For as long as I can remember, I’ve been driven by goals. Maybe you can relate, chasing the next milestone, the next launch, the next personal best, thinking “once I get there, then I’ll feel successful, happy, or fulfilled.” But here’s the hard truth I’ve had to face lately: I’ve been so focused on achieving that I forgot to live.
Over the past six years of building my business, I’ve poured everything into creating meaningful trips, powerful community experiences, and outdoor adventures for women. I’ve hit milestones I once dreamed of. But somewhere along the way, the joy of the journey got buried beneath to-do lists and timelines. I was always looking ahead, and rarely taking time to look around. It wasn’t until I started to slow down, like really slow down, that I began to realize how much I was missing. Not because the goals weren’t worthy, but because they became the only measure of worth. And that’s a dangerous place to live.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of “I’ll be happy when…”
“When I reach six figures.”
“When the next trip sells out.”
“When I finally catch a trophy fish.”
“When I hit that fitness goal.”
But the reality is, if you’re constantly waiting for “XYZ” to be happy, you’ll always be chasing. And even when you do arrive, you’ll likely just move the finish line again. There’s a surprising kind of freedom that comes when you stop living for the next big thing. It doesn’t mean you give up on ambition, it means you redefine success.
Success might look like:
A weekend in a deer stand, even if you don’t get a shot, just listening to the wind.
Casting your line and not catching a thing, but feeling the sun on your face.
Watching a woman cry happy tears after her first hike because she felt seen, strong, and supported.
These are the moments that are easily missed when we’re too focused on chasing something “bigger.”
As a business owner, I burnt myself out striving for more. I was so focused on checking boxes and measuring success with numbers that I didn’t stop to celebrate the quiet, powerful impact Her Wilderness was making. When I actually took the time to slow down and listen to the stories from women who came on trips, to notice how far this community has come… I was blown away and humbled. The growth was there all along. I just wasn’t present enough to see it.
Here are a few simple ways I’m learning to be more intentional, and I hope they’ll serve you too:
Trade multitasking for mindfulness. Whether it’s drinking your coffee in silence or walking without your phone, give yourself moments to just be.
Celebrate small wins. Don’t wait for the big goal to be proud. Every connection made, every woman who feels seen, every breath of fresh air matters.
Schedule “nothing” time. Rest doesn’t need to be earned. Build in unstructured time to reconnect with yourself and the outdoors.
Journal what’s already good. Instead of listing what’s next, reflect on what’s here. Gratitude is a grounding force.
Reconnect with nature regularly. The outdoors doesn’t care about your resume or your goals. It welcomes you as you are. Let it remind you what really matters.
Letting go of goals doesn’t mean giving up. It means choosing to live while you’re working toward things not after. If we can learn to enjoy the view, even before we summit the mountain… if we can learn to sit in the deer stand and just listen… if we can cast a line without expectations and still feel full, that’s the kind of life worth building. And that’s the kind of community I want Her Wilderness to keep nurturing. Let’s slow down together.
If you're feeling burnt out, overwhelmed, or just need someone to remind you that you're not alone in this journey, I’m here. Whether you need encouragement, someone to pray with you, or just a space to be heard, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d love to chat with you.
You can email me directly at mackenzie@herwilderness.co.