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Breaking the Cycle: Self-Sabotage, Mindfulness, and the Power of Manifestation
Alpine Circuit, Lake O'Hara It’s funny how often the things that hold us back come not from the outside world, but from within. Self-sabotage. The quiet, sneaky, familiar voice that tells us we aren’t good enough, that we don’t deserve what we want, that maybe it’s safer to stay small. I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately after reading Jennie’s book, Self-Sabotage No More . Her words hit hard, the idea that our unprocessed emotions, filters, and limiting beliefs can sha
Shannon Hurst
43 minutes ago5 min read


Both Sides of the Blade
Cascade Mountain, Banff The Beauty and Brutality of Living Wide Open There’s a new song by Max McNown called Both Sides of the Blade that’s been echoing in my mind lately. It’s haunting in the most beautiful way... simple, raw, and deeply true. It speaks about how love, pain, and the sharp edges of life all coexist, often in the same breath. The title itself feels like a metaphor for the way I’ve lived my life, right there, on both sides of the blade. I’ve always said that i
Shannon Hurst
Oct 304 min read


Showing Up, Living Now, and Letting Nature Work Its Magic: A Mother-Son Adventure
Moraine Lake The Power of Showing Up Some mornings start off on a heated note, and yesterday was one of those mornings. I had planned a mother/son day in the mountains, a chance to reconnect, laugh, and breathe in the wild beauty that always feels like medicine for the soul. My son, however, had other ideas. He didn’t want to come. I tried to let it go at first, saying, “Fine, I'll go by myself.” But the more I thought about it, the more I realized we hadn’t spent real time t
Shannon Hurst
Oct 175 min read


Finding Ways to Re-Energize: Why It’s So Critical to Our Mental Health and Well-Being
Sunrise through an art installation at Oak Bay, Vancouver Island There’s a point when the noise, the pace, and the emotional demands of...
Shannon Hurst
Oct 105 min read


When to Let Go
Yesterday I hiked to Arnica Lake, and like so many of my hikes this year, it turned into more than just a climb, it became yet another...
Shannon Hurst
Sep 303 min read


Making Time for Your Mental Health: It’s No One Else’s Job
Reflections in the pond at Arethusa Cirque Mental health is our wealth. It’s the foundation for how we show up in life, at work, and for...
Shannon Hurst
Sep 246 min read


Looking Forward: Lessons From the Rearview Mirror
Looking back driving home There are countless sayings about change and moving on, but one of my personal favorites is this: If you drive...
Shannon Hurst
Sep 154 min read


Change is the Only Constant: And Lessons From My Beloved Nature
Back end of Yukness Ledges & Opabin Plateau, Lake O'Hara If there’s one truth I’ve learned in my 50-plus years on this earth, it’s this:...
Shannon Hurst
Aug 203 min read


Bees, Balance, and the Art of Living Well
Glorious Mount Assiniboine I just had the absolute gift of spending three days in Mount Assiniboine Park, hiking with friends through one...
Shannon Hurst
Aug 53 min read


The Problem with the Written Word & Why Nature is a Better Communicator
As a writer, the written word is a massive part of my life. It’s also the way I process life, the way I make sense of loss, love, fear,...
Shannon Hurst
Jul 314 min read


Kindness as a Way of Life: Lessons From Nature and the Trails
Top of Mount Lipsett looking towards the Highwood Pass Today I read a quote that stopped me in my tracks: “Shout out to people whose...
Shannon Hurst
Jul 196 min read


Slowed by Solitude: A Solo Hike to Berg Lake and the Gift of Stillness
Mount Robson By Shannon Hurst Hiking into Berg Lake , cradled beneath the towering majesty of Mount Robson , was more than checking off a...
Shannon Hurst
Jul 97 min read


Borders, Wildflowers, and What Travel Has Taught Me About Being Human
Jumpingpound Trail, looking into Kananaskis By Shannon Hurst | Gower Media I just got back from another whirlwind trip to the U.S., this...
Shannon Hurst
Jun 237 min read


Why I Tell Stories: How Nature and Emotion Make Content Worth Remembering
Some days, when the blank page stares back at me with more resistance than possibility, I don’t force it. I step away from the screen,...
Shannon Hurst
Jun 174 min read


From Flatlands to the Rockies: Writing Through Self-Doubt and Perfectionism
Alpine Circuit, Lake O'Hara By Shannon Hurst Some days, writing feels like standing on the wide-open prairie, flat, exposed, and unsure...
Shannon Hurst
Jun 52 min read


Your Website Isn’t a Trail Marker: Why An Ineffective Web Presence Is Hurting Your Business
Bugaboo's By Shannon Hurst I try and get out hiking in my proverbial backyard as often as possible. On one of my last hikes up a ridge in...
Shannon Hurst
Jun 22 min read


When the Ideas Won’t Land: Reflections from a Birdwatching Writer
Great Egret, Huntington State Park in South Carolina By Shannon Hurst | Gower Media Some evenings, when the wind softens and the sun...
Shannon Hurst
May 302 min read


Writing Trends 2025: What a Quiet Paddle Can Teach Us About Modern Storytelling
Some trends race at you like a speedboat on a summer long weekend. Others arrive slowly, like a sunrise paddle across a still lake,...
Shannon Hurst
May 283 min read


Managing a Consistent Multichannel Strategy (And What My Garden in Okotoks Taught Me Today)
Today, I spent the whole day in my garden. And not just the usual puttering, I mean hands in the soil, sweat on my back, weeds...
Shannon Hurst
May 213 min read


What Glaciers Taught Me About Struggling to Generate Leads
Have you ever stood beside a glacier-fed lake like Lake Louise or Moraine Lake and felt that sense of awe, the kind that reminds you how...
Shannon Hurst
May 202 min read
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