On chasing dreams and getting stuck.

dreams

On chasing dreams and getting stuck.

“A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?

— Albert Einstein

Sometimes I think that I must be completely nuts.  Maybe I am.  Honestly, I don’t care.  When I was in college, there was an entire group of students that referred to me as, “weird girl”.  When I found out about this, I asked them why – and they said it was because they couldn’t, “figure me out”.  They said that I liked to sit and read by myself in the dining hall and that I seemed mysterious.  I always found that comforting in a way – I felt proud of the fact that being “slightly different” made people uncomfortable.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about my own journey to get to the very place where I am right now.  I am so grateful for everything that I have experienced – the good, the bad and the ugly – along the way.  Most people don’t know that I moved to Washington to be a park ranger in 2004 (note: I was laid off from this job in 2012), and even more people don’t know that moving to Washington was a complete mistake.  How does one accidentally move to a state?  Funny you should ask, because I woke up this morning and decided to film a video telling that story.  Wow.  Who does that?  Who wakes up and decides to film a video?  Maybe I am “weird girl” afterall!

Before I share the video, I’m going to share a few photos that will help you appreciate this story more.

There I am on the far right (with the violin) at my first National Park Service volunteer

There I am on the far right (with the violin) at my first National Park Service volunteer “gig” – doing living history at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site.


Looking proud in my previous career as a Park Ranger.  

Looking proud in my previous career as a Park Ranger.


Shucking oysters back in my ranger days.  

Shucking oysters back in my ranger days.

Have you ever woken up with a thought on your mind, and just had to share it with somebody else?  Well, that was how I felt this morning.  So, naturally, without applying any makeup whatsoever – I recorded exactly what I was thinking and feeling.  The jist of it is this: your personal dreams and desires are not silly or ridiculous, and they are worth fighting for … but fighting for them is sometimes akin to getting out of a sleeping bag at 2am when you want to climb a mountain … sure, you want to climb the mountain, but that sleeping bag is SO COMFORTABLE.  For years and years, I’ve said that the hardest part of any climb is just getting out of the sleeping bag – and that applies to life too.  Just getting started is the hard part – after that, it’s just one foot in front of the other, over and over again.  Inch by inch.  Whether it’s exercising, eating healthy, getting your dream job or making a necessary change in your life – the first few moments of getting out of that sleeping bag are excruciating.  But guess what?  The second you inhale that big gulp of cold air and look up and see billions upon billions of stars glittering down on you – you’ll know it was worth it.

Note to all my blog readers: I’m extremely uncomfortable filiming myself, and this is so far out of my comfort zone that I feel like I’m getting out of a sleeping bag every time somebody clicks on this blog.  Thank you for pushing me into a space where I can continue to grow!

Click on the image below to watch the video!

Keep adventuring!  Hope to see you all on the trails very soon.

2 Comments
  • AlliT
    Posted at 06:48h, 11 February Reply

    Nicely done! Your analogy is right on target. I’m 50. I spent my childhood, teens and college years outside of the sleeping bag… breathing in everything that life offered. However, somewhere between getting a real job and having a family I hunkered down into my cozy 3 three season bag and missed at least 20 years of sunrises. Fear often leads us down the easy road… but it’s not always the best road. I applaud your courage and thank you for sharing your insights. Your post came at a time when I really needed to hear it.

    • Anastasia Allison
      Posted at 06:51h, 17 February Reply

      Thank you so much!!! I always wonder who (if anybody!) will read/hear my posts – but I just put them out there when I feel inspired, knowing that I definitely can’t be alone. Thank you so much for taking the time to share such kind words.

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