunlocks a lot of potential.
Audra (44:29):
I can't.
It'll be different for everyoneand this is not necessarily to
replace your, your workoutroutine.
I mean, this is a supplement toyour workout routine, that's.
This is not a workout routine.
Yes, yes, thank you.
This is your mental clarityroutine.
Yes, I wanted to make sure thatI get this that very clear to
(44:51):
you.
This is not to replace this.
This is in addition to so.
In the middle of the day, youneed a break.
This is your break.
In the evening.
This is your at the end of theday.
Wind down, whatever it is.
This is an addition to this isyour treat to yourself.
Jessica (45:11):
Yes you, you totally nailed it, audra.
I think a lot of people getconfused and think that this is
time to also like, be strenuousand exercise.
I share with people.
Actually, it's the opposite.
I want to recreate thatShinrin-yoku exercise where your
cortisol levels are coming down, your heart rate and your blood
pressure is coming down.
Your brain is switching on indifferent ways.
(45:33):
This isn't time to run or scaleup a mountain, it's literally
you're just in movement.
So thank you for clarifyingthat.
I do think that's a confusingthing for a lot of people and I
say treat it as a sacred datewith yourself.
Treat yourself as important asyou would anyone else.
One quick note I will say a lotof people ask me this question
(45:53):
Can I go hiking with otherpeople?
The short answer is no.
We all live in specialcircumstances.
There are days when I can'thike alone and my kiddos come
along.
It's not the same.
Do your best to be alone.
Dogs are welcome.
Other humans are not.
They will be busy talking toyou and then you can't be alone
with your thoughts becausethat's kind of the point is
(46:15):
still you can, you can be quietwith yourself.
Audra (46:18):
Yes, I know terrifying.
I already that I have a verynoisy brain and I am doing this.
I committed to Jessica that Iam doing this.
So now we're going to get tothe meat of this.
We are challenging all of youto do a Hike 31 challenge.
(46:38):
We're picking October, october1st, because it conveniently has
31 days in the month.
It also is going to be thebeginning of really nice weather
.
It won't be 150 degrees inArizona.
It'll be really beautifulweather in Idaho and for most of
the country.
It won't be freezing yet.
(46:59):
It's going to be, we believewill be beautiful weather for
pretty much everywhere in thecountry and, if you're listening
to this abroad, probablyeverywhere in the world.
So we are challenging everybodyto do Hike 31 Challenge in
October, starting October 1st.
Hike every single day, everyday.
(47:21):
We are going to come alongsideyou.
We have aides, we have aidesfor you.
We have, we have aids, we haveaids for you.
Yes, jessica, let everybodyknow what they need to do to get
their instructions on how to dotheir hike.
Jessica (47:41):
Super simple.
So if you're listening to thispodcast and you want to join the
hike 31 challenge in october asa way to reconnect with
yourself, all you need to do istext the word hike h-i-k-e to
number three, three, seven,seven, seven, and that will get
(48:02):
you the instructions the onepage run how to practice the
hike 31 challenge, as well as acalendar that you can use to
check off all the days thatyou've successfully hiked and
make sure that you have 33777,the word hike.
Audra (48:20):
I will also put that in the show notes just in case you
guys didn't catch that.
Additionally, we are going todo lives every Friday just to
keep you guys up to date as towhat in the world we're doing.
So Jessica and I are going tobe on, along with a few of our
crew that we have roped intodoing this with us, to just give
(48:46):
you updates as to what thestatus is, how we're doing.
Is it simple, is it hard, whatwe're experiencing?
I'm sure the first week or twoI'm going to whine a little bit
because I don't have anything todistract me from my loud brain,
but I probably will get betterafter a while.
Our lives are going to be at8.30 Friday on Pacific time.
(49:10):
At the very least it's going tobe on LinkedIn.
I'm going to try and put it onall other platforms if they will
let me, but for the moment Idefinitely have it on LinkedIn.
I will update you with otherplatforms as I add them.
Like I said, it'll be a quick 30minutes.
Jump in, check out our status.
Like I said, we have severalother women that we're roping
(49:32):
into this, making them do itbecause we want to see what else
we can do.
What can we do to support eachother as a community, as
additional women, and see whatchanges we can make.
Also, as I just said that thisis not just exclusive for women,
(49:52):
we want everybody to join us,everybody.
So your husbands, yourboyfriends, your sons, whatever,
please join us.
Everybody gets mental clarity.
So please come and hang outwith us and let us know what you
think.
Jessica (50:10):
I should mention too, when you practice this.
Obviously, the idea is that youare staying off technology, so
I want to be really clear aboutthat for at least 30 minutes.
However, with that being said,if it makes you feel better or
helps you with youraccountability, if you want to
post a selfie or a mini videoclip of you post hike post
(50:30):
spending this 30 minutesunplugged, please use hashtag
hike 31 or hashtag hike 31challenge.
Feel free to tag myself orAudra in it, because we're going
to be hiking alongside of youand you are not alone.
You will be on the hike, butwe're with you.
I think Audra said like, inspirit, we're with you and, yeah
(51:03):
, please join us in these livesthat we're going to do weekly,
which will be super I days.
There is a significant researchto show that if you practice
something between 18 and 30 days, it will develop into a habit,
and so we're just giving you anextra day just because but that
is the core of Hike 31 Challengeis to practice long enough to
make this a habit that you willstart incorporating this into
(51:26):
your lifestyle long term.
So that is why it is 31 dayslong.
Audra (51:32):
Did we forget anything else?
So we've told them where to gettheir information.
Yes, we're going to have livesevery Friday for the month of
October.
Yes, and I know this is goingto be a hard one for me it's no
technology, I know.
I know I know no technology,but if I can do it, everybody
else can do it as well.
(51:53):
I am very much looking forwardto this because when I met
Jessica, I said if anybody needsthis, this is me.
I need this, I need to begrounded, I need mental clarity,
I need the whole, I need thewhole thing.
So I'm very much lookingforward to this.
I also, in the middle of thishike, I already have a planned
(52:15):
business trip.
In the middle of it, I'm noteven going to be at home.
So, jessica and I havesomething planned to show you
that this is possible to be donewhile you're traveling in an
unknown city, and how you canstill make this work when you're
not in your own environment.
So no excuses, even if you'renot at home.
Jessica (52:38):
So true, I love it.
I travel a lot for business andeven on days when I'm not
hiking with clients, I'm alwaysfinding a spot to hike, no
matter where I am Jessica,anything else?
Audra (52:48):
Have we left out anything else that they need to
know?
Jessica (52:50):
I don't think so.
I'm just honored to be herewith your audience.
I'm so excited about I thinkwe're creating a movement, a
mass movement.
I would love if we could justreally reach as many people as
possible, encourage more peopleto get out in nature, be in
movement, movement andexperience the mindfulness of
unplugging and being alone withtheir own thoughts.
(53:12):
I think the movement will speakfor itself and I'm just so
excited to see where it leads.
Audra (53:18):
I am as well, and before I let you go, though, if people
want to know more informationabout you specifically and your
company, where would they reach?
Jessica (53:26):
you Absolutely.
Thank you for asking.
So if you want to reach medirectly, you can check out my
website at wwwhiketobecomecom.
You can also find me and followme on LinkedIn and feel free to
reach out to me there.
There is nothing more specialto me in this world than
receiving messages from peoplethat are practicing Hike 31
(53:49):
Challenge.
So, please, no audience.
You are never bugging me.
If you want to share a selfie,a picture, even if it's just
with me that you are practicingthis, it would bring a huge
smile to my face.
Audra (54:00):
Please do this guys.
Hike 31 with us.
What's the worst that canhappen?
That you get some mentalclarity, get some joy, get a
little break from your computers.
Come hang out with us for 31days.
I promise you you will get morebenefits than you will miss
your phone, I promise you.
(54:21):
Jessica, thank you so much forhanging out with me this hour
and thank you for partneringwith me to do this 31 challenge.
I'm really looking forward toit.
I'm looking forward to seeingwhat we come up with, what comes
of this, and I can't wait tohear the stories of what people
find when they do this challenge.
So thanks for hanging out withme.
Jessica (54:41):
You're so welcome.
It's my honor and I couldn'timagine a better hiking buddy
for the month of October, sothanks for being on the journey
with me.
Imagine a better hiking buddyfor the month of October?
Audra (54:49):
So thanks for being on the journey with me.
It is my pleasure, I am soexcited and, thanks to all of
you, I can't wait to see youguys all on the trail.
Thanks so much for listeningand we'll see you again next
time.
Welcome in everyone and thank you once again for joining
me again this week.
This week, my guest is going tochallenge you.
That's right, we're going tochallenge you.
She and I have got something instore for you.
My guest this week is JessicaD'Angelo, and she is a
trailblazer in nature-inspiredbusiness consulting, offering
(00:23):
transformative experiences forimpact-driven leaders and their
teams.
As a keynote speaker, businessstrategist and motivational
hiker, jessica blends herstrategic business expertise
with outdoor adventure.
Are you guys intrigued?
Yet?
With a background in globalsales and strategy, she's worked
with Fortune 100 companies,including Amazon, nike and Uber,
(00:47):
managing diverse multiculturalteams worldwide.
Jessica discovered that hikingcould prevent burnout and ignite
creativity, not just forherself, but also for her
clients.
I know you guys are thinking,hmm, what has Jessica got in
store for us?
(01:07):
Just hold on tight.
Today, jessica is the chiefhiking officer and strategic
visionary behind the brand Hiketo Become and the creator of the
Hike 31 Challenge.
Known as an innovativedisruptor at heart, she
revolutionizes speaking andworkshops by taking people
outside, helping the audienceconnect with themselves, their
(01:30):
teams and their greatestpotential.
Her approach is nature-inspired, backed by science and
human-approved for a trulyprofound experience.
Just wait until you hear whatJessica has in store for us.
It is my pleasure and my honorto introduce to you Jessica.
Jessica, thank you so much forbeing here and welcome to the
(01:53):
show.
Jessica (01:55):
Audra, thanks for having me.
I am absolutely thrilled to bejoining you today.
Audra (02:00):
I am very excited for you to be here, especially when
we tell everybody what you'vegot planned for them, what I
should say what we've gotplanned for them.
But we will hold that for amoment, because you know we've
we got.
We got our secrets, we got oursecrets.
So first let's tell everybody alittle bit about you.
Jessica (02:20):
Sounds good, thank you .
So I think you know my storyreally starts when I was working
in corporate America.
I was a global myself reachingthis point of I guess you would
call it burnout, or I like tosay you know autopilot mode or
(02:56):
being in survival mode, which alot of us find ourselves in in
the busyness of life.
And so one day, as I was just onback-to-back Zoom meetings, I
remember I looked out my windowI was living in Portland, oregon
at the time and I saw ForestPark, which is this beautiful
it's the largest urban park inall of the United States and I
(03:19):
kind of looked out at that parkin the treetops and thought it
was like I saw an old friend,audra, that I hadn't seen for a
really long time, and I had thislonging and I realized I hadn't
been out in the park in a longtime.
Work was taking all of my time,and so that day I actually
canceled some internal meetingsand I just went for a walk in
the woods, left my cell phone inthe car, and that is one of
(03:44):
many experiences I've hadthroughout my life where I just
really lost perspective, and thething that helped me find my
way back to myself was hikingregularly, and not just hiking
but practicing it in the waythat I will teach you and your
audience a little bit later inthis podcast.
But it was truly transformativeand continues to be throughout
(04:08):
my life.
Audra (04:09):
Well, I think that everybody can relate to the
position that you were in theback-to-back Zoom meetings,
especially in this era ofpost-COVID, where some of us
have not returned to completelybeing in the office and a lot of
us don't want to workcompletely in the office because
we have found a way to it moresuits our lifestyle to be able
(04:33):
to work from home.
But because of that, we are innow in this more virtual world,
which means now that we ourschedules, are now back to back
in virtual calls and it's thisbusyness that we have all these
calls and then, if you're likeme, you're like okay, I have all
these calls, when do I get mywork done?
(04:53):
And it's exhausting andoverwhelming, and you're trapped
in your house, in your homeoffice.
So, instead of being trapped ina building where you actually
get to leave once a day, nowyou're trapped in your home
office where you may never getto leave, and so you've lost
(05:13):
that grounding and you've lostthat perspective, and I know
that lots of people can relateto that feeling of I haven't
left my house in four days, andI think that everybody can
picture themselves lookingoutside, seeing the green trees
and going when's the last timeI've been outside.
(05:36):
I wonder what the air feels likeon my face.
I wonder what it'd be like tojust go take a walk, right.
I wonder what it'd be like tojust go take a walk, right.
And you did a brave thing andcanceled all your meetings and
thought I just need to get outof here, go get some fresh air
(05:56):
and go take a walk, because Ijust need to clear my head.
You were probably reaching avery, very close point of
burnout and thought I'm not goodto any of these meetings anyway
.
If I'm that close to burnout, Ijust need to breathe and off
you went.
Jessica (06:11):
Absolutely.
I think what's interesting tooabout that story, audra, is it
still took me, I would say,another two to three years from
that turning point to where Imade the decision of where I am
today.
And you know, I realized hikingdaily brought me back to myself
and I made some big lifedecisions after that practice.
(06:33):
But fast forward to December ofthis past year.
I had another moment, you know.
I started, I left corporateAmerica, I guess two years ago
now, and I started my ownconsulting practice and I had a
similar moment of burnout.
So I just want to be reallyclear it doesn't matter whether
you're working for corporateAmerica or yourself or you're
(06:56):
working part-time.
I think all of us in today'sbusyness are susceptible to this
big challenge of just feelingcompletely disconnected from
ourselves, which is the problemI'm trying to help people solve.
But just sort of fast forwardto where this pivotal moment
happened for me is that DecemberI reached a similar moment of
(07:17):
burnout in my own business,audra.
Being an entrepreneur is veryhard.
It's difficult to build abusiness and a brand from
scratch.
And I woke up early one morning, December 23rd it was like 5 am
and I decided to take myselffor a hike.
My family was all asleep and soI drove out to the Boise
foothills.
There was fresh snow on theground, it was probably less
(07:38):
than 20 degrees.
I could see my breath in theair, and I remember I hiked up
to the top of a foothill thatmorning and I sat my butt down
in snow which was not a smartidea, by the way.
But I just watched the sun comeup and I remember in that moment
thinking like what am I doingwrong?
Why is this not working?
(07:58):
Owning my own business is notworking.
Like I felt like why am Ihaving burnout?
When I thought it was the faultof being corporate America.
Well, it's not.
It's applicable to all of us,no matter what we do.
And that's when I realized I wasasking myself the wrong
question.
And that's when I said well,let me think about when was I
(08:22):
the happiest, the healthiest andthe most fulfilled in my life?
And it was like the universalirony came out and just sort of
hit me and I realized it'salways been when I was hiking
regularly.
No matter what job I had or howbusy my life was or my
responsibilities, I've alwaysbeen the happiest, healthiest
and the most fulfilled.
So I'm someone that's hypercompetitive with myself and I
like to see a problem or achallenge and I go for it head
(08:44):
on.
And so I said, all right, well,if hiking's the solution,
january has 31 days.
I'm going to challenge myselfto hike for 31 days straight in
the month of January and I don'tknow what's going to happen.
But at the end of this monthI'm hoping I'll get some clarity
as to what to do with my life.
Audra (09:03):
And what happened?
I mean, you challenged yourselffor 31 days to hike every
single day.
Yes, in.
Jessica (09:10):
Idaho.
By the way, in Idaho, which islots of snow, really cold, I
like forgot, audra, that I livedin Idaho.
Now, when I made this challengefor myself, I thought I still
lived in Pennsylvania or maybeOregon, where it's much more
moderate.
I thought I still lived inPennsylvania, or maybe Oregon,
where it's much more moderate.
What happened so, in brutalhonesty, there were days I did
not want to hike.
(09:31):
There were days where it wasreally hard for me to get out
the door.
There were days when I had tohike before the sun came up
because I didn't have time in myday to do it otherwise.
There were days when I had tohike with my one-year-old son
strapped to my back at 7 pmbefore bedtime, because I didn't
get my hike in that day.
(09:51):
What happened, though, isbecause I made this commitment
to myself and I continued toshow up in the way I knew how to
practice it.
I found extreme clarity into myproblem, and my problem was
that I was unhappy in theentrepreneurship world and I
felt thrown out and deflated,but the reason for that was
(10:14):
because I wasn't showing upauthentically in my work, and I
realized, through spending timealone in nature, in movement,
and being unplugged fromtechnology, that all I needed to
do was show up authentically.
And it just so happens that theuniversal irony is that
includes hiking with my clients.
That includes taking my love ofthe outdoors and adventure and
(10:38):
being in nature into myconsulting business.
Audra (10:49):
And it's completely changed my business and my
personal life.
Jessica (10:50):
So just by taking yourself outside you literally,
for just taking myself for awalk for 31 days straight.
Audra (10:54):
Yes, okay, so, so you?
So you took yourself for a walkone day.
Basically, that's all you didis that every single day, you
took a walk outside.
Now, granted, you took yourselffor a hike because you're in
idaho, so you have some amazingviews, amazing, amazing
(11:14):
mountains and whatnot, but youtook yourself for a walk, yeah,
every single day.
A basic human ability for mosteveryone, most everyone.
I mean.
Some people have differentabilities, you know that are
available to them, but for themost part, you took yourself for
a walk and suddenly you hadtotal clarity of what to do with
(11:38):
your life.
Jessica (11:40):
I know it sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?
Audra (11:43):
It sounds insane.
Jessica (11:46):
I mean.
Thank you for your honesty.
It does.
It sounds totally nutty.
Here is the what would you callit Like this disclaimer on my
walking Couple of things.
First is about a week and a halfinto this practice, audra, I
started sleeping better.
I started feeling less stressand anxiety.
(12:07):
I started to have much morefocus in my work.
I was way more productive onthe time I was spending in my
home office or with clients, andso I'm a researcher at heart.
I actually really love data,and so I started digging into
this.
Like wait a minute, why is thisworking so well?
And so, while you and I can sithere and joke, I just took
(12:30):
myself for a walk.
There's actually a very specificway I practiced this hike
methodology that I now call it,and I was really strict with
myself on how to do it and,based on my scientific research
on why it works.
That is the game changer indoing this process.
So I do.
I have friends, I havecolleagues and people in my
(12:52):
network that say I do this allthe time.
I go for walks and listen topodcasts, or I do X, y and Z and
I'm like that's not.
That is not actually the methodthat I did or what I now teach
other people to do, so we candig into it on why it works, but
I know it sounds super silly.
The other component to thisthat I think is really
interesting is it doesn't take alot of time.
(13:13):
At least 30 minutes a day isthe goal.
You don't have to be hiking upa mountain for three hours to
get benefits is what I foundthree hours to get benefits is
what I found.
Audra (13:23):
Well, first let's talk about your methodology yes, and
then we'll talk about why itworks, because you said there
are very specifics on yourmethods yes, and then let's talk
about why it works, okay.
Jessica (13:41):
So I I like things that are easy to remember for
people, so I affectionately callit hike, and if you think of
the acronym for hike, I'll getinto each part.
But H stands for hike or walk.
A lot of people joke with methat, like I said, hiking
(14:02):
scaling a mountain.
And actually no, it's not.
If you look up the definitionof hike in the dictionary, it
literally means a long walk inthe wilderness.
It doesn't talk about howstrenuous it is or the terrain
you're on.
It's literally walking innature.
So H stands for hike or walk,and the goal there is that
you're in movement and ideallywhat we like to call movement
(14:27):
where you're moving both yourleft and the right sides of your
body.
So walking does this, hikingdoes this.
I know that you're an avidbiker, audra.
Biking does this, and what thatactually creates is a
phenomenon called bilateralstimulation, and that is
stimulating both the right andthe left hemisphere of your
brain.
That has incredible cognitivebenefits, so much so that Dr
(14:52):
Francine Shapiro, who wasactually the founder of EMDR
therapy, discovered this whileshe was taking a walk in the
park.
She realized she was processingnegative emotions at a much
faster rate, and so she usedthat as the basis for EMDR.
So H stands for height or walk,and that is creating that
bilateral stimulation.
(15:12):
Doesn't matter how strenuous itis or how fast you go, you just
need to be in movement in thismethod.
So that's the first component.
Audra (15:19):
So just bilateral meaning legs and arms walking,
moving forward at the same time,correct.
Jessica (15:32):
Nothing more complicated than that.
You're doing it while you gofor a bike ride, cross-country
skiing, for example.
So really, anything that you'redoing moving the right and left
side of your body I pick, hikeor walk.
Obviously, I'm very partial tohiking.
However, it's got to beaccessible to everyone, but I
(15:52):
want to explain the sciencebehind it so people can choose
how they practice.
So fairly easy, easy, yes,which leads us to I, and I
stands for being in nature.
This is a top question that Iget asked of a lot of the
audiences that I speak to iswell, I live in a city, so can I
(16:15):
just go for a walk?
I really dug into the researchon this one specifically around.
It's called Shinrin-yoku andthat is the japanese art of
forest bathing.
Uh, this was developed back inthe 1980s, um, and the idea is
that you immerse yourself in anatural environment like a
(16:36):
forest, and experience it withall five of your senses.
But there's a reallyfascinating study that they did
behind shinrin yokuoku and howeffective it is, where they took
two groups of individuals Onewas they called it the city
group and one was the forestgroup.
And the city group and theforest group first they just
took a baseline biometricreading which included cortisol
(16:58):
levels, which is your you knowhorrible stress hormone, and
then heart rate and bloodpressure, and they set that
baseline at a relaxed state.
And then they separated the twogroups and each showed them
each a picture.
One just looked at a picture ofa city for 20 minutes.
The other looked at a pictureof the forest for 20 minutes.
Can you guess what happened tothe biometric readings of the
(17:21):
forest individuals versus thecity?
Just a picture to the biometricreadings of the forest
individuals versus the city.
Audra (17:26):
Just a picture, Just a picture.
I would assume that when theysee a city because there's
always more activity of a citythat that probably raised their
stress levels a little bit,because they can imagine the
sounds and the activity andbasically the general chaos that
(17:47):
goes on in a city.
Jessica (17:49):
Fair.
So the city group, I believe,state just about the same as
their baseline biometric ratingnot much changed.
But the forest group what wasreally interesting, audra and if
you notice I have plants behindme in my home office.
I have beautiful pictures ofnature the forest group that
just looked at a picture.
Their cortisol levels droppedby almost 16%.
(18:12):
That may not sound like a lot,but it's pretty substantial just
from looking at a picture.
But then any guesses whathappened when they actually took
both groups out into thoseenvironments?
City group went for a walk inthe city for an hour.
The forest group went for awalk in the forest for an hour.
Audra (18:28):
What happened.
I can't imagine what theresults are.
I bet you that they wereextraordinary.
Jessica (18:36):
So the forest group cortisol levels dropped about
another 15%, so a total of 30%cortisol drop in the heart rate
and blood pressure in the forestgroup dropped as well, where
the city group again stayedpretty stagnant or slightly
elevated based off of theirbaseline metrics.
So why the I standing for beingin nature so important is that,
(18:59):
even if you live in a city Iencourage people try to find an
area where you're seeing moregreen trees, grass, could even
be blue sky.
You know, if you live close toan ocean, look at ocean waves.
It can be any natural element.
Your goal here is to get abigger percentage of natural
elements that you're looking atthroughout this walk or hike
(19:20):
than buildings or coffee,because you're going to do that
work where your stress andanxiety will come down.
You're basically going toexperience all those benefits I
just talked about, and so that'swhy surrounding yourself in a
natural environment is reallyimportant.
Even if you live in a city,just try to find a place where
even a tree-lined park or atree-lined street will work.
Audra (19:43):
You want to lower your cortisol levels because, let's
face it, this is the hormonethat holds on to all of those
nasty fat cells.
Jessica (19:53):
Yes, or makes you want to stress, eat a pizza at the
end of the night, or something.
Audra (19:59):
Exactly, or, you know, drink two or three glasses of
wine, or whatever the case maybe.
Yeah, so yeah, go find a park,find a nice quiet park to go and
see some trees, even if youlive in a city.
Jessica (20:20):
Yes, and see some, some trees, even if you live in
a city.
Yes, and so the the third umletter in hike, which is k for
keep it off, meaning keep techoff.
This is where I lose a majorityof people.
I hear all the whining, I hearall the like what do you mean?
I can't wear my smart watch andsee how many steps I've done,
or I can't live without my cellphone, or I can do this, I just
need to listen to a podcast.
It is so, so criticallyimportant that if you're
(20:42):
practicing this method, the wayI've designed it is that you're
just keeping tech off entirely.
Your cell phone and yoursmartwatch is off, not on you in
airplane mode, in your backpack, left at home in the office,
(21:03):
because scientific studies showthat just by getting one ping,
one notification, it's going todistract all of these amazing
cognitive benefits that you'rereceiving, which we'll get to in
a minute, and so it's almostlike, if you take tech with you,
you are doing the completeopposite of all the beautiful
things that being in movementand being in nature is providing
(21:23):
for you.
So K stands for keep tech off.
Audra (21:28):
This is when Jessica told me about this.
This is when I gave her thestink face and went.
Jessica (21:33):
She had me at the first face and went and she.
Audra (21:35):
she had me at the first two and I was like.
I was like Jessica, do you knowme?
This, this, this one, thisone's going to be hard.
This one's going to be really,really hard, but I'm going to
give it my best shot.
So this is going to be astruggle, because that means I'm
(21:58):
alone with my thoughts.
Do you know how loud mythoughts are?
Like they're, they're really,really really loud, and they're
not always that fun.
I mean, they're, they're,they're really obnoxious, I mean
(22:18):
super obnoxious.
Jessica (22:21):
Yeah, you know well.
First and foremost, thank youfor your honesty and your
candidness, because a lot ofpeople I don't even think are
comfortable enough admittingthat piece out loud.
But that's the reality, Audra,is that we are never alone with
our own thoughts, Like if wereally think about our day and
the day of an average, let'sjust say, American.
We wake up first thing in themorning.
(22:41):
What's the first thing you dofirst thing in the morning?
Check my phone, check your phoneand listen.
We all do it, everybody does it.
Even, like all the studies say,don't be on your phone for the
first hour of waking up and lookat natural light and all the
things.
We are all stuck in this sortof technical environment.
(23:01):
So the beauty of this hikechallenge is it is.
I think one of the biggestchallenges is staying off tech
for 30 minutes and being alonewith your thoughts.
I've had some clients and somefriends who have practiced this
and they will all openly admitto me I get lots of text
messages and voice memos, whichI love that the hardest part for
(23:23):
them is either the first weekor the first 10 to 15 minutes of
just walking or hiking alonewith their thoughts.
It is uncomfortable, it isweird.
Thoughts.
It is uncomfortable, it isweird.
Here's what I love about it,though I am a terrible meditator
Like I am so bad at meditating.
Like I just can't.
I don't know.
(23:43):
My monkey mind goes crazy.
Meditation has never worked forme really well.
However, this method worksbecause, instead of trying to
control my thoughts or think Ioh, I'm having I think they call
it monkey mind and meditation Ineed to bring it back to the
breath.
In this method, you let all thethoughts just flow, just wash
over you like ocean waves andjust be with your thoughts.
(24:06):
And if you start to getcomfortable with that, you'll
notice after, I'd say, likeeveryone's a little different,
but some people experience itright away, some people take,
you know, a week or two.
You'll start to experiencethese incredible ideas that you
otherwise wouldn't have, becauseyou got over this uncomfortable
hump of being alone with yourthoughts.
Audra (24:28):
Hmm, ok, we'll see.
Jessica (24:33):
You have to try it to just like give it a try.
Audra (24:35):
I'm absolutely gonna try it, but and I have tried many,
many times to meditate and, likeI said, my thoughts are
obnoxious, yeah, and I start outlike great, and then they want
my thoughts wander and then Istart making grocery lists and
and then it, then it's just alldownhill from there.
(24:56):
So I'm like breathing andmeditation is just clearly not
for me.
Jessica (25:03):
Yes, and I agree with you.
I found the same thing formyself.
I love it If people get valueout of it.
I think it's incredible.
But for me this method works somuch better.
It's much more powerful andimpactful.
And it's just me being alone,you know, with my thoughts.
Quick story about this thatmight solidify, I think, like
the idea of what really happenson the hiking trail.
(25:25):
I'll get really vulnerable withyou and your audience for a
minute.
Hiking trail foothill in Boiseit's, you know, december and I'm
making this like challengedmyself.
I'm going to hike for 31 daysstraight.
I get up my butt's all wet fromsitting in the snow and like
thinking, you know,contemplating life, and I start
(25:46):
hiking down the side of thefoothill, audra, and like I slip
and I fall in the snow and themud, like not once, but twice.
It was like thank God no onewas around because it was
mortifying and in that moment Ihad.
I went from like this is agreat idea.
I'm so excited to do this.
Maybe I can inspire otherpeople to do this To very
(26:09):
quickly.
I'm like sitting in mud andsnow and I saw those like imp
imposter syndrome.
I'm not good enough.
Thoughts start creeping in,right.
Like you said, your thoughtsare obnoxious.
You should have heard mythoughts that day.
It was like you're so out ofshape, who are you to be
encouraging other people to hike?
Who are you to even hike for 31days?
Maybe you should just try likepainting again, like it was like
(26:32):
all these, like really meanthings I was saying to myself.
But here's the difference I wasalone, my cell phone was off, I
was hiking, so I was inmovement, I was in nature
beautiful snow, landscape, and Ijust kept moving and I just let
those thoughts sort of washover me.
And what I look back and whathappened, that was so different,
(26:56):
I think, than had I been in myoffice or with my cell phone or
distracted is.
I actually came to my own rescuein that moment and I said wait
a minute.
All the reasons I just said Ishouldn't do it are all the
reasons I actually should do it,because most people are just
like me.
Most people can't run off intothe wilderness for three months
(27:19):
and backpack to solve theirlife's problems.
We have businesses we run, wehave teams that depend on us, we
have families and children andsignificant others that would
miss us, and most people aren'tat the peak of their physical
fitness right now, and mostpeople are dealing with the same
level of burnout and exhaustionthat I am.
(27:40):
So what if, instead of waitingto become who we want to be, to
do the things that we want to do, what if we just started
showing up every day like wealready are that person?
Started showing up every day,like we already are that person?
And that is kind of the magicand the story behind my brand of
Hike to Become is the idea thatwe don't have to wait to be
(28:04):
this person that we think thatwe're ultimately trying to be.
We just need to show up to bethat person every day.
And so it's the idea that youcan hike to become, ultimately,
whoever you want to be, and soit's the idea that you can hike
to become ultimately, whoeveryou want to be, which is amazing
.
Audra (28:18):
Which basically means come as you are, come as you,
come as you are and we'll getthere yes, yeah, you and I
talked a little bit before weput the record button on about
um.
Jessica (28:30):
I think we both used to work out at the gym quite
frequently and you know you canspeak to your experience.
There's a lot of pressure atthe gym and it's everyone's
taking these selfies andInstagram reels and it's like
less about working out and moreabout, I don't know, just being
seen.
And what I love about thehiking trail Audra is like it
(28:52):
will hold you at whatever weightyou're at.
It's got no agenda.
It will wait for you.
You just need to show up, and Ilove the feeling of the trail
under my feet and fresh air inmy lungs, and it's really
accessible to everyone.
Audra (29:09):
And that's exactly been my experience.
I used to love going to the gymbecause it was a place where it
cleared my head and gave mesome peace and it was a place of
solace for me.
But over the last couple ofyears it became a place of
(29:30):
stress and depression.
I found myself going less andless and really finding dread,
and I couldn't put my finger onit.
I just couldn't figure out why,until it finally dawned on me
it's because it's no longerbecome fitness, it's become more
(29:50):
about more about the.
I need to get the perfectpicture Right.
So so I stopped going andstarted getting myself outside,
and that has changed quite a lot, at least for me.
Um, mentally has changed,changed, changed my entire
(30:13):
perspective of getting myselfoutside.
And before we came on I saidI'd never considered getting
exercise outside because I livein Arizona, it is hot, it is 152
degrees in July.
I'd never considered it before.
But it can be done.
You just have to get up at 4.30in the morning to do it.
Jessica (30:35):
So I'm curious the days that you do get up at 4.30
in the morning and go for yourbike rides, how do you feel
yourself differently throughoutthe day versus days that you
aren't able to get out and gofor your bike ride?
Audra (30:52):
I have an extraordinary amount of energy.
I don't feel drained at all.
You would think I would.
I don't, and I have a whole lotof mental clarity.
Yes, and you'd also think thatI would be exhausted by the end
(31:14):
of the day, but I don't.
I'm not.
It's a weird thing.
It's very strange that youwould.
I would.
I really expected all of thesethings.
I thought, oh my gosh, I'mgoing to be in bed by eight
o'clock.
I'm going to be craving allthese bad foods for me.
I'm going to be hungry all daylong.
No, none of that.
(31:35):
Yeah, and my mood has improveddrastically.
And all of all of my obnoxiousthoughts?
I can put them at bay, or atleast the obnoxious thoughts
that come into my head don'tstay as long.
Jessica (31:49):
Sure.
Well, maybe you're giving themsome room to breathe so they
quiet down a bit.
I don't know.
Well, maybe you're giving themsome room to breathe so they
quiet down a bit.
I don't know.
I don't know, who knows, whoknows, but I, you know.
It's interesting.
You mentioned that.
I agree, like on days that I getout for a really long hike
really early in the morning, Ianticipate all the same things
you just rattled off Like I'mgoing to be super hungry, I'm
(32:11):
going to be tired, and it'sactually the opposite.
Earlier this week I did apretty wonderful hike in the
Sawtooth Mountains in Stanley,idaho, and got up at like 5 am
to hit the trailhead by 7 am andI was the only person out there
, audra.
I didn't see another soul onthe trail the whole way into the
(32:33):
destination and I thought so.
It was about eight miles roundtrip, and so by the time I got
off the trail at like 1030 inthe morning, yeah, I was tired,
I was definitely tired, but Ifelt like so energized
internally and just like mybrain was on fire and I just
(32:53):
felt so good Like, and I justfelt so good like, and I just
spent a couple hours in thewoods by myself, in movement, in
nature, unplugged from tech,and uh, yeah, it's incredible
yeah, it's, it's amazing, I meanthere.
Audra (33:09):
There are moments during that movement, like for me
around mile 11.
I start questioning my life'schoices, as to what in the world
I'm doing on the bike.
Yes, yes I understand, yeah,but when I'm done I'm like oh
yes, this was totally worth it.
Jessica (33:26):
Yeah, I agree, there was some some pretty much all
the elevation on that hike waslike towards the end and I
questioned my life choices.
In that moment.
I was like I was like being amotivational hiker to myself,
giving myself a pep talk aboutlike you've made it this far,
just like half a mile left to goto see this alpine lake.
You can do it.
But yeah, I understand.
(33:47):
But if you can power throughthat moment, just the the
feeling afterwards of theaccomplishment and just like
look at what I was able to do,yeah, it is worth it, but you do
have to power through that thatlength of it.
Audra (34:00):
You're just like yeah, I am out here at 630 in the
morning and trying to get upthis hill.
When, what am I doing?
Jessica (34:12):
And I guess we got a bit off topic maybe, but the
last letter in hike is E forevery day, and just talking
about the numbers and themetrics.
So when I arbitrarily set thisgoal for hike for myself in
January, audra, I just said likeI'm going to do 30 minutes a
day, like I had no rhyme orreason to that number.
I just declared like at least30 minutes, I'll practice this
(34:34):
because I'm an entrepreneur, I'mbuilding my business, my brand,
I'm two toddlers at home, I'm awife, you know, I'm an active
member of my community.
Like I don't have two hoursevery day to go do something, I
have 30 minutes and so.
But once I started researchingsome of the science behind it.
So 10 minutes or more in naturewill reduce stress and anxiety.
(34:56):
The studies also show that 20minutes or more is going to
increase your emotionalwell-being.
It's going to get thoseendorphins flowing.
But what I'm really mostinterested in and I think a lot
of your listeners might be isthe 30-minute mark is where your
brain switches on to adifferent mode of cognitive
function.
(35:16):
So if you can stay unplugged inmovement and in nature for at
least 30 minutes, you are goingto see a drastically different
way that your brain startsbehaving, and that includes
remembering information moreclearly, making sounder
decisions, being more focusedand productive.
Like a lot of times, I'll sit atmy desk Audra, I don't know if
(35:38):
you do this, but sometimes Ihave like 80 things I'm doing at
once and like none of them well, and I realize I'm I call it
the death spiral at my deskwhere, like nothing's getting
done.
If I take myself out for aquick 30 minute walk and I come
back, it's like a wholedifferent person entered the
office and I go wow, these 45things or 80 things, I only
really need to do two of themand I'm just going to do those
(36:00):
two and do them really well andthen I'm done.
It's just a different way.
Audra (36:06):
Yeah, I'd say there.
I actually said this earlierthis week.
Is that actually?
It was last week before Istarted really putting myself on
a regiment?
Was I misread an email and Iwent round and round and round
until I finally got clarity is?
This was actually what I askedand my response was I'm so sorry
(36:28):
.
I have too many tabs on mydesktop and my brain open all at
the same time.
I apologize for the round robinon this.
I will get right on it.
So, yes, there are times whereI have way too many things open
and I should absolutely not betrying to solve them all at the
same time.
Should not.
(36:48):
Should not be trying to do that.
That would probably be theoptimum time for me to walk away
and go take a break.
Jessica (36:58):
Yes, and like you're not alone, I think that's all of
us right, Like we are thedefinition of insanity,
ourselves literally trying toaccomplish all these things,
doing them, none of them well,like, okay, well, we're going to
go for a walk.
Here's I think the biggestchallenge people make, or what I
see is, or I would say, mistakein that exercise is people then
(37:19):
get up from their desk and gofor a walk, even in nature,
Audra, and then they call acoworker where they call their
Aunt Mildred, who they haven'ttalked to in two years.
They feel this pressure to usethat time versus just being
alone with their thoughts, whichis really where the magic
happens.
Audra (37:40):
Yeah, they use the pressure to be productive.
Jessica (37:43):
Right.
We can't possibly be productiveif we're alone.
Right, Like that's the.
Audra (37:48):
Couldn't possibly be Right.
And you're saying that thescience is working because
you're giving your brain arecharge.
Yes, by allowing movement andgiving your brain a rest from
(38:08):
the technology and from thestimulation of everything else
that's going on, and allowingyour brain to close some of the
tabs Totally or all of the tabs.
Jessica (38:21):
Yeah, I think you know I know this.
I practice this myself.
I see it a lot, but I recentlyhad a client interaction.
It's a quick story I'll sharewith you as to how powerful this
is.
So I work with executives andentrepreneurs, I do one-on-one
coaching, and that always startswith a VIP guided hike where we
(38:41):
just hike together, we talkabout their profession, their
business, what keeps them up atnight, what their ultimate
passion is.
And I started a new engagementwith a client.
I think it was back in May,audra and unfortunately, on our
VIP day where we had scheduledto do this hike, it was
torrential downpours in Idaho,like like not like a little
drizzle, like oh, let's still go.
(39:02):
It was like no, this would bemiserable.
So we spent six hours in myoffice doing his strategic plan
and we still weren't finished atthe end of the day.
And so I said you know, look,I'm going to make this up to you
next week.
Let's like do a redo, we'regoing to go for a guided hike on
a nice day and we'll just we'llwrap up this plan.
So he was game.
He's actually an avid hikerhimself.
(39:24):
So the following week we metAudra and we did an hour hike
together.
It wasn't anything strenuous,but we practiced my method.
We talked a lot.
When we got back into my officeafter the hike, not only did we
finish his strategic plan in, Iwould say, like 45 minutes to
an hour, we then moved on todeveloping his intellectual
property within like 15 minutes,of all his ideas in an
(39:47):
organized manner that he couldthen communicate to his audience
.
The only difference betweenthose two days was practicing
hike at the beginning of our day.
Audra (40:01):
Is this a normal thing?
So you're doing one-on-oneslike this, you're taking groups
out like this, so is this anormal response to what your
your results are getting whenyou're taking groups out to do
this?
Jessica (40:17):
it is so, um.
Another example is back in juneI spoke to a group it was a
group of thought leaders andauthors in dallas uh, it was
like a book camp event whereeveryone was writing either
their first or second book.
And I led two guided hikesduring that weekend and I
explained the Hike 31 challenge.
(40:37):
And so one of the guided hikesI did Audra was at the 6.30 in
the morning on a Sunday morning.
I was not anticipating a goodturnout, let's just be clear,
but a bunch of people showed upand that Sunday was the day of
the writer's workshop, wherethey actually put their ideas
down on paper.
And I told everyone if you comeand show up for this hike, you
(40:58):
will have so many more ideas andclarity around your concepts.
I kid you not.
Throughout that entire Sunday Iwas approached by multiple
authors saying you'll neverbelieve what I thought of on our
hike or you'll never believethis idea.
That came to me hoursafterwards.
And yeah, I have example afterexample of people who either
(41:18):
have been hiking with me ingroups, practice my hike 31
challenge on their own, or issomeone I work with one on one
where, if they are trulycommitted and do this process,
the ideas that come to them.
Audra (41:33):
It's just incredible Big picture.
So you do so.
I just want to make sure thatI'm hearing what you're saying.
Big picture is you do a hike 31challenge, which is what we're
proposing to all of you.
If you haven't already guessedthis, yeah, you do a hike 31
challenge, which is what we'reproposing to all of you.
If you haven't already guessedthis, yeah, you do a hike 31
challenge, which we're gettingto the meat of this.
I promise you, if you do a hike31 challenge, you're going to
(42:01):
get some clarity on On some bigideas, some Some questions to
life, maybe even that what do Ido?
Next question I'm not going toput words into your mouth, but
what are they going to find?
Jessica (42:17):
So, based on what I've experienced this past year or
throughout my life myselfpersonally or working with
clients or bigger groups here'swhat are people going to find
self-personally, or working withclients or bigger groups.
Here's what I'm.
What are people going to findIf you are bold enough, if you
are brave enough to embark onthis hike 31 challenge and if
you practice it the way thatwe've just discussed.
So, H hike or walk, I be inmore natural elements than
(42:40):
man-made structures.
K for keep your tech off yes,even your smart watch, you're
still going to do the stepsanyway.
And E, e practice it every dayfor at least 30 minutes for 31
days straight.
Quick disclaimer here if youfor if you miss a day, do not
get the defeated and give up.
Just get back on the trail thenext day.
Like, move on.
Reply uh, give yourself grace.
(43:02):
We're all humans, we're alljuggling, juggling a lot.
But to answer your question,audra, what will people find?
There's's three core componentsthat I think most people get
clarity on.
The first is like who am I Inthis world of constant
connection via social media orjust constantly being on the
screens?
I think a big problem we haveis we have all lost connection
(43:22):
to the most important person inour lives and that's ourself.
And I like to say you can'tauthentically connect to anyone
else until you authenticallyconnect with yourself.
So that's question one I thinkdoes get answered if you choose
to practice this type 31challenge.
Second is why am I here?
A lot of people get some clarityor epiphanies on, maybe, their
(43:44):
job or their career or theirtrue calling in life, on be it
their job or their career ortheir true calling in life.
And then the third is what do Ido about it?
How do I meet my calling tohelp others?
Those are the things I'm seeingon a wide scale if you choose
to practice this, and thenthere's just all sorts of other,
(44:05):
just, I think, yummy, wonderfulthings.
I'm hearing from people whochoose to practice, whether it's
a great idea for a book or achange in their family lifestyle
or just an epiphany aroundwhatever.
Just spending this time in thismethod alone with your thoughts
, I think it just unlocks a lotof potential.
I can't.
(44:26):
It'll be different for everyoneunlocks a lot of potential.
Audra (44:29):
I can't.
It'll be different for everyoneand this is not necessarily to
replace your, your workoutroutine.
I mean, this is a supplement toyour workout routine, that's.
This is not a workout routine.
Yes, yes, thank you.
This is your mental clarityroutine.
Yes, I wanted to make sure thatI get this that very clear to
(44:51):
you.
This is not to replace this.
This is in addition to so.
In the middle of the day, youneed a break.
This is your break.
In the evening.
This is your at the end of theday.
Wind down, whatever it is.
This is an addition to this isyour treat to yourself.
Jessica (45:11):
Yes you, you totally nailed it, audra.
I think a lot of people getconfused and think that this is
time to also like, be strenuousand exercise.
I share with people.
Actually, it's the opposite.
I want to recreate thatShinrin-yoku exercise where your
cortisol levels are coming down, your heart rate and your blood
pressure is coming down.
Your brain is switching on indifferent ways.
(45:33):
This isn't time to run or scaleup a mountain, it's literally
you're just in movement.
So thank you for clarifyingthat.
I do think that's a confusingthing for a lot of people and I
say treat it as a sacred datewith yourself.
Treat yourself as important asyou would anyone else.
One quick note I will say a lotof people ask me this question
(45:53):
Can I go hiking with otherpeople?
The short answer is no.
We all live in specialcircumstances.
There are days when I can'thike alone and my kiddos come
along.
It's not the same.
Do your best to be alone.
Dogs are welcome.
Other humans are not.
They will be busy talking toyou and then you can't be alone
with your thoughts becausethat's kind of the point is
(46:15):
still you can, you can be quietwith yourself.
Audra (46:18):
Yes, I know terrifying.
I already that I have a verynoisy brain and I am doing this.
I committed to Jessica that Iam doing this.
So now we're going to get tothe meat of this.
We are challenging all of youto do a Hike 31 challenge.
(46:38):
We're picking October, october1st, because it conveniently has
31 days in the month.
It also is going to be thebeginning of really nice weather
.
It won't be 150 degrees inArizona.
It'll be really beautifulweather in Idaho and for most of
the country.
It won't be freezing yet.
(46:59):
It's going to be, we believewill be beautiful weather for
pretty much everywhere in thecountry and, if you're listening
to this abroad, probablyeverywhere in the world.
So we are challenging everybodyto do Hike 31 Challenge in
October, starting October 1st.
Hike every single day, everyday.
(47:21):
We are going to come alongsideyou.
We have aides, we have aidesfor you.
We have, we have aids, we haveaids for you.
Yes, jessica, let everybodyknow what they need to do to get
their instructions on how to dotheir hike.
Jessica (47:41):
Super simple.
So if you're listening to thispodcast and you want to join the
hike 31 challenge in october asa way to reconnect with
yourself, all you need to do istext the word hike h-i-k-e to
number three, three, seven,seven, seven, and that will get
(48:02):
you the instructions the onepage run how to practice the
hike 31 challenge, as well as acalendar that you can use to
check off all the days thatyou've successfully hiked and
make sure that you have 33777,the word hike.
Audra (48:20):
I will also put that in the show notes just in case you
guys didn't catch that.
Additionally, we are going todo lives every Friday just to
keep you guys up to date as towhat in the world we're doing.
So Jessica and I are going tobe on, along with a few of our
crew that we have roped intodoing this with us, to just give
(48:46):
you updates as to what thestatus is, how we're doing.
Is it simple, is it hard, whatwe're experiencing?
I'm sure the first week or twoI'm going to whine a little bit
because I don't have anything todistract me from my loud brain,
but I probably will get betterafter a while.
Our lives are going to be at8.30 Friday on Pacific time.
(49:10):
At the very least it's going tobe on LinkedIn.
I'm going to try and put it onall other platforms if they will
let me, but for the moment Idefinitely have it on LinkedIn.
I will update you with otherplatforms as I add them.
Like I said, it'll be a quick 30minutes.
Jump in, check out our status.
Like I said, we have severalother women that we're roping
(49:32):
into this, making them do itbecause we want to see what else
we can do.
What can we do to support eachother as a community, as
additional women, and see whatchanges we can make.
Also, as I just said that thisis not just exclusive for women,
(49:52):
we want everybody to join us,everybody.
So your husbands, yourboyfriends, your sons, whatever,
please join us.
Everybody gets mental clarity.
So please come and hang outwith us and let us know what you
think.
Jessica (50:10):
I should mention too, when you practice this.
Obviously, the idea is that youare staying off technology, so
I want to be really clear aboutthat for at least 30 minutes.
However, with that being said,if it makes you feel better or
helps you with youraccountability, if you want to
post a selfie or a mini videoclip of you post hike post
(50:30):
spending this 30 minutesunplugged, please use hashtag
hike 31 or hashtag hike 31challenge.
Feel free to tag myself orAudra in it, because we're going
to be hiking alongside of youand you are not alone.
You will be on the hike, butwe're with you.
I think Audra said like, inspirit, we're with you and, yeah
(51:03):
, please join us in these livesthat we're going to do weekly,
which will be super I days.
There is a significant researchto show that if you practice
something between 18 and 30 days, it will develop into a habit,
and so we're just giving you anextra day just because but that
is the core of Hike 31 Challengeis to practice long enough to
make this a habit that you willstart incorporating this into
(51:26):
your lifestyle long term.
So that is why it is 31 dayslong.
Audra (51:32):
Did we forget anything else?
So we've told them where to gettheir information.
Yes, we're going to have livesevery Friday for the month of
October.
Yes, and I know this is goingto be a hard one for me it's no
technology, I know.
I know I know no technology,but if I can do it, everybody
else can do it as well.
(51:53):
I am very much looking forwardto this because when I met
Jessica, I said if anybody needsthis, this is me.
I need this, I need to begrounded, I need mental clarity,
I need the whole, I need thewhole thing.
So I'm very much lookingforward to this.
I also, in the middle of thishike, I already have a planned
(52:15):
business trip.
In the middle of it, I'm noteven going to be at home.
So, jessica and I havesomething planned to show you
that this is possible to be donewhile you're traveling in an
unknown city, and how you canstill make this work when you're
not in your own environment.
So no excuses, even if you'renot at home.
Jessica (52:38):
So true, I love it.
I travel a lot for business andeven on days when I'm not
hiking with clients, I'm alwaysfinding a spot to hike, no
matter where I am Jessica,anything else?
Audra (52:48):
Have we left out anything else that they need to
know?
Jessica (52:50):
I don't think so.
I'm just honored to be herewith your audience.
I'm so excited about I thinkwe're creating a movement, a
mass movement.
I would love if we could justreally reach as many people as
possible, encourage more peopleto get out in nature, be in
movement, movement andexperience the mindfulness of
unplugging and being alone withtheir own thoughts.
(53:12):
I think the movement will speakfor itself and I'm just so
excited to see where it leads.
Audra (53:18):
I am as well, and before I let you go, though, if people
want to know more informationabout you specifically and your
company, where would they reach?
Jessica (53:26):
you Absolutely.
Thank you for asking.
So if you want to reach medirectly, you can check out my
website at wwwhiketobecomecom.
You can also find me and followme on LinkedIn and feel free to
reach out to me there.
There is nothing more specialto me in this world than
receiving messages from peoplethat are practicing Hike 31
(53:49):
Challenge.
So, please, no audience.
You are never bugging me.
If you want to share a selfie,a picture, even if it's just
with me that you are practicingthis, it would bring a huge
smile to my face.
Audra (54:00):
Please do this guys.
Hike 31 with us.
What's the worst that canhappen?
That you get some mentalclarity, get some joy, get a
little break from your computers.
Come hang out with us for 31days.
I promise you you will get morebenefits than you will miss
your phone, I promise you.
(54:21):
Jessica, thank you so much forhanging out with me this hour
and thank you for partneringwith me to do this 31 challenge.
I'm really looking forward toit.
I'm looking forward to seeingwhat we come up with, what comes
of this, and I can't wait tohear the stories of what people
find when they do this challenge.
So thanks for hanging out withme.
Jessica (54:41):
You're so welcome.
It's my honor and I couldn'timagine a better hiking buddy
for the month of October, sothanks for being on the journey
with me.
Imagine a better hiking buddyfor the month of October?
Audra (54:49):
So thanks for being on the journey with me.
It is my pleasure, I am soexcited and, thanks to all of
you, I can't wait to see youguys all on the trail.
Thanks so much for listeningand we'll see you again next
time.
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