Introducing the OM Adventure Scholarship!

Happy New Year!

The year end gives us time to reflect on the year, and take a big breath to settle the mind and return to a positive state of being; whether we experienced something tragic, enlightening, or downright dull. 



With the New Year, comes the view of the horizon. It’s time to look forward to a better future and plan to take action.
 


At OM we look at the New Year as an opportunity to reengage, reignite, and re-imagine the future.
 


To start, I and the Executive and Advisory Boards will be having a retreat on MLK weekend. We will be reflecting on our accomplishments, examining our current state, and planning for a big future! These are exciting times at OM! And in the spirit of reigniting the spirit, I am excited to introduce a brand new program:
 


Introducing the Outdoor Mindset Adventure Scholarship

!


The power of the outdoors to lift our spirits, to clear our thoughts and center our state of being, in history, was a gift that only gods could give. For many of us, the time we spend outside and in nature defines our character and how we view the world. We may dream of climbing that special peak, travelling to that amazing place and living that once in a lifetime experience. These experiences bring strangers together and friends closer, with memories and feelings that will be shared for the rest of their lives. It is at these precise moments when you take a deep breath and say, “this is what life is all about”!
 


Outdoor Mindset thrives on those moments and understands that the impact these extraordinary experiences have on our health and wellbeing is priceless! OM never intends to compete with the gods, but perhaps we can help provide the funding for you and a friend to get closer to experiencing a special peak, an amazing place and a once in a lifetime experience – an item on your bucket list that you have always wanted to complete.
 


Our goal with the

new Adventure Scholarship

is to help support OM’s mission to enhance the quality of life of our members, engage our members and encourage our community to connect with one another and get outside and live big!
 


El Chalten, Patagonia. Put it on your Adventure Scholarship

bucket list!

OM will be awarding at least one Adventure Scholarship per quarter. We will be awarding

at least $500

per Adventure Scholarship! Applications will be accepted starting today, and applicants will be given u

ntil February 12th

, to submit. Applicants must be an OM member, and the Adventure Scholarship must be used for an outdoor activity with at least one other OM member. Keep in mind, anyone can become an OM member and it’s FREE! And most importantly, the Adventure Scholarship awardee must have a great time!!!
 


Please click here to view the official rules and apply. Good luck!

 

Don’t forget to Participate, Engage and Promote! 
 


I can’t wait to see you outside and look forward to sharing more exciting news in the coming months!


~Sean

Starting the Year Off Right

Happy 2013 OM'ers!

Well, in keeping with the spirit of the New Year, I must start things off on the right foot by being truthful in admitting defeat in the 2012

Outdoor Mindset

Chili Cook-off that was at the end of October 2012. Yes... it's true... Kyle's Two-Step Texas Chili took first place this year, bringing in lots of votes (aka Texas money brought up to CO by the Martins!) As promised, here is the winning chili recipe. I could've re-typed it, but I thought the pictures and comments in the original recipe print-out were too good not to share! (Don't forget to add more beef!!!)

The 3rd Annual Chili Cook-off was a great success, raising over $8,000 for our programs and members. I huge thank you goes out to everyone who attended, donated, or participated in our silent auction which had some amazing items this year. The chili was good, the beer was good, and the auction was great, but the people who come are always the best part!

That same weekend, amidst the chili cooking and preparations, we even held a mini Board Retreat, where the OM Board of Directors did some planning for 2013. To say the least, we are extremely excited for the upcoming year and the future of Outdoor Mindset. We have some great ideas for enhancements to our programs to further serve our Members and get everyone outdoors. So stay tuned! 

2012 was a great year for Outdoor Mindset, as well, with just under 200 Members who are affected by a neurological challenge and have a passion for the outdoors.  Our

Meet-Up Groups

launched this year, with great momentum in both

Boulder, CO

and

Hanover, NH

. We've also made some amazing 1:1 connections through our

Guide Program

, where Members provide great support and inspiration through their relationships. Our Members continue to amaze us with their stories and spirit!

We have so much to be thankful for this past year, and moving forward for 2013 but we can not say it enough: Thank you so much for your support and for tuning in for updates! Now get outside. :)

Back to resolutions, football, and winter fun,

Jill 

Moving Forward

Some sad news surfaced the other week that made me really stop and think: Canadian Freestyle Skier Sarah Burke passed away from a traumatic brain injury after crashing at the bottom of the superpipe during a training run in Utah on Jan 10, 2012. A four-time Winter X-Game Champion, Sarah tore her vertebral artery during her crash, which led to severe bleeding on the brain. A leader in her sport, she lobbied to get superpipe skiing added to the Olympic program, and after winning over Olympic bigwigs, the sport was added for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, one she won't live to see. Sarah's achievements and spirit should be celebrated, and will certainly be missed. 

Pardon my French, but this sucks. This is horrible and sad that such a young, talented woman has left us too soon from a traumatic brain injury that she suffered, even while wearing a helmet! And unfortunately, traumatic brain injury is no stranger in the skiing and snowboarding sports arena that many of us are gearing up to embark upon now that there's snow in the high country.

But as horrible as Sarah's passing is, I've also been hearing many encouraging and inspirational stories of traumatic brain injury perseverance and domination in the ski and snowboard industry. Take Kevin Pearce, for example, who suffered a traumatic brain injury late in 2009 on what will turn out to be the same half-pipe Sarah injured herself on the other week. Just 712 days after his injury, Kevin got back on the hill at Breckenridge Mountain for his first run after going through intense physical therapy, which started off for the first three months as 8 hour sessions every day.

Kevin says "I think the most important thing that I can share with folks about traumatic brain injuries is that your brain never stops healing. You can heal as much as you want as long as you keep your mind to it and work hard. I think it's really hard for a lot of kids because they think they're in such bad shape that they just give up, and that's been the most important lesson for me: It's hard and it takes a lot of work but you can heal."

Then there's professional snowboarder Danny Toumarkine, who just over a year ago suffered a traumatic brain injury while riding in Montana. A brief bio, according to him, reads: "On January 3rd I suffered a traumatic brain injury; 4 brain surgeries, medically induced coma and paralyzed. 5 weeks later I was released from the hospital and in recovery mode. Now its non-stop physical therapy and physical activities whether it be hiking, golfing, fishing, rock climbing etc."

Check out this trailer about a film about his brave and intense recovery journey:

Moving Forward - Trailer from Shreddy Times on Vimeo.

You can walk the full film here.

One theme that weaves between these two stories is the spirit of determination and positivity these guys have retained while facing their neurological challenges. While staying positive and working hard towards their end goal of doing what they love in the outdoors again, Kevin and Danny have both dominated their recoveries and  become great role models for those facing traumatic brain injuries.

So let's all learn from them, knowing this is what Sarah Burke would've done, as well:
Stay positive! Get outdoors! And continue to Live Big!

Happy Monday -
Jill

Ann Nicocelli Part II: What I have learned...and wish I had known before brain surgery

Today we have part deux of Ann Nicocelli's amazing story and blog. She has twenty points and tips about what she has learned and wished she had known before having brain surgery just over a year ago for a brain aneurysm. She says above all, the most important guidance she has to give is to stay positive and maintain a sense of humor through it all. Plus I've added some shameless Outdoor Mindset plugs along the way in green that tie into her words of wisdom. :)

Here she goes:

1. Your body can only take care of you at the level and quality that you take care of it. The phrase “your body is your temple” gains new meaning. If you take care of yourself, your mind and body will give back to you x100…and you will need it.

2. Everyone taking care of you – from the people in the hospital, your doctors, your family and friends – is human. Although you are the focus, they also have and need their own support networks and friends. It is important to be respectful and appreciative.

3. There is such a thing as too much information at most stages of this process. We live in a world of information frenzy. There are pros and cons to our access as you gather information for a medical procedure. In advance of my surgery, when I went online and looked for similar stories about what to expect, they were hard to find…but there were plenty of scary anecdotes that were not relevant to my situation that were emotionally exhausting to process.
(So instead you should just go to OutdoorMindset.org right from the start and sign up to be a traveler and connect with someone who has experience with a similar diagnosis or neurological experience!)

4. It is ok to protect yourself mentally as you go through the diagnosis, surgery and healing stages. You need your mental strength. It is important to stay strong and keep positive people around you.

5. There is no perfect way to prepare yourself, your family or your friends for your brain surgery. Everyone is different. Do what feels right and is personalized to you. Make sure you have the legal and financial components covered…and from there, it is creative sailing.

6. If your family is involved in the process with you, they may change and your relationship with them may change. This is an intense process and you are not the only one who will be affected. Relationships became much more open, honest and deep. This isnt necessarily a bad thing, but it isn’t always easy at every step. (Have your friends and family sign up to be a part of Outdoor Mindset as well, as a Supporter!)

7. If you have children, they will likely be resilient, but not impervious to what is happening around them. They will take cues from you. Make sure that there is a plan that directly responds to their needs at every stage – before, during, and after surgery. There should to be someone other than just yourself that is sensitive to your children at all stages. The outcome to you surgery is unpredictable, so there should be a plan that can adapt to a variety of foreseeable scenarios. It is important to set this up in advance.

8. Your quality of healthcare and surgical care matters…a lot. Get as creative as you can to get the best surgeons and doctors to help you navigate your journey. Additionally, although your comfort with the lead surgeon is critical, the comprehensive quality of the whole team and all the services of the hospital is very important as well.

9. The way you try to fix your aneurysm the first go around is critical. This is your brain – once a surgeon enters your brain, it will affect your options moving forward – so choosing wisely the first time matters.

10. The surgeons and doctors you talk to will generally give you a solution based on what they know how to do. If they are a specialist in clipping…they will most likely give you a clipping solution. If they coil…they will likely tell you coiling is the best. Remember, medicine is a business. Try to find doctors who can truly give you an assessment of all the options available.

11. Coming out of this you may not be the same or look at life in the same way. This is a daunting statement as it can mean many things. Know that it does not necessarily have to be bad…it can actually be a wonderful thing. Events like this, if internalized, can make you realize what a blessing life is, how to appreciate the small things, and that all those challenges that used to interrupt you from enjoying life, aren’t that significant.

12. If you are single...your social life won't end after brain surgery. I am not sure if it is because you come out more relaxed or if there is some curiosity out there about people who have gone through brain surgery…but there are still plenty of people out there who seem to not really care that you have a scar in your head. It's actually kind of cute. I love my scar, I am proud of it. :-)

13. Most of the healing process is very personal and internal to you. Others are heavily involved, but most of the fight to recover is within yourself.

14. There are many likely scenarios where you can come out of surgery and this process stronger than you went in. Stay strong, remain hopeful, and continue to dream BIG.

15. Lessons Learned about Going Back to Work: Take it slow…if you don’t, your body will make you – there is a reality of how hard you can push yourself, and the limit you had previously is diminished. It will come back, it just takes time.

16. Time has a new horizon. Healing and evolving past brain surgery is not about taking days or weeks, it is about taking months and years. The days matter a lot, but how I handle the months matters too. You may have higher expectations of yourself than others do around you. It is ok to take it slow, don’t be hard on yourself. Give yourself time.

17. No matter what you feel about your life, you will likely feel like you need to go through an entire life assessment…because what happened during surgery was just “that” big. You may end up staying in exactly what you are doing…or you may completely change…it is less about the change than the need to assess and make sure that what you are doing is worthwhile in your own mind.

18. My own personal experience was that I needed to go back to the same job just to prove to myself that I could do it. It became a way to compare and judge if I was any different on any skill. If I would have done something different right away, I would have never truly known or had a way to assess nuanced capabilities.

19. When you are digging deep in racing or training, you will pull from places of strength that were discovered in the brain surgery process. This is a wonderful feeling and makes the process poetic.

20. ...And at one year - I still have the post surgery euphoria. Life is an amazing thing and there is really not much I am afraid of at this point. You learn to deal with phenomenal adversity and see the strength of human character from the front row....or maybe even the stage. (Like Outdoor Mindset always like to say - KEEP LIVING BIG!)

- Ann Nicocelli

Amazing words of wisdom and insight for all of us, especially those going through a challenging neurological journey.

Thanks so much Ann!

jill

People who give are cool - especially Libby Boyd!

Today we have a guest blog from Libby Boyd - a friend and 'family member' of Outdoor Mindset - who recently committed to donating a portion of each sale she makes as a Realtor for Pedal to Properties to our one and only Outdoor Mindset. Some people say they're going to do something this awesome, but Libby is so committed she put it in writing, too!

"Donations" come in many forms: volunteering, hosting an event, setting a goal and fundraising through Crowdrise , or donating a little off the top of your income, etc. The possibilities are endless. Whatever you're able to do, know that it's appreciated a million times over and goes a LONG way for little non-profits like us. So

thank you, thank you, thank you

to the amazing Libby Boyd and all the other inspiring individuals who have already helped us and will help us in the future.

Here's what Libby has to say:

“If you love what you do, you don’t work a day in your life.” I completely agree with that quote since I spend my days finding the perfect home for my clients. Being the conduit that results in happy home owners is most rewarding. Getting paid to help in their purchases is “the cherry on top” for me.

This income provides for my family but once the essentials are taken care of, I wish to give back to my community. This is why I am donating a portion of each transaction towards Outdoor Mindset. I believe the organization really helps newly diagnosed people with neurological challenges through the power of nature, exercise and personal connection.

The only way to connect as many people as possible is to gain presence at events and on the internet. The organization also must have someone dedicated to overseeing the connections and ensure everyone is getting what they need. By donating a portion of my income, I will be providing funds to support this valuable service. If my financial contribution gains Outdoor Mindset entry to one more event in which they connect one individual in need of this outreach, that will be extremely rewarding.

Spending money is easy but I find few ways that are as rewarding as giving to develop a non-profit that I feel so strongly about. I would encourage everyone to see if there’s room in their personal budget to donate to Outdoor Mindset. Perhaps consider passing on a cute new pair of shoes or dining out and do something that will make you just as happy and positively affect the lives of one or many people. I am blessed that I get to do what I love every day allowing me to donate to a such a valuable cause.

- Libby Boyd

She's pretty fabulous- right? We sure do appreciate her for everything she does for OM (and not only for her donation commitment, but also for things like

whipping

up an antipasto platter in the middle of the wilderness on our Board Retreat). I don't know what we would do without active, engaged, dedicated supporters like her.

Now what are you going to do? No pressure or anything... ;)

Don't forget to enjoy the sunset,

Jill

Spring! A season for learning new languages…

I recently started the last term of my first year of medical school. Our new course directors reminded us of two medical school analogies:
1) Medical school is similar to drinking from a fire hose. The material in essence is not the difficulty; it is the rate at which we have to learn the material.
2) Medical school entails learning new languages. In other words, we are barraged with not only new information but words we have never heard before and have no idea how to pronounce.

I am finding the course directors credible. In three weeks and in only one course (neuroscience), we have learned about generating and propagating action potentials, what happens at the synapses, the topographic anatomy of the brain and spinal cord, the vasculature of the brain, the blood brain barrier and how the brain makes cerebral spinal fluid, the morphogenesis of the brain, the organization of the brainstem, glial biology, how the somatosensory system works and audition. Ummmm…what was that you ask? Yes, spring has arrived and it is my season for learning new languages and new information! So, while I learn about the telencephalon, funiculi, and sensory homunculus, I thought I would share a few interesting tidbits with you:

• Did you know the brain develops from a tube? It’s why we have spaces or “ventricles” in our brain around which lies the cerebral cortex and brainstem. Brain development starts early on for the fetus – around the third week and before one might even know she is pregnant.
• The brain weighs around three pounds yet receives almost 20% of total cardiac output. One fifth of the blood that our heart pumps goes to the brain!
• We have around 1,000,000,000,000 neurons in our brain and each one can communicate with multiple other neurons so that the information it sends on is the sum of many inputs. Our brain is complex!
• We have cells in our inner ears called outer hair cells that change their lengths based on electrical signals generated originally by sound and protect our ears from damage. Check out this video (and yes – this is the cell dancing to music)! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo9bwQuYrRo.

As spring announces itself, I hope you all enjoy lots of time outdoors and take advantage of the vegetables coming into season. After all, we can’t forget to nourish our brains and bodies! Check out our friend Kristin McCurdy’s new food blog at http://daysfork.com/. Not only does she have an outdoor mindset, but she also is a kick-butt chef who has spent years getting dirty on organic farms. No one can make salads like her (yeah – delicious and she has yet to bring the same salad to a dinner I have been to with her). Kristin posts other recipes too (and when our classmate Brooks brings leftovers to class, we all salivate).

Here’s to spring and nourishing our minds and bodies with good food, the outdoors and new languages!