Question of the Day: It's about activism

The current discussion here at BIKE WITH JACKIE makes me realize that there's a lot to get active about lately. But you can't be an activist about everything. If you tried, or if you got wrapped in all that's going on right now, you'd spread yourself too thin and accomplish very little. So I believe you have to choose your poison, and base it on your passion so interest endures. Therefore, my question for you is:

What is YOUR cause?

Mine is helping women in transition. I've been able to take my own life experience and use it to other women's advantage. I provide a mental tool that can be used to help fight distress. There's no cure for my cause, but there' a way to overcome it. And that's my mission in life: to help other women overcome the obstacles that threaten their success. Basically, I like to say I help move people forward. It's all about the BIKE.

Alexandra Grabbe, who inspired today's question, might consider her cause the environment. She cares about what's harming the land and seas, and she blogs about issues that come up where she lives. I'd say her mission might be to educate, and she's good at it. Her blog makes an excellent vehicle to help us become more aware of what we can do to help the environment.

Now tell us what your cause is and what you do for it? If you don't have a cause, what issues going on in the world right now are really tugging at your heartstrings? What would you like to do about them?

There's no right or wrong answer here. Just think about this: You have a natural gift that you may or may not be using. It could be that you're great at bringing people together. You could be amazing with words. You could have an eye for design. There could be an artist in you just waiting to break free. You could be the one everyone calls when their organization needs to raise funds. I'm curious to know if you know what your special skill is and how it can best be used for the betterment of our world.

Don't worry, be happy

So much going on in the world right now. The news is killing me. The Shirley Sherrod case. The Arizona immigration law issue -- struck down by the judge but still being debated and not going away for a long time. The BP oil spill in the gulf of Mexico. I just heard on the news BF now wants to write off that disaster. It's legal. But, oh, what nerve!

Do I even need to post links to this stuff? Doubtful. Anyone who's reading today's post surely knows all there is to know about any these issues, they've been in the news for so long...or long enough.

I guess my point today is simply this: I'm so sick of hearing all this bad news that I could just scream!

Please. Tell me your good news.

Remember that song recorded by Bobby McFerrin in 1998, "Don't Worry, Be Happy"? Well, I just want to do that.

What are you doing in your life to make that happen? My first step is to limit the amount of news I watch. How about you?

New! Motivation for Mondays

Hey, I'm back!

After quite a bit of traveling, and some much needed time to catch up with business marketing, administrative tasks and taking some down time from social media (but not much down time), I'm back.

And I have some good news for you.

It's Time to Get Motivated!
A fellow tweep from Twitter and I are starting something new on Mondays. We'll be posting tweets under the hastag #MotivatedMondays in order to help our followers, friends and connections get motivated after the weekend. We'll be posting tips, quotes and other positive bits of inspiration to help jump start your week ahead. In addition, we'll be using our blogs to post lengthier motivational posts on Mondays as well. So watch for those links. We want to see you move your lives in the direction you want it to go.

Because #MotivatedMondways occurred after a few spontaneous thoughts, we're not sure exactly how this is going to work. Expect it to grow organically. But we hope you'll join us and read our tweets in the Mondays ahead--and on other days, too, of course. If you have any ideas of your own, please join in and help us grow #MotivatedMondays into a service that will benefit us all.

Meanwhile, here's a story from one my trips...

The Mini Grand Canyon Tour
As you might be able to guess from the photo above, I just returned from the Grand Canyon. Over the 4th of July weekend, my boyfriend and I joined three other couples to tour the North Rim. We hiked to Bright Angel Point (not to be confused with Bright Angel Trail on the South Rim). An easy hike, it's really just a walk around the rim to an overlook of Bright Angel, and the views are amazing. It is the Grand Canyon, after all.

The part in the picture shown above comes from the patio in back of the Grand Canyon Lodge along the trail, the only lodging on the North Rim. We weren't staying there; we stayed at Lee's Ferry Lodge at nearby Vermillion Cliffs--a great stop for anyone who doesn't mind rustic rooms, more beautiful views and good food at a cafe where the waitress named Charlie is as cantankerous as they come. If you're a woman living out there in the middle of nowhere, I guess you have to take on that kind of protective attitude. It's a funny thing for city folk. No matter. You'll have a good time; she's just teasing. But the place definitely isn't for whiners.

And as we were out in the middle of nowhere, on purpose, I was slightly disappointed we'd driven the five hours to get there and all we were going to do was this simple hike along the rim. No strenuous climbing. No daredevil jumps. No panting or out of breath need for big chugs of water. Just an easy ramble along the edge of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. But I didn't whine about it. I know some of my friends aren't nearly as ambitious as I am when it comes to outdoor adventure.

Luckily, I got what I was looking for two days later.

It came unexpectedly, actually. As we packed up and were ready to return home, the lodge owner's friend invited us to go with him over to see the old homestead built by a one-time Mormon leader John D. Lee, a practicing Mormon polygamist (common at the time) who was sent to this area along the Arizona Strip by Brigham Young to operate a ferry across the Colorado River. One of Lee's wives named the homestead the Lonely Dell because it was so isolated. It's now an interesting look at a part of the Colorado River history, and I did want to see that--and grab a peach off the trees in the old orchard, maintained now by the park service.

A Three Hour Tour
On the way to see Lonely Dell, we stopped off for what we thought would be a quick hike, a mile and a half in, we were told, through a slot canyon. If I'd have really listened when our "guide" asked, "You're not afraid of heights, are you?" I might have questioned the time frame. But I'm glad I didn't.


This turned out to be the hike I had hoped for. Called Cathedral Wash, it took us through a rough and tumble slot canyon that led straight to the Colorado River itself--where you could watch river rafters float by if you timed it just right. On the way in, we climbed canyon sides, jumped across ledges, hunkered down to crawl through tight spaces, trudged through sandy soil, hopped, skipped and jumped over large and small boulders, and kept a look-out for cairns so we could be sure to take the safest path--and not get lost.

We often encountered loose rock and gravel. But we made it--three hours later--back to the car in one piece. Thank goodness my boyfriend and I stopped off for lots of water on the way, because one of our hikers didn't. And this quick hike turned out to be a long and very hot trek in mostly sun. We wound up sharing our water with him so he wouldn't be without. And we sure embraced the shade when the canyon walls provided it.

We did not get to spend near enough time at the cool water when we reached the Colorado River bed. That was a beautiful sight to see. But our guide wanted to turn right back so we wouldn't miss the chance to see the homestead.


So speaking of Motivated Mondays--or any day for that matter--next time I return to hike this area again, I'm planning a much longer stay at the river's edge. It seems a shame to have taken in all that heat and hard work for such little time at the Colorado--which is one of the world's most amazing rivers.

How about you? Have you ever been motivated to do something again because you felt like you missed the best part the first time around? I'd love to hear your stories.