Which parts of you need to be untamed?

The career change newsletter that starts with a question

Tell me about a time when you’ve been brave.

While I was out running with friends recently, I commented that I find it much easier to recount details and stories from my travels as an 18 year old than I do about my life now. This led me to talk about bravery because I went travelling around the world alone at that young age. Just me and a massive backpack for 9 months! What happened to her?

Tamed.

There are all sorts of reasons behind the taming - but the significant thing is that my thirst for travel is still here. You should see my face light up when I hear about it! I feel captivated by adventurers and travellers, I welcome them into my home with open arms and ears. This is telling me a message loud and clear - I need to get to know this part of me again because I feel as if something is missing from my life.

It was through telling someone about a past story of bravery that I arrived at this realisation. If I could travel on my own at 18 years old, then I can certainly do it now!

I invite you to share a story about a time when you’ve been brave and it was a positive experience for you. Did that part of you get lost somewhere? If you like you can send your story to me: sarah@sarahventurer.com As a next step, you might like to ask yourself:

Which parts of you need to be untamed?

Subscribe to my newsletter to receive more questions like this.

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In the latest episode of About The Adventure Podcast, Sarah Manning-Ball tells us her career change story from working in the corporate world to following her dream of opening her own food business: Glorious Grazes and Posh Picnics in North Nottinghamshire.

This episode will be of most interest to people who are working in the corporate world and thinking about a total change in direction, anyone who is worried about taking the initial steps towards a different career path, and parents who want to spend more time with their children but feel limited by an office-based job.

More details are in this blog post - or click below to listen now.

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“Instead of bottling up the fears inside my body or trying to distract myself from them, I decided to attend to them with openness and curiosity.”

One of the reasons that I haven’t sent out a newsletter for a few months is because I’ve been working on a new project to write a walking guidebook for the Kinder Scout area in the Peak District. This remarkable opportunity came my way following a group walk when I met the Managing Director of a publishing company in Sheffield.

Following the excitement of the offer, I had concerns and reservations about committing to it which I captured in a blog post. Here’s an extract below:

“The funny thing is that deep down I knew that I wasn’t going to turn the opportunity away, but I did struggle with committing to it. Those fears are wrapped up in all sorts of past stories, but this is a chance to create a new one. Instead of bottling up the fears inside my body or trying to distract myself from them, I decided to attend to them with openness and curiosity.”

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Featured coaching session walk

Picture this - sitting under the shade of trees on a warm summer’s day while looking out to the hills and feeling a gentle breeze on your skin. A break in the flow of our conversation, to have a bite to eat and a brew.

I find that the stillness during a coaching session is even more important than the movement of walking. In sitting there’s a settling. In quietness there’s free thinking. In slowing down there’s awareness. I invite moments of pause and reflection - why are we really here?

While sitting next to this woodland eating my lunch once, a hare ran straight past my feet. I don’t think it even noticed me as it wasn’t running very fast. It’s a lovely quiet area of the dark peak and the views of Kinder Scout are really impressive in good weather!

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A few quick updates

• I’ve been invited to speak at an event in Sheffield this month. The event theme is "I believe in..." where four women are invited to speak for 10 to 15 minutes in any way we choose. More details can be found here and tickets purchashed here.

• Between now and July 2024 I’m gifting 1-1 walks on Kinder Scout for 12 people over 12 months as a way of exploring how to move beyond barriers of walking up mountains. The 12 spaces have been taken but I have a waiting list if you’re interested. More details here.

• I’ve released a new episode of Wild About Kinder podcast which features interviews with people who feel a special connection with Kinder Scout. This episode is with Clare Kelly from Her on a Hill who teaches map and compass skills and leads women’s walking holidays all over the world - including day walks on Kinder Scout. Listen here.

Thank you for reading my newsletter. If you have a question to ask, something to share, or if you’d like to be a guest on my podcast or blog, please get in touch: sarah@sarahventurer.com