Let's Talk Midlife Crisis Podcast
Hosts Ashley & Traci are creating a community and empowering women going thru midlife and aging, exploring the topic of midlife crisis an all its complexities. This is a space where we can come together to share our stories, our experiences, and our perspectives on this pivotal moment in our lives.
Whether you're going through a midlife crisis yourself, going through menopause, dating in midlife or just interested in learning more about this fascinating topic, we invite you to join us for insightful conversations with experts, personal stories from real people, and practical advice on how to navigate this challenging time.
Our goal is to create a community where we can support each other through the ups and downs of midlife, and help each other find meaning, purpose and fulfillment in the second half of our lives.
So buckle up and get ready for an engaging and thought-provoking journey into the world of midlife crisis. We can't wait to share this adventure with you!
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Let's Talk Midlife Crisis Podcast
Journey Through Midlife with Belinda: Hiking, Healing, and New Horizons
Ever wondered how embracing a new activity could transform your midlife journey? Meet Belinda from Soul Treader, who's here to share her awe-inspiring story of multi-day hiking adventures in the breathtaking landscapes of the North Cascades and Washington State. As an Australian currently living in Seattle, Belinda's life is anything but ordinary. Balancing work across continents, raising three children as a single mother, and finding peace in nature, she's planning to continue her hiking passion with an exciting upcoming trip to Europe. Join us as we explore how Belinda's flexible lifestyle and love for the outdoors have been key to her personal growth and serenity.
In this episode, we delve into the personal challenges and transformations women over 50 commonly face. We discuss the impact of aging on self-perception, mental health, and physical well-being, and how activities like hiking can serve as powerful catalysts for positive change. Belinda's journey from feeling overwhelmed to finding self-worth and confidence is an inspiring testament to the benefits of stepping outside your comfort zone. We'll also cover practical advice for beginners, tips for multi-day hikes, and the importance of community support. Don't miss Belinda's heartfelt reflections and the motivational message on the significance of embracing new adventures, including a thrilling hike on the Arctic Circle Trail in Greenland.
Here is a link to purchase her new book.
https://soultreader.com/hike-it-right/
About Belinda
Belinda, an Australian born in New Zealand, is a true testament to the spirit of adventure, channeling her energy into conquering trails across
the globe. A beckon of inspiration for women over 50, her blog
encourages the joy of hiking as a celebration of the golden years.
Belinda's transformation from a sedentary lifestyle began with a simple
pair of hiking boots and has evolved into a journey of unforgettable
treks and wild camping, despite a quirky fear of possums and birds.
Her guide's practical advice is drawn from authentic experiences,
ensuring fellow hikers are well-prepared. Embracing the nomadic
flexibility that remote work affords, Belinda balances professional life
with her passion, leading her to vibrant locations like Sayulita and
Cuenca. A staunch advocate for sustainability, she promotes eco-friendly
practices and gear, while welcoming all levels of hikers to share in the beauty she captures on her trails. Hopeful, daring, and deeply connected to nature, Belinda's story is not just about fitness or travel; it's an invitation to rediscover
oneself, submerged in the wilderness of the world and the introspection of the trails. Visit Soultreader.com and join her in exploring the path less traveled, where every woman is encouraged to shine in her own trek of life.
Great Resources:
The Ultimate Reading List of Inspiring Hiking and Adventure Tales
https://soultreader.com/hiking-books-for-women-for-adventure-discovery/
Getting Started:
What to Pack for a Day Hike
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Hello and welcome to let's Talk Midlife Crisis with your hosts, Ashley and Tracy. Pull up a chair for your seat at the table as we talk about journey through midlife. We have a special guest today Belinda with Soul Treader.
Speaker 2:Did I say that right? Treader, soul Treader, yes, we're so excited to have you here.
Speaker 1:Welcome Belinda with.
Speaker 3:Soul Treader. Did I say that right? Treader, soul Treader. Yes, we're so excited to have you here. Welcome, belinda. Hi, thank you so much for having me. Ashley and Tracy, this is wonderful to be on your show. I love your podcast.
Speaker 1:Thank you. Thank you for listening and for everyone, all of our listeners out there.
Speaker 3:tell us a little bit about yourself right, okay, so, um, I'm australian and I'm here in the usa right now, today, in fourth of july. This has been recorded on fourth of july happy independence day.
Speaker 3:Happy fourth of july, by the way. Yes, so, um, my, my work is in. My real job is actually in the USA, my customer base is here, so I base myself anywhere on this continent or the continent south of us, in South America or Central America, so I could be on this time zone. I can actually be on the European time zone as well, but it makes it a little bit harder. The Australian time zone no, I was getting up at 2 am just to have a midday meeting on the eastern coast. So, yeah, that wasn't working, and I've also. A few years ago, I started multi-day hiking. This is something which has basically transformed my life, and now I am taking this through into my latter years, my golden years, and hopefully something that I can retire with and keep mobile and um and active and adventurous. I still want to be hiking when I'm 80.
Speaker 1:Wow, yeah, and it is possible because I've seen, I've seen, I've seen those people yeah, trails, so yeah and they're just as fit as I am so are you currently in the Pacific Northwest area region of the United States?
Speaker 3:That's correct. I'm in Seattle, so and honestly, washington State. This is the first time I've actually spent time in Washington State. I've been here for a trade show before and with trade shows you sort of, you know, stay in a nice hotel and then go to the trade show and come back and collapse on your bed or, you know, drink wine at dinner time and then collapse on your bed or whatever.
Speaker 3:And, honestly, I have seen some of the most beautiful things here the North Cascades. I went to the North Cascades last year last weekend I dropped a friend off who was starting the PCT, the Pacific Crest Trail, from the Northern northern terminus. So I went up there and, honestly, it was just stunning, absolutely stunning.
Speaker 1:Beautiful country. Yes, seattle is absolutely beautiful and I think and correct me if I'm wrong but you're able to hike all year long in Seattle. Correct, pretty much.
Speaker 3:Absolutely yes, yes, a hike all year long in in seattle, correct, pretty much absolutely yes, yes, um, I mean, you know, obviously there's. You know some places where, where you're not going to be able to, but, um, it's, it's quite a diverse state. I mean, you've got this beautiful rainforest, you've got this, you know, the olympia national park and then you've got um. You know, you've got the, you've got the, the beach area. It really is, it's, it's absolutely amazing um and all the islands as well.
Speaker 1:There's, you know, a ton of islands right that you could go to as well. I'm not sure how well those would work out for hiking specifically, but I think, just for you know, a day trip, if you will, and maybe again, like you said, maybe hike around the beaches, that would be amazing yeah, yeah, no, they really are.
Speaker 3:I mean, they're just, it really is just beautiful. I mean, I've spent some, quite some time on some of the islands um Dashin Island and um what was the other island that I went to, where Bainbridge is and it's just beautiful, it really is beautiful and it's very serene and yeah. So I was absolutely amazed, absolutely amazed.
Speaker 2:So are you just visiting there for hiking or where are you actually based?
Speaker 3:Well, I've just been in Vancouver because I've got a son who's doing the ski season in Whistler and I had a daughter doing the ski season in Vernon. You know all the ski resorts.
Speaker 3:The ski resorts are just filled with australians oh yeah, I'm sure so it's kind of like a bit of a like rite of passage. You know, come over there, they get the, they get the two-year working visa. So that was really good. And then, um, I needed to be in the states. Um, you know, I had a couple of meetings down here, so I based myself in seattle until I leave in about 10 days and go to europe for the hiking season.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow, that's amazing. That is amazing now, if I'm, if I'm correct, you had raised, you have three children and you pretty much raised them as a single mom for the majority of the time. Is that correct?
Speaker 3:yeah, for a good bit of the time about for about 12 years yeah, there you go okay, so, yeah, so when my ex-husband and I separated, I sort of made a pact with myself that I wasn't going to bring in another man into the house unless it was someone who was very special and a really good father role model. And I didn't quite find that, so I kind of did it on my own and then um, but don't get me wrong, I, you know, I I still had, um, a female funnel of course, of course well, both of us, um have three children and we for the most part, since our divorces.
Speaker 1:Also, we're single moms as well, which is why I brought that up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because we have that in common, I think and we have a great group of friends that you know. They've all been very helpful, supportive.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we have our tribe right. And they always say it takes a village to raise children. So we were each other's you know village and but yeah, so I thought that that was awesome when I read that about you on your website so, which is tolltradercom, and we'll put all of that in the description of our podcast as well.
Speaker 3:And the other thing is that I've got such a good relationship with my kids. Now They've all left school so I couldn't actually leave here, leave Australia and come out to America until they'd all left school and they were at a stage where I could actually you know, I could actually lead them, and what I said to them is I need to base myself in the Northern Hemisphere for a couple of years. I will fly you to wherever I am and we will have one-on-one or two-on-one you know, we will have that concentrated time together on one.
Speaker 3:You know we will have that, that um concentrated time together, where you know we can eat, we can you know, catch up and yes play. I mean, if I go home and go back into my um apartment or wherever I go, my kids are still going to have part-time jobs, they're still going to have friends.
Speaker 3:They're still going to have uni and I would probably see them um, for about you know, a tenth of the time I would if we were all together. So so that's worked out really well. But I also had very um, I had well traveled kids as well. So, uh, so my middle daughter was actually doing a, an exchange in Exeter University in London, and that's why I was in the UK for some time. So, yeah, no, it's um, it's, it's working out well. Yes, I do miss them like crazy, but we talk a lot and um and they um. Someone asked me the other day you know, what do your children think about what you do? And they're my greatest fans.
Speaker 2:Oh, I'm sure.
Speaker 3:I launched a book the other day and they're all Mom. I'm so proud of you. And I'm just like oh, that's awesome.
Speaker 1:Now what's the name of the book that you just launched, because we'll have to get it Okay.
Speaker 3:So it's called Like it Right and it's health, safety and hygiene on the trail. But it is so, so informative and it's, you know, you can find out all bits and pieces. Some people have done, you know, blog posts on hygiene. Some, you know there's books on safety. You know blog posts on hygiene some, you know there's books on safety. You know and you know. But there's, you know, a little bit of on health. But I go into all three pillars and I also tell the why. So we all know that when we go on a walk outside, that we're supposed to, you know, drink lots of water and wear a hat and we're all told that, so we don't dehydrate and get sunburned yes, we're very familiar with that out here in the desert.
Speaker 3:Yes, yeah but I go into what actually happens to your body when you dehydrate, um, and how that affects your performance on the trail, what that actually does to your body. And then I also go into when it comes to um wearing a hat and this is just in the health section. And then I go into well, okay, why do we wear a hat? Well, of course we wear a hat, um, you know, to hold up the brim, so we can, you know, have some shade over our faces. But did you know that because of the lack of um, fat and muscle in our skull, it is so easy for our heads to allow heat inside our body and for us to overheat, and that's when we get heat exhaustion and potentially fatal heat stroke. So there's all sorts of things like this.
Speaker 3:And then I go into, like, okay, well, why do we wear a beanie? You know why do we put a beanie on? And you know there was a 1950s military test, done years and years ago, and they basically said that you lose, you know, 10% or 40% or something, heat from your head. Well, that's actually now being debunked, but again, because of the lack of um, fat and muscle in our skull and the fact that our head can't shiver, so it can't keep us warm. That's why wearing a beanie when you stop, when you um, when you stop exerting yourself, is so important. Um, I then go into electrolytes and I say, well, you know why each component of those cute sports drinks that you drink, why each thing item, the potassium, the magnesium, the sodium, what they actually do and you go ah, okay, I see how important it is now.
Speaker 1:Do you recommend in your book? Um, do you recommend a particular um sports drink over another, because I know that some of them have a lot of sugar, um, and different things that may not be as good for you as you think that they are just based upon the label, right. So do you? Do you recommend any products over another or just kind of identify what is in the drinks?
Speaker 3:so yeah, so I actually use um, lmnt, um, which is l? Um, I think. Louisiana Okay, november Can go. There you go. So I actually use that, okay, and Andrew Huberman from Human Labs he actually recommends it as well. Okay, so there's no sugar and it's basically everything. You need nothing. You don't Perfect, so I use that one. It can be a little bit pricey outside of America, so if you are listening from overseas and that isn't available for you, just look for something which doesn't have a lot of sugar.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And you can actually make your own by using some sort of powdered drink, and you can actually add your own salt and yeah, yeah, things like that. So you can. You can actually do that, because one of the things that I also go into is is when, when you drink too much water and you lose all your all the minerals and essential you know um electrolytes out of your body yeah the other thing which is in the book is all about hygiene you have a little bit of that on your website as well, and I was quite fascinated, because it's what is it?
Speaker 1:leave no trail and leave no trace. Um, but going through the hygiene, I was like hmm, I don't know whether or not you bring my toileting.
Speaker 3:I did, I don't hold back, do I?
Speaker 1:it's very informative and I I found it quite interesting, so, yes, yeah, yeah, I know, and that's the whole thing is.
Speaker 3:You know, people you know throw around these things like fud which, um, if you're a listener, it's a female urinary device which allows you to keep standing I saw that I never and you knew about no, I haven't heard of it.
Speaker 1:Okay, I never heard of that before, so I was just like, oh, my goodness, and you showed a picture of it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so these are not just um good for you know if you are hiking, but also if you're going to a developing country and you know, and the um toilets are unsanitary right so you know so. So they're actually quite good and my friend who's um an engineer in antarctica, all the women down there use them Really.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 3:And they used to be made of brass. So can you imagine using a brass FUD down in Antarctica it would be freezing.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, oh my goodness, oh my goodness.
Speaker 2:Belinda, can you tell us a little bit about your journey, because, from what I understand, you really became an avid hiker later in your adult years. What took you there?
Speaker 3:So I used to hike quite a lot when I was younger, probably in my 20s, but even from high school, I mean from New Zealand's uh, lots of people did. Yeah, there's lots of people do. Anyway, right, when you are on the hiking trail in new zealand, you'll often see families doing hikes. It's not uncommon, it's not uncommon and you know, and you see these, you know little kids with their backpacks, you know chasing after their parents and jumping over creeks and the parents are just going normal speed and we're keeping up kids oh, I love that um, but uh, it was basically 2020, so it was right on that, covid time and covid means a lot of different things to you know.
Speaker 3:It means different things to a lot of people Right. And for me it was okay time to have a good, hard, long look at myself. So I looked in the mirror and I saw bloated, I saw unfit, I saw overweight, I saw unhappy and I saw, as I also saw, overwhelmed. And none of this was because of COVID, it was. You know, I was actually having a great time. I was surrounded by all of my kids. We'd done a huge grocery shop. I mean, you know, australia was pretty strict in our lockdown right we were.
Speaker 3:We literally had to. You know, it was like we were prepping yeah, yeah right and um. So I took one long look at myself in the mirror and I just thought you know where's that spark gone? Where has that person gone? Where, where did she go?
Speaker 3:and um, I kind of feel that a lot of women, especially when they get to that over the 55 mark- um you know 50s kind of you when you're 50 I think you're kind of you know you still got a little bit of that 40s there you know, yeah, 50s, the new 40, yeah, and that's what I was, yeah, yeah. But once you get to 55, you know a lot of us are over the menopause. Menopause may not have been kind. Everything has gone south.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 3:You know, unless we've been doing our face yoga every single day. Yes, you know, everything seems to go south, and that can be your libido, your face, your boobs, everything, yes, your skin yes, yes, yes what is?
Speaker 1:that, yes, and I have um thin skin. So I'm at the stage already where I bruise very easily. If I nick my arm on anything, I have bruises and you can't see them, but I'm referencing them now because I do have them. But, yes, everything, and I think it does something to you mentally as well when all of this is happening to you. And, like you said, to me it was also the 55 plus and it seems like it's such a progressive downhill slide, like it's like boom, boom, boom.
Speaker 1:You know um but yeah, everything seems to go and it hits you.
Speaker 3:You know it hits you. It's one day. One day everything's fine and the next day it's like oh dear, and. And the other thing is when you see people your own age and you look at them and you go oh, we all look a little bit older yeah and that's, you know, that's a scary thing.
Speaker 3:So, um, and I, and I think, sometimes, you know, as women, you know our, you know we want to feel, we want to feel beautiful, we want to feel, we want to feel adored, we want to feel, you know not invisible right, not invisible right.
Speaker 1:I think that you feel invisible after 55, especially like you nailed it on the head to me um, you know, 50 you're still in, exactly, exactly, and you know it's.
Speaker 3:it's like you know, and even if you do sort of and I'm not saying I flirt with people, but you know, you kind of feel like you know, you, I shouldn't be doing that and you're not flirting with them on a sexual way, you're flirting with them just to have fun. Playful yeah, it's just like ew. No, that was wrong. So it is a funny time of your life and I really feel for women and you don't have to be single, you can still be married and you can feel that whole, you can feel alone.
Speaker 3:You can feel completely alone, especially if your kids have moved away or if your kids are not considerate to you as a person.
Speaker 3:Right, and I know that some women you know they've been the best mother ever and it's just maybe society or something and suddenly you know, that little boy that they held their hand with years and years ago is no longer wanting anything to do with them, and that really breaks my heart. So a lot of this when I reflect. When I reflected back, I thought about all the other women who were in my position and at that day that I looked in the mirror and I just, and my heart really went out to them.
Speaker 3:it really did, and I just thought right, okay, well, I had started to hike. You hike, you know, and I want to encourage women and I'm not encouraging women to multi-day hike I'm encouraging women to start to love themselves and start to appreciate themselves, and some of that might be by going out outside your comfort zone zone and giving yourself a major high five when you do right never thought that you could yeah, absolutely, and I think it helps you.
Speaker 2:You know it helps your confidence when you find things that you actually didn't think you would enjoy and, like you said, things that you didn't realize you could do. You know it's. I think it really helps and I think once you start mentally to feel better about yourself, it starts to show physically yeah, yeah and I also think too, with exercising, you know you're, you are building your endorphins, which also increases your happiness.
Speaker 1:so for me I'm not an avid hiker I would have to start slow, like around the cul-de-sac and then maybe around the block before I ventured out to even a day hike. But yeah, yeah, but I think that I'm so inspired by you and, like I said, I feel that there's a lot of similarities, you know, just with women and who we are and what we represent, and really was excited to hear more about your story and what you were doing, what when. What is your next hike? What is your next um adventure?
Speaker 3:okay, so I had a little bit of an achilles um tendon issue. Oh no, so I am booked to go on the um on the arctic circle trail in greenland. Wow, so I am, fingers crossed, toes crossed, yes, praying, whatever, that everything is going to work out. I'm going to be able to get on that track in just over two weeks.
Speaker 2:Oh, my goodness.
Speaker 3:I know, and that is supposedly the most remote hike worldwide. So, yeah, okay, and it's going to go for eight to nine days.
Speaker 1:You've got to take 10 days of food, just in case you have to hunker down somewhere of course um, so this is going to be interesting that's exciting, and you're gonna have to touch base with us and send us some pictures that we can post online about your journey. Um, now do you go with other groups of people, I'm assuming, and perhaps not by yourself, or how does that work? If somebody wants to get involved in hiking and, you know, live more of the lifestyle that you have set for yourself, how would you recommend that one go about it?
Speaker 3:Okay. So look, okay, because I'm going to start right from the very beginning. Hiking has so many benefits, um, and one of the benefits is, as opposed to um, walking around the block is that all the you know the differences in terrain you are using. You're using so many different muscles in your whole body. You're using your core. You use, and you're using so many different muscles in your whole body. You're using your core. You're using and you're also using your mind. You're looking to when you're going to, where you're going to step next. You're thinking about how hydrated you are. You're, you're watching the weather. You know it really is almost like a mini endurance sport. So you can start off with very easy trails and what. It's just so important to be able to get out into nature and, even if you live in the middle of the city, go and walk around the park.
Speaker 3:Instead of walking. I know that you're supposed to keep to the concrete footpaths, but try and walk on the grass. Yeah try and walk throughout the. You know, try and walk on a trail.
Speaker 1:In nature. Yeah, somewhere in nature.
Speaker 3:Now, when it comes to doing multi-day hikes, I actually go by myself and I carry everything in my backpack and I've got lists on my website of what I take, but there are so many tour groups that cater for these multi-day hikes and they will carry your luggage for you, so you only need a day pack and you just need to take a water bottle and your raincoat.
Speaker 3:They'll give you a list of things that you need to take. So you need to take. So it's kind of like an assisted walk and for most of the walks um worldwide, most of the multi-day hikes um, that option is available. So I'm actually I'm going to start putting that on all of my hikes. Where people can do this, do this um system where they don't have to carry their big day pack or they don't even have to sleep out in the rough.
Speaker 3:You know they can, which is kind of exciting, though it is exciting, but I mean, you might just like a hotel bed, you might like a shower. Every night, you might like to sit down with a meal of a knife and a fork.
Speaker 1:You're talking my language now.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Go you. You know that's great.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:But what I can say is the health benefits of being outside and when you're actually looking out over a vista, you know it actually does something to your soul, probably to your to your to your body, and I've got some information on that on my in my book as well. Okay, and the other thing about hiking is normally you're up at daylight and you're going to sleep at sunset, yeah, so that's so, it really is.
Speaker 3:It really is readjusting your circadian rhythms. You know it really is. And so what I say to somebody who's just starting out doing something like this um, take a look at my website, have a look at the about me and see the transformation of someone who was rather overweight to someone who's fit and healthy and happy. And you don't have to do the full-on, multi-day hikes that I do.
Speaker 3:Join a meet-up group or a Facebook group in your area and go on day hikes with other people group in your area and go on day hikes with other people and you can learn from these other people. Like okay, um, this might be your very first hike. You can say what's in your pack, what do you carry? Yeah, yeah, absolutely and because I've found that hikers are so good at um teaching each other. You know that, what, what they're using, how you know all these sorts of things.
Speaker 1:And if anyone's worried about going to the toilet on the track, on my blog I have very detailed, very detailed, or for those that still, you know, have their period, you have a lot of information for that and suggestive um different products to use. So I found it very, very um educational and informative. But at first I was like, oh, and it starts with a picture of a roll of toilet paper and it's like, well, you don't bring that.
Speaker 3:And I'm like, right, that's just amazing, that's amazing yeah, no, and um, you know, I, I think, I think the whole thing is, is that, um, overcoming a fear, overcoming a fear of doing something on your own as well? And so that's why I say, when you're starting out, join a facebook group or a meetup group which is how I started and you will find yourself with a lot of like-minded people, a community, yes, basically, take you by the hand and show you the ropes.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 3:That's magic.
Speaker 2:That's amazing.
Speaker 1:Well, belinda, we really appreciate you being on our show today. Such a privilege to have you here and we're serious about following up with us and letting us know how your walk or hike goes in Greenland. And, yeah, keep us posted on that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank you so much for sharing your journey with us.
Speaker 3:Thanks, ladies. This is beautiful to spend time with you today on the 4th of July. Happy 4th of July.
Speaker 1:Happy 4th of July, and that just about wraps it up for today. Thank you for joining us on let's Talk. Midlife Crisis Embrace the change.
Speaker 2:Join the conversation on our website at letstalkmidlifecrisiscom, or our Facebook or Instagram and YouTube channels. We'd love to hear from you guys.
