2016 will be a good year

There are many things that are going to be epic about 2016. It’s a Presidential election year, the Olympics are happening in Brazil, NASA is going to do some awesome things, and we get an extra day in February. I will be spending that extra February day packing up my car and saying goodbye to the city that I have called home for the past year and a half. Yep. You read that right. I’ll be leaving my cushy job, my comfortable home, and the wonderful city of Austin, Texas, to return to my roots on the East Coast. 2016 will be epic for me because it is the year that I will be thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. For many years it’s been a goal of mine, and I finally have the good fortune to be able to attempt this feat. And now, since this is a Hiker Intro, I suppose I’d better actually introduce myself.

I’m Zoë.

I’m an INFP born and raised in the great state of North Carolina, where I also received a degree in Graphic Design from North Carolina State University’s College of Design. I love to read, bike, bake, host potlucks, and be outside. The day I got my drivers’ license was the day I really began exploring all that North Carolina had to offer me, from the beautiful barrier islands of the Atlantic coast, to the quiet winding trails of the Appalachian Mountains, and back to the comforting rolling hills of the Piedmont. I’m somewhat new to long-distance backpacking, but have been an eager hiker for many years, and I’m excited to revisit the mountains of my home state as a part of this new adventure in 2016.

For me, the Appalachian Trail will hopefully be a space and time to grow, learn, and understand more about myself. So, in the spirit of continuous and never-ending growth and learning, I’ll leave you now with a couple of statements from “An Incomplete Manifesto for Growth” by Bruce Mau:

“1. Allow events to change you. You have to  be willing to grow. Growth is different from something that happens to you. You produce it. You live it. The prerequisites for growth: the openness to experience events and the willingness to be changed by them.”

“8. Drift. Allow yourself to wander aimlessly. Explore adjacencies. Lack judgment. Postpone criticism.”

Follow along if you wish! I always welcome the chance to meet new people and exchange stories.