Wow, the year has sprinted out the gate. The winter holidays already seem like a long time ago, especially when it’s so sunny and mild here in Marin County. Still, I keep thinking about some realizations I had while digging out from the massive storms in the Sierra Nevada in January. I was on a snowy vacation, and I didn’t turn on my computer for seven days straight. (I hope you enjoyed some version of that yourself. After another tough year, we all deserve to unplug and recharge in whatever way feels right to us.)

Have you ever witnessed something so amazing it brought tears to your eyes? Put a lump in your throat? Or stopped you dead in your tracks?

You might never have thought about it until now, but that intense physical, emotional and mental response is the emotion of awe.

You might have seen my post about the last-minute cancellation of the infamous Markleeville Death Ride due to the Tamarack fire. You might also recall that Matt and I had trained for months for this grueling ride and to raise money for Trips for Kids Marin. We were disappointed by the cancellation, of course, but the whole experience left us feeling grateful for so many things—starting with the safe evacuation of all 2,500 riders, volunteers, and the entire town of Markleeville.

Not long ago, I was at a weekend retreat (the same weekend that I had an epiphany after falling off a high ropes course). Exploring the grounds when I first arrived, I happened upon a sign with 11 words carved into it: Are you paying attention to what you are paying attention to? I glanced at the sign and hurried on. A lounge chair at the mineral pool was calling my name.

When was the last time you challenged yourself to do something difficult? Something that made you question your skills, courage, or endurance? If it’s been a while since you tapped into the discomfort, adrenaline, or sweat of a new challenge, I highly recommend you set your sights on a big one as soon as you can!

Two years ago, my husband Matt and I took a five-month road trip in our RV, which we call Freedom. Shortly into the adventure, we started keeping a list of people and places we encountered that went above and beyond in some way, like serving melt-in-your-mouth pancakes, offering an extra-friendly smile, or sharing directions for a “locals-only” shortcut.