In the summer of 2010, in the midst of a personal crisis, I spent four days alone in the high country of the Sierra Nevada mountains, four days that have forever changed my relationship to the natural world.
Learning to ask for help is one of the most important things you can do as a creator. Learning to ask for help outside of our the realm of our fellow human beings can result in astonishing insights to creative conundrums.
Please let me know about your own experiences in nature and how they’ve shaped your life in the comments section below.
Austin – that was great. Thanks for doing these. Seriously, thanks.
Thank you for your work in the world Julie!
Austin: Great talk. You and the Sierras inspire me. I learned an important lesson near where you are in this video. One night when camping in Yosemite, our camp was overrun by bears. Throughout the night the were turning over our things, trying to get our food and constantly harassing us. It was a frightening and exhilarating experience. We were impressed the way the bears came in waves, working as a team.
What I learned from this experience is that in life, I need more bear stories. I need to learn from seemingly negative or frightening experiences and put myself in position to have experiences that expand and strengthen me.
Thank you for your bear story Scott. That first day in the high country almost always frightens me: so raw in comparison to the rest of my life. When I physically and mentally aclimatize, though, I feel way more alive and attuned.