Tagged: Just Leap

Necessary Failure

It was my turn. I faced the mat as the instructor gave me an encouraging nod. I ran forward a few feet and threw myself headfirst onto the mat, tucking my neck down as I awkwardly rolled over in a somersault-like maneuver.

The instructor gave me a few pointers and I got back in line. I was going to need a lot more practice.

It was my first day of Parkour. I’d signed up for the class because I wanted to get better at body and spatial awareness. And besides, it looked totally fun and I was intrigued.

That first lesson was all about how to tuck and roll. We were going to be doing a lot of falling and it was important to know how to keep ourselves safe.

In other words, we were planning for failure.

(more…)

More

Ready? Set? Let’s get out there and GO!

I watch the chalk dust, thick in the air, glitter and swirl around through the sunlight streaming through the windows. It looks a little like what I think fairy dust must look like.

This winter I’ve been climbing a lot in the gym. And I’ve been totally, unabashedly, loving it. I have to confess that it took me awhile to admit this to myself. As a climber and outdoor enthusiast, I wanted desperately to love climbing outside, and to embrace everything about it—even lead climbing—with bravery, courage, and passion.

Unfortunately, I just wasn’t feeling it.

image002

(more…)

More

Mountain Biking: A Love Story

If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. Or in this case, take a moment to pause, gain some new perspective and most importantly, give yourself some credit! Thanks again to Amy of Expand Outdoors for beautiful insight to tackling new challenges, and patting ourselves on the back. 

amybiking4“I’m slow” had been a mantra for me ever since I got into outdoor activities. I would be painfully aware that I was bringing up the rear, the slowest person on the trail (or in the pool, or on the road). I constantly feared I was holding my friends and companions back, so developed a habit of apologizing for being so slow. And worse, an excuse to not get out there at all in an effort to avoid the uncomfortable feeling of embarrassment and incompetence.

(more…)

More

The Journey of the Skirt: Bringing Out My Inner Badass

You never know where or when you’re going to discover your inner badass. Some don’t believe they have one, but trust me, we all do and she is waiting for you to find her. Sometimes it happens in the middle of the race when you’re in so much pain your eyeballs hurt, but you find a force you didn’t know you had and cross that finish line. That’s your inner bad ass. Or maybe your friends invited you mountain biking and by the end of the day, you were the one breaking the trail. Well, in this case our girl Amy found her inner badass ala a Title Nine skirt. Read on, be inspired and then go out and find your own inner badass. She’s waiting for you. 

Hiking one of the side canyons (photo credit: Jenna Boisvert, Backcountry Babes)

Hiking one of the side canyons (photo credit: Jenna Boisvert, Backcountry Babes)

I didn’t know the skirt was magic when I bought it.

I was simply looking for something practical and cute to wear while rafting the Grand Canyon this summer and thought that a skirt would be a fun alternative to my board shorts.

I found it (at Title Nine, of course) only a week before I left, and with its fun flip at the bottom, pockets for my iPhone/camera, and quick-dry material perfect for wearing around the water, I fell immediately in love. (more…)

More

Greetings and Introductions!

Hi Title Niners! My name is Amy and I am beyond delighted that Title Nine has invited me to be a columnist for this blog, Timeout with Title Nine.

I am a huge fan of the company and their products, but most especially, I adore and whole-heartedly believe in their philosophy and vision. So I’m pretty stoked to be here and wanted to use this first post as an opportunity to introduce myself to you.

In a nutshell, I love the outdoors and the variety of life lessons, personal growth and transformations I’ve experienced from exploring and taking risks in the outdoors.

I believe that taking risks and pushing beyond our comfort zones, past our self-imposed boundaries, keeps us young, fit, growing and constantly evolving into better and more vibrant versions of ourselves.

A few years ago I took the biggest risk I’ve ever taken when I quit my comfy corporate job and leaped into the unknown jungle of a new career and subsequent entrepreneurship as I launched my own company, Expand Outdoors, to help women like me—and perhaps you—to take more risks. To push our boundaries and test our limits to expand our vision of ourselves and the world around us.

To leap.

And so begins the birth of, JUST LEAP. A monthly column on stepping out of your comfort zone and pushing your boundaries, by me, Amy Christensen of Expand Outdoors. (more…)

More

Follow Us on Instagram!

Archive