I have been meaning to write this for years. In one way or another, I have always known that I needed to share a reflection on life since I left behind my corporate career - not for others, but for myself.

Today is the day. It is 11:25pm as I sit in my home office in Kanab, Utah. Darkness surrounds me, my husband of two years is sleeping just across the hall. The fan is going, the windows open; a cricket makes its presence known. I can feel the presence of towering red sandstone cliffs beyond my sphere of visual perception. Zion is but a few dozen miles to the North West. The Grand Canyon is an hour to the South. I am home.

Five years ago, on the evening of my 30th birthday, I wasn’t far from where I am today. I lived in Houston at the time, but I chose to spend my birthday in the one place that shaped the path I followed: the Grand Canyon.

And what have I done since.

I quit my job without much money in the bank.

I moved into a $3000 van.

I fell in love with Paul.

I rope soloed a big wall in Zion, less than two hours from my now-home.

I climbed El Capitan. Once, twice, three times in as many years.

I summited Kilimanjaro with my mom.

I adventured in the Dolomites with my dad.

I spent four Austral summers on Aconcagua, setting two records in the process.

I started AWExpeditions.

I became a sponsored athlete.

I traveled to Nepal, three times, and became the fastest woman to run around Annapurna.

I won the Ouray 100 Miler.

I raised money to create $25,000 worth of scholarships for women in high altitude climbing.

I published photography in National Geographic, Outside Magazine and others.

I convinced Paul to quit his job.

I got married.

I hiked 685 miles along the Hayduke trail in a month.

I went on the most incredible multisport adventures with friends who changed my life.

I built out a bigger van.

I climbed in Chamonix.

I crushed a 100k men’s mountain course record in China.

I failed on Nolan’s 14.

I spent life-affirming time with Paul on Kusum Kanguru.

I bought an 9-employee desert guiding business.

Full circle. This is me. I spent close to five years blissfully exploring - exhausting the little savings that I had, maxing out credit cards, making ends meet with whatever freelance athlete work I found. Today, I am back where I was five years ago: near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, contemplating my life, thinking about what my contribution is in this wild world and how to best enjoy the days I have in this great life.

I live. I love. I work. I run. I climb. And I want more of it all. This is the beginning.