Helping adventurous misfits and curious dreamers create an authentic and joyful life outside the lines. I focus on self-discovery, intentional living, and travel, both abroad and in your own backyard.
How a Canadian rollercoaster prepared me for an author’s conference 🎢
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(You're receiving this email because you subscribed to The Explorer's Log via Substack or explorerannie.com.) Hey Reader! What does an insane rollercoaster in Canada have to do with an author’s conference in Las Vegas? Read on to find out. 😉 Other stuff in this email (4 minute read):
While visiting Toronto last month, my niece talked me into going with her to the Halloween event at Canada’s Wonderland. She went for the scares, but I went for the rollercoasters! By the time we got in line, it was full dark and had started to rain. I had absolutely no idea that we were about to ride the world’s longest, tallest, and fastest dive rollercoaster, Yukon Striker. To add another level of intensity, we ended up with front row seats! 😳 After the long climb to the top, we crested the hill and stopped. Stopped, as in fully suspended nearly 275 feet above the ground, with all my weight resting only on the safety harness. Looking down into black nothingness, I had zero control over whatever would happen next. 🫣 After the longest three seconds ever, we finally dropped, and my entire body surged with relief and adrenaline in equal measure. It was an absolutely fucking epic ride full of corkscrews, loops, more drops, and crazy speed through the dark and rain. (Watch this video to see it for yourself!) As we stepped off the coaster and back onto solid ground, my legs felt like jelly and my heart was pounding. It was terrifying and exhilarating in equal measure, and I would do it again without hesitation. Last Sunday, I arrived in Las Vegas for the Author Nation conference. While it wasn’t the intensity of the Yukon Striker, there were the same feelings of fear and exhilaration. I had no idea what to expect as I tried to imagine the week ahead. It was like being the new kid in a calculus class where everyone else understood what was happening, and I only had basic pre-algebra skills. How many eyerolls would I get for asking the most basic questions about the publishing process? Would I make friends or be the weirdo alone in the corner? Instead of letting fear get the better of me, I strapped myself in for the ride, determined to embrace the drop into the unknown. 🎢 Rather than trying to hide my ignorance, I chose to own my status as a complete newbie, which was surprisingly liberating! Folks generously shared their knowledge and experiences with me, introduced me to people they thought I should know, and were just as curious about my journey as I was about theirs. The four days flew by at nearly the speed of the Yukon Striker. I arrived back at the Las Vegas airport with my heart pounding again, this time with gratitude for the new friends, knowledge, and opportunities gained. My big takeaway: Sometimes, you just have to let go and trust. Growth always comes from stepping out of our comfort zones, whether it’s by putting ourselves out there in a new way or taking on one of the world’s craziest rollercoasters. 🧠 Food for Thought:
If you enjoy these emails and want to support my writing and work, consider leaving a tip. Current Explorations 🧭🌎 Intentional Travel: Scotland is one of the places I love most. I’m considering walking the West Highland Way this summer, followed by the Great Glen with Stan. Walking through the Highlands has been on my list forever, and I think it’s time to make it happen! Yes, I recently decided to postpone my Southeast Asia trip, but I am considering this alternative. 🏡 Everyday Adventures: We’ve closed on our new home and are starting to move in this week! This is the final stage of the transition that began in the spring of 2022. I’m so excited to settle into our cute little place and put down roots in a whole new way over the winter. ✨ Inner Journeys: One of my favorite online communities is the Accountability Success Circle. We focus on supporting each other in accomplishing our goals, but not in the gross, hustle-y way that makes so many of us cringe. I’m currently working through the annual planning process, which has me thinking a lot about my core values and how I want to align the different areas of my life with those. What do you want to hear more about? The whole point of writing these emails is to share stories and insights that you’ll enjoy. Tell me what you want to read more about next time! Other Updates ✨Don’t forget our Explorer’s Circle meetup next week! I’d love to see you there! Date: Thursday, November 20th Location: Zoom RSVP: Just click here, and I’ll send you a reminder and access to join before the event. (I’m working on a better system for this, but it will do for now. ☺️) Feel free to share with any other folks you think would enjoy time spent with this crew of curious misfits and joyful rebels! While there’s still a lot of change and processing happening, I’m really excited about what’s to come! I’m scheming on a couple of fun ways for us to connect and bring more intentional exploration into our lives. As always, I appreciate you being here and allowing me to share this journey with you. I’d love to hear what you’re up to and what you’re excited about as we wind down this calendar year. Hit reply and tell me all about it! Until next time, adventure on, my friend! Cheers, Annie |
The Explorer's Log
Helping adventurous misfits and curious dreamers create an authentic and joyful life outside the lines. I focus on self-discovery, intentional living, and travel, both abroad and in your own backyard.
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