#19: Shaida Hossein -- Discovering a Love of the Outdoors, 72 Hikes in 52 Weeks, Pacific NW

How do you transform from a self-described "indoor kid" to a person who spends entire weekends hiking through the beautiful outdoors of the Pacific Northwest? What lessons would you learn by stepping into the fresh air to wander in nature? Why are weekend adventures in the natural world so important for your success during the weekdays? This week our podcast proudly welcomes Shaida Hossein. Shaida has spent the last 4 years exploring the wilderness surrounding Seattle, Washington. Originally from the Midwest, these travels have helped her form a newfound love for hiking adventures and open her eyes to whole new aspects of herself. Last January she decided to step up to the "52 Hike Challenge", a global movement to inspire people to complete one hike every single week of the year. So at least once a week you would find Shaida outside exploring the beautiful waterfalls, mountains, and beaches surrounding Seattle. In fact, by the end of the year, she had piled up miles on 73 different trails! On this episode Shaida shares what she learned from her year of wandering; lessons about herself, friendship, wildlife, inner strength, and the importance of weekend adventures to her life. She also entertains with some delightfully hilarious stories about run-ins with animals, teenagers, and machete-wielding forest folk while out on the trails! Shaida is also an excellent photographer and blogger and I suggest that you all check out her blog Daily Amusements of a Midwest Girl and be sure to follow her fantastic instagram account at shaida05 to be inspired by the true beauty of the Pacific Northwest. As always, thanks for listening and be sure to subscribe on iTunes, check out our archive of other podcasts on Soundcloud, or join our Facebook Community.