I sit here in a little cabin in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, just shy of the Canadian border. I am surrounded by the serenity of nature and far removed from the noise and frenetic energy of the big city. My life is not perfect, but my struggles have become greatly diminished since making a home in this place.

For me, the move to the woods was a long time coming and truly a matter of sanity. If I continued to live “out there” as I call it, the already worn and unraveling threads, were destined to break and send me tumbling into some dark hole without much hope of seeing the light again.

Walking on the edge of crazy is not a good feeling. But it is something I have done for most of my life.

You see, I am a statistic. Just one of millions of men and women in this world. I came out of an abusive childhood, and I have spent most of my adult life attempting to overcome the unwelcomed scarlet lettered “Victim” that was branded on my soul. I have worked very hard to turn that ugly brand into one that says “survivor.” And a strong and determined one at that. I do suffer from chronic PTSD and the one thing that has healed my soul the most is spending time out in nature.

Now I am embraced by it, every waking moment. From sunup, to sundown, and beyond. And I want other people to experience the same beauty that I have been blessed with. It doesn’t matter what you are healing from, or maybe you don’t feel a need to heal at all. Whether you are from a quiet hamlet in a place as remote as this, or from a city as large and busy as New York or L.A. Whether you came from a warm and loving family environment, or a highly dysfunctional one like me. We all can use some peace and beauty in our lives just about now. And that is what I long to share with you.

My goal with this podcast is to invite you into my day-to-day journey in the woods. My discoveries, my wow moments, my stories, my healing journey. I also plan to bring you interviews from other people who have found peace and healing out in nature, as well as educational bits and amazing stories about foraging, wildlife, hiking, and surviving in the woods.
Question of the Week:
How has spending time in the outdoors and nature impacted your life?
You can email your response to tracy@awomaninthewoods.com
Or you can call and leave your recorded response directly from your computer or mobile device through Speakpipe, by going to speakpipe.com/awomaninthewoods. 

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