The deepest adventures are not always the ones we plan. They are the ones that ask us to trust, to receive help, and to keep going even when the ground beneath us has shifted.

Jo Giese is an award winning journalist, lifelong hiker, and author whose life changed after a devastating accident and a medical outcome that told her she might never walk again. Instead of accepting that ending, Jo chose something else. She chose hope, grit, and community. She became the CEO of her own healing.

In this conversation, Jo shares her journey from a traumatic Achilles injury and multiple surgeries to learning how to walk again through determination, support, and deep connection to nature. We talk about the paradox of loss and becoming, the power of subtraction when certain voices no longer belong on the trail, and how waterfalls, movement, and meaning carried her forward.

This episode is for anyone navigating a hard diagnosis, a life altering setback, or a season where progress feels slower than expected.

What you will hear and feel in this conversation

Why some people accept a grim diagnosis and others refuse to let it define them
What it means to become the CEO of your own healing
How choosing the right people can change the outcome
The role of nature and adventure in recovery and resilience
Why comparison leads to despair and presence restores hope

Links and Resources

Jo Giese website https://jogiese.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giesejo
Books:
- Book Never Sit If You Can Dance
- Upcoming book You’ll Never Walk Alone available February 10

I’ve also launched a new podcast called Year Of The Horse Adventure Coach. You can listen here:

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