Ruth's raw, unfiltered voice memos from her solo journey through New Zealand make up most of this episode, and honestly? It's one of the most truthful, vulnerable things we've ever put out there. Ruth's walking you through the whole thing: The initial excitement of departure (that "holy buckets, I'm really doing this" energy), the physical challenges that make you question everything, the moments of reflection when you're alone with your thoughts in the wilderness, and all the interactions with locals and travelers that remind you why humans need each other.

But here's what makes this special: You're hearing Ruth navigate the emotional highs and lows in real time. Not polished. Not edited into neat takeaways. Just the messy, beautiful truth of what it's like to push yourself beyond what you thought you could do.

By the end, Ruth's gained profound insights and a sense of accomplishment that only comes from finishing something audacious. And when she gets home? She reflects on how the whole experience transformed her. This episode is for anyone who's ever wondered what it actually feels like to do the thing that scares you. Not the Instagram version. The real version. So grab your coffee (or your hiking boots) and settle in. Ruth's taking you to New Zealand—and it's going to change how you think about what you're capable of.

LINKS:

Check out Dawn Trautman's coaching: bigpicturebigpurpose.com

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00:00 Introduction to Ruth's Journey

00:57 Ruth's Pre-Departure Thoughts

00:57 Travel Hiccups and Delays

02:53 Arrival in New Zealand

04:21 First Days on the Trail

05:48 Challenges and Small Victories

06:56 Reflections on Home and the World

08:45 Unexpected Encounters and Decisions

10:38 Reaching Queenstown and Final Thoughts

18:09 Returning Home and Processing the Journey

21:04 Reflecting on the Journey

21:18 Challenges and Adaptations

22:20 Survival Strategies

23:22 Facing Loneliness

23:38 The Value of Community

26:45 Unsupervised Adventures

30:03 Packing Essentials

31:14 Final Thoughts and Recommendations