One of my Best Climbs AND One of my Worst Climbs

Shannon Wilkinson on the summit of Mt. Hood

At 5:00 am last Saturday morning, I was standing on the summit of Mt. Hood watching the sun rise over the horizon. The brilliant orange sky silhouetted Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier in the distance. It was my third successful climb of the mountain, and I’m sure, regardless of how many more times I reach . . . → keep reading

Is it a lifelong dream?

Hundreds of Bikes on Road

Tomorrow I’ll be riding my bike over 100 miles from Portland to Pacific City on the Oregon Coast, as part of the annual event, Reach the Beach.

Someone asked me if finishing a century (100 mile bike ride) has been a lifelong dream of mine. The answer surprised them.

No.

No. You know why? It . . . → keep reading

I’m Shannon Wilkinson.

And I L-O-V-E change.

No, I’m not a freak, or a masochist, or a cult member.

I’ve just trained my brain to approach change with a playful, creative framework. And so, change feels like a game — instead of a god-awful nightmare.

For the past 10 years, I’ve worked as a professional life coach — . . . → keep reading

Sometimes things don't work out the way you want them to, and it's even better

In the summer of 2007 I climbed my first mountain. It was Mt. Saint Helen’s our local active volcano. When I wrote about that climb, I wasn’t ready to admit I was hooked, but I was. There was something so elemental about standing on top of that mountain. It’s hard to describe that feeling of . . . → keep reading

Natural Highs

Looking into the Crater - Shannon's First Summit

The crater of Mt. St. Helens.

In July I did something I never thought was possible for me — climbed a mountain, or more accurately an active volcano: Mt. Saint Helens. I expected to be happy about the achievement, proud of myself for doing it, but I never expected to be caught speechless . . . → keep reading

Life is Like a Spin Class

I joined a gym recently. I was always active growing up, but as an adult, I haven’t ever been much into working out. However, in the last couple of years I’ve gained a new appreciation for feeling fit. Last summer I bought a mountain bike, I’ve been doing some hiking, and I walk quite a . . . → keep reading