Hi Reader,

This email is coming to you one day late due to the insanity that has been this week in Los Angeles. If you've been following the news, conditions created the perfect storm for wildfires to take hold and rapidly spread.

What started as a somewhat distant fire along the coast suddenly morphed into a terror far too close to home. Our neighborhood trails (pictured above) burst into flames last night less than a mile away.

Everything escalated so quickly. One minute I was getting ready to head to the gym and the next we were packing our essentials to evacuate.

Fortunately, the fires didn't spread to where we live and we're grateful to have friends nearby that we could stay with. Many beautiful areas have been devastated and we're not out of the woods yet.

There are many ways to support those that were affected and give back to the community. As a local, I'll also be keeping an eye out for volunteer opportunities to help restore wilderness areas once we're able to do so.

Wherever you are, I hope you're safe, happy, and healthy. 💚

Let's get into the newsletter.

Adventures

With the chaos of this week, it's obviously not advisable to spend much time outdoors right now. Once the fires are cleared and the air is no longer hazardous, I'll have plenty of hiking to catch up on.

For now, I'm planning trips for the peak months of June through September. If you're hoping to hit some big ticket spots this summer, now's the time to lock them in!

Many areas have lottery systems and advance reservations. In particular, I'm eyeing a few backpacking trips in Yosemite. Their current lottery runs on a rolling 24-week basis, meaning lotteries running right now will grant winners reservations at the end of June.

Summer feels far away, but it will sneak up on us before we know it. I'm learning from the mistakes I made last year and planning far in advance. Plus, having a bunch of upcoming trips on my calendar gives me something to look forward to.

If you need some inspiration, my latest Yosemite Vlog just went live as this email hit your inbox. Give it a watch to get those ideas spinning. I'm already dreaming of long summer days and warm nights under the stars.

What trips do you want to plan for this year?

& S'more

I ~~have~~ had a bad habit. Not anymore. I'm breaking the cycle.

But in the past...I've been a bit of a hoarder.

Not the reality TV kind you'd see on A&E, but the "I'm saving it just in case" kind. The kind that has a closet full of clothes I'm hanging onto for nebulous, future special occasions and a cabinet full of luxurious face masks reserved for nights when I want to treat myself.

Just a few other things I hoard for some might-not-ever-come reason:

🕯️ Beautiful candles and incense
📸 Film for my Polaroid camera
📒 Fancy notebooks and stationery
🍦 My favorite snacks, candy, or ice cream treats

The funny thing about all these items is that they're meant to be used. So, why was I letting them serve as decorations and collect dust?

As I was doing my annual deep clean before the start of the new year, I realized how many things I'd forgotten I even own. Some of them have sat in closets being organized and reorganized year after year during my big clean.

This year, I'm making it a point to indulge on a regular basis, without feeling the need to find an excuse to use up something fun.

Here's what' I've been finding so far:

🎁 I'm gifting myself little doses of joy. Instead of feeling like I need to restrict myself, I'm enjoying little pleasures freely.
💰 I'm spending less money. I'm "shopping" in my own home instead of going out to buy the latest trendy thing.
🗑️ I'm creating less waste. Buying less means less resources needed to create products to fulfill those demands and less post-life junk.
🏠 I'm freeing up space in my home. There aren't many things more satisfying to me than using up a product fully, especially something like skincare that lasts for months. Using what I have instead of buying new items helps me actually go through them, freeing up counter and cabinet space as empty containers are thrown away and recycled.
😌 I'm feeling more abundance and less wanting. Giving myself permission to use all the fun things I have makes me more aware of just how much that actually is.

What have you been saving for a special occasion that you could bust out and use this week?

Thank you for reading. Take care of yourself and hug someone you love.

See you here next Thursday ✌🏻

Happy adventuring,

💚A