Category: Uncategorized

Uncategorized

Lessons From the BWCA

Emy Minzel

I would have never guess the types of changes that came to me and my Adventure Sister Stacy when we first launched our rented canoe full of gear into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Minnesota the summer of 2013. We were naive in what the forest would teach us, how it would refine me by polishing my character, deepen my morals, give me courage to pursue ambitions, value and believe in myself gaining self-worth, our experiences in the BWCA even mended my faith in God/The Universe.

We were immediately awe-struck with the beauty of the Boundary Waters as we paddled towards our very first portage experience. Words were insufficient to represent the peaceful grace we felt in the remote and visually stunning wildlife landscape. It was the day I fell in love again, with nature. I thought to myself while feeling that grace and hearing the sound of only our paddles hitting the water “This must be where God lives.”

The Boundary Waters does don’t suffer fools, the wild wilderness can be just as dangerous as it is beautiful. Stacy and I thought nothing of this as we boldly longed for some fun and adventure in our lives. That summer was healing and transformative for the both of us. Stacy had just left her marriage of twelve years, and was selling her home. I was starting a new career, struggling to grow my client list, while making very little money. Times where much harder then we’d been used too, life at home was sometimes stressed.

On the water in a canoe with my new friend, I felt the burdens of life lifted from the minute we were dropped off in the wild to fend for ourselves. Isn’t funny how some things you deem as important are not too important, when you are using all your focus, kicking in heighten survival instincts that work like magic, giving you the abilities to navigate new watery paths before you. In the Boundary Waters it is imperative to be extra careful not to make careless mistakes that might be hilarious, also maybe dangerous… or even worse.

I know from experience see, because the very next day, we tipped the gosh darn canoe! We were lucky that it happened while fishing, we did not have all our portage packs filled with equipment in the canoe with us, only our fishing gear. Whew!!!! Thank the good Lord above for that blessing. Because (Insert dingy white girl voice here) “O.M.G! Like that would have been the biggest bummer ever!” It took us forever to get the swamped canoe emptied enough to ride back to camp. Luckily we were okay and still had a boat to get back to civilization the consequences could have been far worse.

I’ll admit it, we did not know much about anything on our first trip to the Boundary Waters. Even though neither of us had even filleted a fish, we went up into the Northwoods with sparing food, depending on the fish to catch to eat while there. I find it funny that when we were naïvely trusting the Universe to provide us fish, we caught more then enough and released what we did not eat. During the several more years of remote wilderness hardcore adventures we boasted, not one more fish would be caught after that first year. Now we don’t even bring our poles.

My philosophies on my experiences fishing have changed my beliefs about the ethical treatment of animals we eat, it has changed the way I live my life. This change in my ethical beliefs started on the very first time I visited the Boundary Waters. although with my Irish German heritage I am just a teeny tiny bit stubborn, it tends to take me some time to adapt… Change is scary and hard if you are not ready for it. I wasn’t ready at first, but the winds of change blew a seed into my soul, it takes time for gestation.

Stacy and I went deep into the forest to connect with Spirit, to manifest the changes we desperately wanted and needed. The concept of The Adventure Sisters was born on this first excursion into the BWCA wilderness. Little did we know that five years later we would be embarking together on a literary adventure, with a shared dream of empowering others as we have felt empowered. The Boundary Waters voyages changed our lives in so many positive ways that we want to give back to others in hopes they may find the same magic in their lives.

Stacy and I repeatedly faced obstacles, challenges, and follies in the BWCA we worked together to over-come them all. We learned we could depend on each other, we fostered trust in each other and man-o-man we had discovered we could have grand adventures and lots of fun together!

We came out of the forest as The Adventure Sisters, with a renewed self-esteem, exuding genuine Joy. We were very proud of ourselves for going well beyond our comfort zones challenging ourselves to make changes in our lives. We learned we work well individually but are much stronger when we work together. Things that sound so simple in words, but has a much bigger impact with experience.

From just this one, very first Boundary Waters Canoe Area experience I have gathered:

Courage: To do the things that scare me, and try new things, even if they make me uncomfortable.

Spiritual connection: Connection I felt to God, the earth and all living beings in it, changed dramatically, my thoughts on how we treat and respect the environment changing the direction of my life path.

Self-Worth: That grew into the ability to make the changed in my life that were needed by valuing my self and morals.

Self-esteem: I needed to believe that little old me, can make a difference of good, for the future before I would even try. Here I am, trying new things again, the BWCA helped me believe I could do that.

Teamwork: Better, stronger, wiser when we stick together babe.

Trust: I learned not only to trust in the abilities in myself but trust God/The Universe to bring me only good. My path does have a purpose, I am able to see that and trust in it now.

Thats just the first year! We were instantly hooked on the physical challenges, and the spiritual and emotional growth that keeps us coming back year after year. There are people just like you that bring their children, loved ones, or go solo up to the forests of BWCA where they can unplug from the daily grind just enough to be able to plug back into our connection with the Universe.

We sincerely do feel God up in God’s Country in The Boundary Waters, you would too I bet. This place should not be gambled away for any amount of money. The BWCA gives magical life lessons that no money can buy.

Look I’m just a girl who loves, her family, friends and pets… and clean air and water. I have learned that if I feel like I should be doing something then I better do it! Or inevitably I suffer anxiety, depression, and even create bad habits to cover up the feeling of guilt for not doing something I should be doing.

I believe life makes us move and act by making us uncomfortable, making us upset, and waving red flags in front of your face that move powerful emotions. If we were happy and content about the way things are we would not want to change right? Powerful emotions make you move.

I am passionate about keeping the environment clean for future generations. So avid that I choose to bravely push aside my introverted tendencies, gather courage to voice my opinion publicly in hopes of affecting change to protect the Boundary Waters from the impending environmental mining pollution.

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area is a magical place in the forest that teaches people to be better people, this place where God lives, must be cherished, treasured and protected.

Please help me in doing so by signing this petition to Save The Boundary Waters.

https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/tell-department-interior-and-bureau-land-management-protect-boundary-waters

 

Wishing you an abundance of joyful blessings,

Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister

https://emyminzel.com

Follow the Adventure Sisters on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/BWCAdventureSisters

Stacy Crep ~ Adventure Sister

https://stacycrep.com

The Adventure Sisters on Instagram
@adventuresistersbwca

Uncategorized

How do we honor our inner child?

Emy Minzel

I am continuing the conversation of honoring different aspect of our personalities that we may not like to acknowledge. The inner child is one part of my personally that intrigues me, maybe because mine seems to be asking a lot of me lately. It demands I spend time doing things that I love, not just the things that the adult part of me thinks need to be done. Like work, laundry, dishes, and other insanely boring chores of life that seem to steal my precious time, keeping me preoccupied with monotony. In short, lately I have found being an ‘adult” alllll the time is horrifically boring!!! This is when I feel the tug of my inner child the most. She seems to say day after day, “Girl, there’s gotta be more to life then this! Let’s go find it!”

“Heck yes. Let’s do this!” I, answer back to that little girl who just wants to have fun.

Then my adult voices says; “Mmmmhmmm sure, right after you vacuum.”

Gah!!!! Round and round we go, match for match, day after day. Until somethings gotta give. It’s odd to talk about playing as an adult, is it not? The adventures I have experienced with my soul sister Stacy in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area have let me feel free enough to remember how to play again. Is it only me? Or do you have days when wearing this adult version of my meat suit/body feels just plain weird?

My body gets older, my hair is graying, and there are life lines around my eyes. Yet there are times I feel so honestly inquisitive, full of love and trusting of life that I can feel the innocence of my childlike soul still shining inside. It makes me feel like playing outside, letting my hair down, and getting creative. At times I yearn to belly laugh until it’s hard to breathe and my face hurts.  Surely this is not too much to ask for?! As Stacy likes to tell me “I make the rules for MY life!”

I like the way you think sister friend. So, this is the new rule. I choose to listen to the little voice calling, I will call her my ‘inner child’ because it seems fitting. I will honor her needs because she is part of me, the best part if you really think about it. The innocence you once had as a child is still in you, it is where your hope lives. You cannot deny the importance of hope!  This is the part of us that if nurtured, will ensure we make the world a kinder place. There is no fear or violence in hope or innocent children, this part still lives in you and we can choose to nurture it.

I do this by adding play and whimsy to my life, in simple ways. I love to write, it feels like creating art and allows me to express myself. When I am with friends and family we like to play board games or interactive games at gatherings, bowling or hiking. It brings us all together to ‘play’ and build relationships with occasional team building skills mixed in. If I am by myself I might embrace the feminine part of my inner child and get girly. I will give myself a pedicure, or a facial, put on a hydrating mask and fully embrace the beauty rituals I use that make me feel good.

When in the Boundary Waters Stacy and I take blow up inner tubes put them around our waist or sit in them and float in the sun giggling and chattering away like best girlfriends do at any age. We would go ‘exploring’ in the forest on trails, hop in the canoe to find what we haven’t seen before just for the sake of pleasing our curious inner child. We often find the beauty in the simple things the Universe offers noticing the wonder of how moss can look like a teeny tiny forest all its own.

I might choose to go outside and play in the garden, well not today, its January in Minnesota. I can plan; scratch that… ‘plan’ sounds too much like work… In the winter I love to take the opportunity to dream and create a beautiful new garden lay out. I love to use color pencils and draw where the plants might go so I can visualize it. I love how each year is different and gives me the ability to get whimsical by using my artistic creativity in a fun playful way.

If I change the way I think about things, the things I think about change. I find how I feel about things is all in the attitude I bring to them. I don’t just have a garden that I must weed. I choose to see and enjoy my garden as a continuous work of art, the effort I put into it or not shows. Isn’t that true of all relationships? Even the relationships we have with ourselves?

If we choose to not nurture any part of ourselves, or relationships we cannot fully enjoy life’s offerings or its many infinite destinies. Why would fun show up for us if we are not able to embrace the richness it brings to our lives? Why deny any parts of yourself by not recognize the vulnerable part of you that needs to be heard, seen or validated in any aspect of your personality?

Aren’t the neediest parts of you the loudest and hardest to ignore anyways? Just possibly could these be the parts of ourselves that cause us to act out as not our best-self, causing unnecessary drama when you ignore it for too long? What if we tried to sooth that inner child, fulfill its needs, so we can move on from these triggers?

What’s the worst that could happen if you looked these tendencies right in the eye and asked. “What do you REALLY mean by that feeling? What do you really need?”

What if you had the courage to wait and listen to the answer? Oh boy! How exciting it could be to find out what it is you truly want and need! After all, you’re an adult now and you get to make the rules for your life. As an adult give yourself permission to admit when we just need a hug, admit when you need to feel validated and heard. It is okay to speak up when we aren’t feeling loved in a way that you can comprehend, or even if you need some attention. Your inner child is part of you, to deny it is to deny yourself.

What does your inner child ask from you? Is it to come out and play or is it demanding more? The inner child in you has plenty of hope and courage for today and the future. I can hear them calling, I know you can too. I’d love to hear your thoughts on inner child work. Feel free to comment below!

Wishing you and abundance of Love, Laughter, and Blessings,

Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister

https://emyminzel.com

Follow the Adventure Sisters on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/BWCAdventureSisters

Uncategorized

OH! The drama!

Emy Minzel

Why do I seem to be so drawn to drama when it is the one of the things I say I do not want? I seem to always be seeking peace, yet I find my personality is sometimes rather dramatic about events happening in the world or around me. I recently came down with a cold and I lost my smell, it frightened me but how I reacted was kind of funny now that I am well, and the fog of my sickness has cleared.  You would think that the world was collapsing around me and all I was able to think about was that I couldn’t smell it or my coffee! The drama I tell you! (Insert fainting gesture here.)

For real, I SAY I don’t like drama, but when life is going well, and I have nothing to complain about I seem to make things up to add a little excitement into life. Have you ever notice yourself doing that? It’s kind of hilarious. I over think like it is an Olympic sport. If I could get ‘steps’ for the laps I run around up in my head I would exceed my goal every day. Isn’t it great that we can notice these things about ourselves, so we can try to act in a different way next time the opportunity to over react comes around? Self- awareness is a liberating, eye opening and sometimes humbling experience if you can let it be. I am choosing to laugh at myself now that I can see my situation from a calmer perspective. I can also choose to see that I do in fact have a tendency to be just slightly dramatic….. sigh.

I just find how contradicting I can be as a person fascinating. I SAY it is my goal to be peaceful, content, kind, and full of love. Then I create controversy where there may not be a need to stir things up. I wonder what part of me needs this chaos to feel fulfilled? What is the purpose of choosing to fluff up the negative aspects of a day or situation instead of finding the blessings or good things instead?  Is it my inner child in need of attention? Is it my ego saying look at me? Is it need to feel soothed, and loved?

Of course; I don’t always over react, I try to be calm and easy going about most of the situations life offers. It is just funny to me that I see how I can, and do, get carried away sometimes. To be fair, I mean I temporarily lost one for the five senses… That’s kind of a big deal! However; I see I probably should have cooled my dramatic acting scene and let my cold pass before declaring anosmia. But what fun is that?

Scene End.

Have your ever caught yourself adding drama in your life? What do you think makes you do it? I’d love to hear from you.

Blessings,

Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister

Please follow the Adventure Sisters on Facebook @BWCAdventureSisters

Or Follow our blogs at:

Emyminzel.com

Stacycrep.com

Uncategorized

Stop and smell the flowers…

Emy Minzel

I recently came down with a doozy of a cold, the day I felt it coming on, I started taking a homeopathic remedy containing zinc that were rapid melt tabs. It was supposed to lessen the severity and duration of my illness. But what it did was rob me of my sense of smell completely for a week now and I am still not smelling the same as I once did. This over the counter remedy has had FDA recalls on some of this company’s products for this exact reason, although I did not know this until it happened to me of course. After a google search I learned over load of zinc in your body can steal your smell and taste sometimes forever! There are lawsuits against the manufacture that claims these products are safe when they can harm you for a lifetime.

Today I sense some of my smell working slightly, I was able to smell strong odors finally and I was ecstatic about it. I had taken my nose for granted, not understanding or appreciating its function and the depth it adds to my life. When you cannot smell your sense of taste is severely diminished, I love to cook, and I really love to eat, I find contentment in my kitchen. Can you imagine what it would be like to love the smell of your fresh brewed coffee in the morning and when you go to pour a cup you don’t smell a thing and the taste is bitter and blah. Just like that, one of my favorite rituals was snatched away because I took an over the counter medication that was supposed to help me. I feel duped and livid all at the same time.

I used to think “Oh man, it would be terrible to be deaf or blind.” And it really would be! I never once thought of how I would feel if I could not smell or taste. Here I am telling you what it’s like, it’s also awful. I do not get to sniff my husband and tell him he smells like home. I do not get to smell coffee, bacon, essential oils I love to use or even the smell of my beautiful daughter. I would miss the smell of clean clothes fresh out of the dryer, soup simmering on the stove, smoke from the wood stove or smoke if the house was on fire for that matter. I also wouldn’t be able to enjoy the perfume I just got for Christmas. Or Christmas cookies, I can tell they are sweet but that is it, I do not taste the creamy peanut butter and chocolate in them only the taste of sweet. So sad. If there were a gas leak or fire I would not be able to tell or if I stink to high heaven I would not know. That is horrifying.

I feel lucky that I sense some of my olfactory coming back to life. I am very hopeful that this is temporary, and my body knows how to fix what I broke. Until this happened I never thought once about the richness the sense of smell brings to my life, have you? Sure, I wouldn’t have to smell bad things, but that also means I could not tell if my food was spoiled or if I stepped in dog poop either. Here is my cautionary tale, please be careful of the things you put into your body even if it says homeopathic or natural. Research it first! As my husband likes to remind me “arsenic is organic too, that doesn’t make it safe.”

Uncategorized

Kind of a dick…

Emy Minzel

It’s recently occurred to me that I am kind of a dick. I don’t mean to be, I very much try to be a nice person to everyone I encounter, even unkind folks. That’s who my best self likes to be, open minded and compassionate. Lately I have had low tolerance for people who aren’t accepting of others, or my opinion of the environment, how hypocritical is that? I am a dick to the dicks I come across and I realize that it is my ego saying “No not like that. Do it my way.”

I have been writing about environmental awareness this week, it is one of my passions. I feel that it is part of my life’s purpose to speak up about the injustices happening to Mother Earth. Especially when it come to the Boundary Waters in Minnesota because it means so much to me. When my Adventure Sister Stacy and I go deep in to the forest of the BWCA we reconnect with spirit and ourselves. It is a magical time for us to recharge our souls by connecting with The Universe through nature. We would not be able to do that if it were to be poisoned my mining for its resources. It would not be the same place at all.

The thought of losing such a treasure makes my blood boil and my warrior spirit or ego gets all worked up. This is a stark contradiction to my other self! In my other life I am a massage therapist and light worker that believes the energy you give out comes back to you. On one hand I am a healer, a caretaker and a generally happy person, on the other hand I am human, I have a darker side too. We all do.

I struggle at times to keep the balance between keeping my thoughts and vibrations high by counting my blessings. Then when I start thinking about the possibility of something I cherish so profoundly, such as the Boundary Waters, becoming polluted, my love turns to fear, my fear turns to anger then I turn into that dick I was just talking about. I think this reaction is universal to most people I know when something or someone they love seems to be threatened.

So, what do I do to keep my vibrations and thoughts positive about a subject like environmental pollution that is not a happy subject at all? How do I stay true to my values of kindness and compassion when I am feeling the exact opposite? I must accept the duality of my true self, we all have light and dark energy for a reason, our emotions spur us to take action when we feel it is necessary. Our Yin Yang energy is variable it is meant to flow in balanced state, yet it is altered by our thoughts and actions. I know this, and I try so hard to keep it balanced yet someday’s I fail miserably.

So next time I come across a dick being a dick, I will try not to be a dick too. I will acknowledge that maybe they are reacting the same way that I do. They may be fearful or angry about something and I must listen to them if they are to listen to me.  This is the only way we can make progress, we are all on the same team on the same planet. I will do my best to keep my words and message positive, yet I know that life isn’t always joyful and there are subjects that do need to be discussed even if they are uncomfortable.

So here I am still a good person, with good intentions, sometimes a dick, most of the time I am not. My reasons are not excuses to be rude, yet I will not be mute on a subject that must be addressed. In the end I don’t need others to like me, I need them to listen, so that I can fulfill my purpose of environmental awareness. I know that I don’t like to listen to someone I don’t like, so I must be more aware of the words I use and how I use them to get my message across. I am a work in progress we all are.

Blessings ~

Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister

https://emyminzel.com

@emyminzel

Follow the Adventure Sisters on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/BWCAdventureSisters

Stacy Crep ~ Adventure Sister

https://stacycrep.com