You know that moment when you catch your reflection and realize you’ve been getting through life instead of really living it? That’s where this conversation begins, and it’s where a lot of real change starts. Mary shares a vivid memory from the Pacific Crest Trail and why time in the outdoors can strip life back to what matters: food, water, rest, and the quiet confidence that comes from doing hard things one step at a time.

Mary’s guest, Belinda Coker, is an Australian hiker, writer, and educator behind Soul Treader. Belinda talks about her own flashbulb moment during COVID after years of corporate burnout, drinking too much, and feeling disconnected from her body. A simple decision to buy hiking boots and join a meetup turned into weekly hikes, sunrise walks, and eventually solo multi day treks, including big international adventures. Along the way, she learned a lesson she now teaches other women: confidence grows through action, not theory.

We get practical about what helps women start hiking safely, especially if you’re new, nervous, midlife, or returning after decades. Belinda breaks down how to choose a first route that sets you up to win, why exit points matter, and how knowledge reduces fear: hydration planning, heat and cold illness, calories and electrolytes, and basic self sufficiency. We also talk gear in plain language, including why fabric choices matter and how preparation turns “what if” anxiety into calm decision making. Belinda shares her experience hiking with lipedema and why there’s always a continuum of success, from bench to bench in a local park all the way up to a multi day trail.

Then we shift to a surprising freedom tool: house sitting. Belinda explains how caring for pets in someone else’s home can cut travel costs, increase security for solo travelers, and help you live like a local in places you’d never pick from a tourist list.

You can find Belinda HERE.

https://soultreader.com/

You can find information on house sitting HERE.

https://housesittingcollective.com/

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Learn more about my book, Nature Knows: Grow and Thrive through the Wisdom of Plants HERE.

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