With worries over the health of my mom, close friends, and myself ( I checked out fine, whew! ), it’s been an emotional summer.  Not really the carefree season of years gone by.  So Mr. F and I were really looking forward to unplugging and spending a week camping and hiking in Yosemite National Park.  An escape to staggering beauty could not have come at a better time.

Simply taking time away from work, social media, and just the stress of every day life will have a renewing effect, but to be surrounded by an incomparable natural landscape, incredible in its beauty and yet struggling for its own survival, definitely puts everything into a new perspective.

These getaways allow for a resting of the mind and soul and an opportunity for Mr. F and I to really reflect individually and as a partnership on where we are and where we would like to be.  Clarity comes, decision making is easier without distraction and passion for beloved pursuits are reawakened and reinforced.  Every morning in Yosemite, we were awake with the dawn ( and sometimes before! ) excited for the adventure and inspiration the day would bring.  Why can’t we rise to great each day as if there is adventure and discovery waiting?

We would lay our heads down each night and look up at the stars, exhausted yet satisfied that we’d taken full advantage of the day we’d been given.

By the end of our trip, we’d made goals for changes we’d like to see in our lives, a backing off from invasive technology and a renewed focus on physical, mental, and spiritual health.  I personally came away incredibly inspired to dive deeper into painting and can’t wait to work through the amazing amount of artistic stimulation that I’ve felt since stepping foot onto Yosemite’s sacred ground.

All images by Artsy Forager.