Starting Again

When I began my career as a fitness trainer back in 1996, I was 32 years old. Young, full of energy, and time. Time to build from scratch. Time for things to take off. Time for people to learn about me. Time to be patient.

I built. I networked. I marketed. I promoted. I spent all my extra time (which was limited raising four sons) on my business, my goals. And, I was successful. It took time, but I had lots of it, years ahead of me.

What began as a personal fitness training business, grew into a full service endurance athletic coaching business; coaching a Triathlon team, numerous single sport adult athletes reaching for personal goals, founding and coaching a non-profit girls bike team that I ran and coached for 5 years, while maintaining a private studio for general fitness clients.

my business flourished, and I became a respected and sought after coach.

Until 2020.

COVID

My Studio was shut down with everyone else, and was one of the last businesses allowed to reopen. I scraped and and held on to my Studio for as long as I could. When I re-opened my doors, only 4 out of 30 clients felt comfortable coming back at first. I made the difficult choice to close my doors, closing 24 years of blood, sweat and tears. My dream, my career.

2020 was cruel. 2021 was crueler.

I entertained the idea of starting again. A new location? Rent was outrageous and out of my now missing budget. During COVID I had retreated to the outdoors, like so many. Our homestead is on 14 acres, and during COVID, to stay busy, I created a space to call my own out in the back of our property. I spent hours every day trimming trees, clearing brush and stick piles, raking, pruning, raking more, and developed a space that I had visions of making into a retreat. A retreat to share with others. My dream and goal now shifting to coaching others in outdoor adventures. I began creating plans, programs, came up with a business name and logo; Rise Reach Reconnect.

I hesitated because of the unknowns. I had been so successful, and I still lost. I worked so hard and gave so much. I felt betrayed and defeated, so I was unsure of myself. With growing confidence, I made the decision to go for it, and decided on a date.

Spring 2021.

Well, life is unpredictable isn't it? In February of 2021, we became legal guardians of our 6 month granddaughter. RRR was put on hold.

Then, life took a turn that devastated me beyond my imagination.

My oldest son died. 38 years old. Suffering from depression and life circumstances he thought insurmountable, he turned to drugs to escape. And one time he took a drug that was laced with fentanyl, and it killed him. My breath was gone. And I buried my dreams, my goals, my passion and joy, for what I believed, forever.

2024

I can breath again, I can find joy and peace and healing. In nature.

Nature saved me when I felt nothing could, nor did I want to be saved.

With this new experience with nature, my grief, my pain, I began to feel a renewed purpose. A new energy and motivation to try again.

So, I did. Kamie Outdoors.

Now, I am 61 years old. I have limited time. So I am charging forward with all I have to make the best of it.

It's been a slow process. Some nights I sit and wonder "is this worth it?" "Will Kamie Outdoors grow?" I am not as full of energy as when I was 32, but I am full of passion, experience from life lived longer, and life I have survived. And if I am going to try, I have to do it now. Because, time isn't a luxury as it used to be.

My granddaughter is now 4, and is becoming an outdoors girl right beside me. And, she's watching. Watching me go after a dream and work for it and not give up.

What is success?

Today I hosted an event. A Meet & Greet for a new group I am creating. I prepped. I promoted for months. I marketed it. I put my passion and energy into a new program I want to offer to our community.

5 women attended. 5. One was my younger sister. My biggest supporter. I love her.

My expectation wasn't high, but I truly hoped that at least 10-15 women would attend.

On one thought I could be discouraged and feel defeated.

Or, I could view this with pride.

I choose pride and success.

Because you know what? I am TRYING. I am FOLLOWING my dream.

I live with too many regrets. Regrets that are born out of fear. Dreams, goals, ideas, that I held back due to fear. I am 61 and I refuse to wake up with more regrets, instead, I choose to hold my head up and be darn proud of myself for going after my dreams and goals.

My Meet and Greet

Simple. That's the best

My beautiful sister