From Motorcycle Accident to the Mindful Habits Academy

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From Motorcycle Accident to the Mindful Habits Academy

"I was in a motorcycle accident when I was 18 and my whole perspective on life changed. Life is too short to do things or be in a career that you don’t like. We are here to enjoy life! I started following things that lit me up. I went to school and became a certified welder. Later, I moved to North Carolina to be a whitewater rafting guide which led me to Costa Rica where I became a yoga instructor. In Costa Rica, I created my business and the Mindful Habits Academy." Tune into Amanda’s experience and wild wisdom here.

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Walk Through This

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Walk Through This

Sara’s red stilettos caught my eye in the mountains many years ago…(stilettos in the mountains?! exactly). We recently connected as fellow HarperCollins authors. Sara Schulting-Kranz is a force of inspiration, empowerment and fresh perspective. Her new book, Walk Through This, will hit the shelves on Nov. 10th (pre-order now available) and she has just emerged from 3 weeks of wilderness on the John Muir Trail in the Sierras (my favorite backpacking trip EVER!!). Sara is definitely a kindred spirit. Check out her Wildpreneur wisdom here.

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Be Good. Live Simple. Eat Well. Inspiration from Eatery66

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Be Good. Live Simple. Eat Well. Inspiration from Eatery66

Ridgway, Colorado has become one of my homes away from the jungle. Why did this little mountain oasis capture my heart? One of the big reasons is an airstream trailer parked on the main street—with a menu! Their specialties? Fresh, local and tasty. Eatery66 is one of the unique businesses that sparked my idea for Wildpreneurs. I wrote much of my book in Ridgway, nourished by Eatery66! YUMMY. Tune into the inspiration of Wildpreneurs Katie and Spencer Graves, founders of Eatery66.

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Leisha Davis, Founder of Mindful Mama Living

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Leisha Davis, Founder of Mindful Mama Living

You know those people who you feel naturally drawn to? Those free-spirits who radiate a high vibration that is beautifully magnetic. Makes you think “I want what they’re having…”

Leisha Davis is one of those Wildpreneurs. As a new mom, Leisha’s wisdom resonates particularly deeply with me (jungle baby Zephyr is now 6 months!). However, her approach and insights around mindfulness are invaluable to all Wildpreneurs.

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Jungle Crabs Invade! (And Prompt Annual Reflection)

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Jungle Crabs Invade! (And Prompt Annual Reflection)

Invasion!!! The jungle crabs are back! Must be time to close up my jungle lodge once again. But that would mean …can it be…13 years? Have I really been a Wildpreneur for that long…?

June on the Mexican Pacific brings thousands of jungle crabs. They dance on the beaches, dirt roads, and even knock on the door to my casita—a sure sign that the tropical rains will soon arrive. These ubiquitous crustaceans trigger two annual rituals:

1) My lodge goes into hibernation for the summer monsoons.

2) Time to reflect on the year (s) that have passed.

Read on for a decade of Wildpreneur lessons/reflections and a sneak peak at the chapters of my book!

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Daily Gratitude + I Stand For Love

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Daily Gratitude + I Stand For Love

We returned to the jungle a few days ago to be greeted by a category 5 hurricane off the coastline. “What does the radar say now?” was the question of the day. Needless to say, we were tremendously relieved when the storm took a northern turn. Phew, that was a close call! My heart is filled gratitude that my jungle home has been preserved. The jungle is also grateful for the downpour—it’s now glowing a radiant green.

Gratitude is beautiful practice to integrate into your life as a wildpreneur. Pause regularly to savor your surroundings. We must appreciate the now—things can certainly change quickly!

My casita is filled with gratitude reminders…discover what they are here! Read an interview with inspirational wildpreneur Sarah Love (gratitude and love expert!) and get 10% off your 2019 I Stand for Love calendar.

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Polly the Wooden Sloop

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Polly the Wooden Sloop

I just met Polly. She's a wooden sailboat built in 1945. Peter, a friend from Telluride, is a passionate boat builder who has devoted the last 4 years of his life to restoring this sloop. I was lucky enough to be invited aboard for Polly’s first cruise.

Though I’m a land lover by nature, I opened my mind and my heart to this adventure at sea. As we cruised gracefully through the Maine Islands, my thoughts drifted with the water and the wind. I focused on being fully present with Polly and her captain. Though exhausted from the months of arduous work that lead up to Polly’s grand launch, Peter’s excitement and inspiration radiate from him tirelessly.

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Artful Mistake Making

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Artful Mistake Making

I have not failed. I've just found 1000 ways that don't work. - Thomas A Edison

I am a master of mistake making. I moved to the jungle at 23 years old. What happens when you take a white skinned blond girl out of a liberal arts college in Vermont and plop her down in the jungle on the Mexican Pacific? A very lost gringa! I gripped my freshly printed business plan in my sweaty hand and proceeded to make every mistake you can image. Yikes, I certainly have a few memories of blood, sweat and moats of tears that I cried into the sand. Though I was living in paradise chasing my dream those first few years were rough.

Perhaps the roughest part was that every time I made a mistake I beat myself up! I've since learned that mistake making never ends, it’s how you respond to and approach mistake making that can make all the difference.

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The Mexican Fisherman Story

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The Mexican Fisherman Story

I discovered the parable of the Mexican Fisherman in 2010, a few years into the creation of my jungle lodge. This simple story triggered a tremendous ah-ha moment for me and has since become a cornerstone philosophy for wildpreneurs. Gracias to my Mexican amigos for sharing your wisdom with me! The passage below is sourced from Courtney Carver at Be More With Less.

An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.  Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna.  The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

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