Last weekend, I tried skate skiing for the first time.
If you are unfamiliar, think:
Quiet landscape
Crisp air and velvety snow
Your heart madly + incessantly pumping out of your chest
It would have been easy for me to take the trails like I always do.
I found my rhythm with cross-country skiing a few years back. There is a calm and fluidity behind what I do. There is a trust in knowing the technique and how long the journey will be on my favorite tracks.
Yet, something inside of me has always wanted to try skate skiing. Every time I watch someone breeze past me, my body shouts, “Yes! Let’s do that!”
So, on a gorgeous Saturday morning, after watching a few “how-to” videos on YouTube, my friend and I decided to go for it.
My time on the trail taught me some valuable lessons.
Soften Expectation
Being a beginner at something can be humbling, yet it is a necessary part of growth. There’s discomfort in not knowing what you’re doing, but there’s also freedom—freedom to learn, to improve, and to experience something completely new.
Laugh
I am not sure I would have enjoyed it nearly as much if I wasn’t with my dear friend Bailey. Life is about connection, shared experiences, and creating forever memories with your core humans. Learning, trying, and laughing through it together makes our days even better.
Surrender
“More glide, less force” became my go-to mantra. The moment I started overthinking my technique, everything fell apart. But when I softened, trusted, and let my body move with the rhythm of the snow, I found a glimpse of ease.
Look Up
When I stopped staring at my skis, searching for the answers in my footing, and instead looked ahead, everything shifted. It no longer felt like work. I reunited with the magic of my surroundings—mountains stretching endlessly, the hush of the trees, the crisp winter air filling my lungs.
Come Back to Your Why
Lastly, I came back to why I was doing this in the first place: my deep love of Mother Nature and being in my body. It wasn’t about mastering the sport—it was about the feeling of being alive, present, and in forward motion.
Trying something new—whether on the trail, in work, or in life—requires courage, surrender, and a willingness to look up and trust. What’s something you’ve been wanting to try? Maybe now is the time to say "yes!"
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