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
