What in the World Have I Started?: My Own Courage to Confidence Adventure

In my neck of the woods, school starts today. Yikes!

But we’re also starting a whole new season of Secret Adventures for Courageous Women, and girl-oh-girl do I have a fun year planned for us.

Isn’t THAT great news?! :)

Many of you have been asking about our next trip. As hot as it’s been, I did briefly consider leading a trip to someplace cool and preferably wet – but in the end elected to hold off for the month of July. After the outstanding success of our first weekend adventure, it was time to stand still for a moment, rest up a bit, and Take Stock.

And so I have. And you know what? It’s been quite a year for this new venture of mine. Can’t quite believe it myself. In fact, in every way, this has become my own Courage to Confidence experience.

And YOU, dear friends, have been a HUGE part of it from the very beginning.

(That’s my friend Penny, at one of our Courage Circle campfires. She was showing off the first s’more she’d ever made, and yes, it was a work of art.)

Last September, I sat at my computer early one morning gathering the nerve to try a crazy new idea. It was 4 a.m. on a Thursday, and I really, really, really wanted to take you for a moonlight hike under the gorgeous full moon that was coming Monday night.

So I wrote out an invitation. Obsessed over every word. Fought with fears and self-doubts. Went back and forth in my mind.

I’m not giving them enough time. I should wait. But I really want to do this. What if this is lame? No- I know they’d enjoy it… But how in the world do I convince them to come, when they don’t even know what we’re doing?

I didn’t know what to call it. Didn’t know how to say it. Only sorta knew how to DO it.

So in the end, I just called it what it was – plain and simple.

It was, after all, a secret trip, a surprise, a present.

It would be, in the dark at least, a bit of an adventure.

And you’d HAVE to be, just to come, quite courageous.

(Or, some might say, a little crazy. But then, I digress…)

Then, somewhere around 6 a.m., I said a prayer, crossed my fingers, held my breath, and hit “SEND”.

I think it was less than an hour before my dear friend, Raeus Jae Cannon responded, with something to the effect of, “Okay, Wendy. I don’t know what you’re up to, but I’ll bite.”

And the rest, as they say, is history – a history we’re still writing.

Since then, we’ve had SO MUCH fun. And I know that many of you have been tempted to join us, but worry about what you might get yourself into.

That just means you’ve got some Common Sense, you know.

Would it help to know the kinds of things we do? Because you’re gonna want to be there for all I’ve got planned for this upcoming year.

Just sayin’! :)

So if you’re still not sure, just take a look at all we’ve experienced SO FAR.

Enjoyed a sunset picnic high on a mountain overlooking the valley, before taking a moonlight hike to the local fire tower with incredible views of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Completed a scavenger hunt in a historic cemetery, enjoying bagpipes and a carriage ride while learning about a local suffragist hero. Sampled Mediterranean food for dinner that night.

Tried our hand at flatwater kayaking, before enjoying a delicious meal cooked on a campfire with some lovely time to share and be.
Spent an evening learning how to contra-dance (a really fun form of old English folk-dancing), then celebrated our success – and cooled off – with Italian ice treats.

Attended a special concert with the Knoxville Chamber Orchestra, and had a classy dinner afterwards at a woman-owned restaurant.

Rambled together on a beautiful hike to the historic cabin of a group of sisters who held off the Federal government in their day.

Spent a day learning how to fish (what a day that was!), then enjoyed a delicious meal of fried catfish and homemade hushpuppies. (No – we didn’t catch those fish.) Ended the day with a beautiful sunset meditation.
Enjoyed a mother-daughter tea party in honor of Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee.
Spent a weekend together learning how to camp, while supporting one Sister’s first ever hang-gliding experience.

All in all we’ve had fun, tried new things, enjoyed beautiful sights and sounds, made many new friends, and share lots and lots of laughter.

And I know you love it, because so many of you have told your friends, asked me for stacks of cards to share, and dragged complete strangers up to me in public, telling them, “You’ve got to go on one of these with her!”

We are a Community of Courageous Women, exploring the world together and learning about our Selves along the way. If you’d like to know more, ask one of our alumni what it’s like, or give me a call. I hope you’ll join us soon.

To my Courageous Alumni –

Which was your favorite trip this year?

And what would you like to do NEXT? :)

_{Photo Credits: by kate hisock, slightly everything}

_{Also by Renee Hunter, Wendy Pitts Reeves and Becky Tucker.}