Picture this: now my best friend! The first time we ever hung out, we ended up walking a red carpet unexpectedly that night with Oprah and Dr. Phil!
Sounds surreal, doesn't it? What we know and teach is that our energy attracts our experiences period!!
On this episode we talk with Amanda Eckert about the concept of brave risks and hiking along as a solo woman. Taking risks, no matter how daunting they may seem, can lead to profound personal growth. Such experiences are often accompanied by fear and excitement, but they also provide invaluable life lessons and a chance for personal growth. The episode includes anecdotes of first-time camping experiences, mistakes made, and the lessons learned from them.
These experiences serve as a reminder that stepping out of your comfort zone is often the first step towards growth and self-discovery.
About Amanda Eckert
Aussie born, Amanda is a certified Life and confidence couch for women world wide. She is a mother of two and an avid adventurer travelling to over 50 countries! She also hikes solo through the deep forest trails of Canada! Her mission is to guide women back home to themselves so that they can remember their true power, and live out their divine soul purpose.
Follow Amanda on Insta to see more of her adventures and tips on what to bring!
We recommend this water bottle to filter out clean water for your hiking!
Be Free Water
Host Aubrey Jacobson can be found on Insta here!
Picture this: now my best friend! The first time we ever hung out, we ended up walking a red carpet unexpectedly that night with Oprah and Dr. Phil!
Sounds surreal, doesn't it? What we know and teach is that our energy attracts our experiences period!!
On this episode we talk with Amanda Eckert about the concept of brave risks and hiking along as a solo woman. Taking risks, no matter how daunting they may seem, can lead to profound personal growth. Such experiences are often accompanied by fear and excitement, but they also provide invaluable life lessons and a chance for personal growth. The episode includes anecdotes of first-time camping experiences, mistakes made, and the lessons learned from them.
These experiences serve as a reminder that stepping out of your comfort zone is often the first step towards growth and self-discovery.
About Amanda Eckert
Aussie born, Amanda is a certified Life and confidence couch for women world wide. She is a mother of two and an avid adventurer travelling to over 50 countries! She also hikes solo through the deep forest trails of Canada! Her mission is to guide women back home to themselves so that they can remember their true power, and live out their divine soul purpose.
Follow Amanda on Insta to see more of her adventures and tips on what to bring!
We recommend this water bottle to filter out clean water for your hiking!
Be Free Water
Host Aubrey Jacobson can be found on Insta here!
Welcome to Fuck the Box. You heard it right Fuck the Box, cause really don't think I just want to get out of the matrix. On this podcast, we're going to talk about business, women's empowerment, real estate, sex and inspirational stories that will inspire the fuck out of you People who are doing things differently, who have a different mindset, who have been through adversity and came out on top. We are not going to be having conversations that were talked about at your 1970s dinner table. We are wrong, real and fucking authentic. Enjoy the show. Alright, welcome back.
Speaker 1:It's been a while. You know. I had some hell stuff going on that I needed to focus on, and also I am writing my book and it is, honestly, really fucking deep and I realized that, like since I've been writing more of it and finishing it up, that I really have to prepare myself for everything to go public. So, honestly, there's been some days where I'm like crying my eyes out. It's been a journey. So at the end of the summer it's going to be ready to roll and I'm jumping back into podcasts now, so you'll have lots of episodes to listen to. I've got some really awesome people that are coming on, so I'm really excited for that. But today I have with me my best best friend, amanda Eckert, and I have been waiting for this day for like seven years. Have we known each other? I think so, yeah.
Speaker 2:Six years Seven.
Speaker 1:Fucking hell, you know okay, so should we talk about first how we met.
Speaker 2:Let's do it. Let's do it. Okay, let's jump in.
Speaker 1:Well, I am super outgoing. For those who know me, I'm really outgoing, so is Amanda, and I feel like the universe was like you guys need to meet, adjust me to the island, adjust me to the island.
Speaker 2:I didn't know anyone and then in you, you just waltzed into my life.
Speaker 1:Boom. So I went up to her kids and I was like you know, I'm super friendly, I make friends with everyone and I just went up to them Do you live in the neighborhood? And so I introduced myself. And then I went over to Amanda's house one day and I met her and her energy was so fucking amazing and I was like I want to be. I got to be friends with this woman Like she's awesome, and I remember we like really connected because I think we were kind of in the same phase of where we were in that part of our life and as we got talking we just realized like oh shit, like she's doing the same things I want to do. But this was like when we were just thinking about doing a podcast, thinking about speaking, thinking about coaching, and we were still kind of that shy woman that wasn't fully stepping into her truth and her worthiness.
Speaker 2:But one thing that we both were we were both, yes, people.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:This sounds exciting. Yes, sign me up. You know we were so open and so, so this is where I'll jump in. You called me. I think I'd met you for maybe 20 minutes, and you called me a week later. Hey, you have a beautiful house. Would you like to host this calendar and have what 50 or something people in your house and have it all set up?
Speaker 1:I was like yeah, let's do it. And I was like really she said yes, Okay.
Speaker 2:So next minute, where you know the house is full of strangers, and I'm just like, if I feel like something's right, and I immediately felt your energy, I was like yes. And then just one thing led to another, and that night we ended up in Vancouver to essentially strangers On a road trip On a no going to an event Going to an event.
Speaker 1:So because we ended up okay, so there was a charity going on and they needed me to find a location, so I found the location through Amanda.
Speaker 2:And beautiful house.
Speaker 1:We hosted this amazing event and then the people that put it on were like we're going to send you to Vancouver. I had no idea what this event was. It was just David Foster. You know, I know who David Foster is and we didn't really know what to expect. But we're like, yes, we're going to go, we're going to go to a concert, why not, we're going to this event. So we jumped in the car and I remember on the way to the ferry I was like I need a nap because I was post, like I was concussive still.
Speaker 1:Like I was suffering from back concussion and I was like I need to nap, Like this is a lot for me.
Speaker 2:So let's meditate. We're in the car meditating and sleeping at the ferry with the kids blanket.
Speaker 1:So it was. It was hilarious. I'm like this woman is my woman, like we're just like on the same frequency.
Speaker 2:So we showed up to this event and sat down and I looked over and there was bloody Oprah and.
Speaker 2:Dr Phil and I nearly shot myself because I was like I am so close to Oprah and I always said, you know, I was like one day I'd love to like be in the same room as Oprah and essentially I was. But then I looked around to remember it was just like every celebrity. It was just vibing and the concert was incredible. But at the end of it do you remember who was it? Stephen Tyler was singing.
Speaker 2:And I said we cannot go back to the hotel after this. We need to go find out where they are and we need to party our faces off with them. And that's, ladies and gentlemen, exactly what manifested. And look, we're not going to go into the whole story, but we ended up at the private after party with hundreds of celebrities and every one that was there, Everyone that was anyone. Goldie Horn like every sports star.
Speaker 1:It was amazing.
Speaker 2:And it was my birthday. Remember, it fell onto my birthday and it was incredible, so that was.
Speaker 1:I remember being in the bathroom so I wasn't really prepared to walk a red carpet. Right, we were on this red carpet afterwards and it was like all the stars where they walk in and they're doing all their thing and anyways, I'm sitting in the bathroom and I'm taking off my wool socks because I had them underneath my boots and I wasn't ready to, like, go on a red carpet. I didn't know all this shit was going to happen. I look over in Goldie Horns in the bathroom with me and I'm like what the fuck is going on right now? It was amazing and this was on my vision board nine months previous that I was going to walk a red carpet with Oprah Winfrey and fucking bam.
Speaker 2:it happened and I was like what the fuck and how it manifested is just, it's magic and it's not the first time it's happened to me and it's so powerful when you, I was like the knowing within me was like we are going to spend the night with them. I didn't know how it's going to happen, but I knew. It was like it was set in stone and it happened. And what I loved about that night was here we are, we were okay. There were moments I was awestruck and Aubrey had to like pick up my you know my chin and like say ring it in girl, but for the most part our energy that night was contagious, like we were meeting.
Speaker 2:You know, celebrities are humans, like you know, at the end of the day. But that was amazing. And then that was the start of everything. Right, we just have just been best friends, supporting each other, like when you meet somebody that you know we throw this term around soul sister. But when you find your tribe and you are seen by somebody and you are supported by somebody and somebody wants the best for you, you keep hold of those people forever. Right, I have no time in my life for any other type of energy and there is, yeah, when you find them, they go, hold on and keep them.
Speaker 1:Yes, you know, I knew right away because I was acting completely myself Since I met you and not that event, and it was like everything just started unfolding. And when you act fucking weird, you act just yourself, authentic. Those people that are just like you are going to be gravitated towards you Exactly. So that night was so fun, oh my God. We party till like 6am it was. We went home and it was daylight and then everybody was flying out on their private jets and we're partying all night with Reba McIntyre and like Cee Lo Green. Was that like literally?
Speaker 2:Definitely. Oh, my God, everyone it was fun, everyone so fun, so fun.
Speaker 1:We loved it and we knew it, and that's what I knew when I met you that night. It was like she is a man of us too, definitely, definitely.
Speaker 2:And I'm a yes person. I'm a yes to things that light me up and I know that if I follow that intuition, that that ping, you know good things are going to going to happen. So, yeah, that was a fun night. That was fun. Now introduce me, my love.
Speaker 1:Okay, I'm on it. My best friend is getting bossy here. So Amanda Eckert. She is a certified life and confidence coach for women worldwide. She's a mother of two, an avid adventurer, and has traveled the world. She's got some crazy stories. She's often referred to as being brave. She knows that being brave isn't the absence of fear, but being brave is having the fear but finding a way through it. Her mission is to guide women back home to themselves so that they can remember their true power. Seeing women step into their highest potential is her purpose and passion in life, and I can vote for her for the past seven years. She is an inspiration. She does not live by the norms of society.
Speaker 1:Hell's tooth and I never have, so if you want to be empowered by someone who is completely authentic. You need to go to Instagram and follow Amanda, because she's just a heart of gold. Oh, thanks, love.
Speaker 2:We are the authors of our stories right, and from the very youngest age, I always felt like I was the black sheep. I just didn't do what others did right, and people thought I was irresponsible. And I've always been led by a deep intuition to do what I want to do and it doesn't have to make sense to other people. And I just feel that so many of us get trapped in these growing up and being put into boxes.
Speaker 2:Oh, this is very perfect for the podcast that we're on right now, but it's like you know, we're being conditioned from such a young age like oh, you're a good little girl, you should do this and you should do that and oh, no, you're too loud and you know we follow all these rules and I always felt so suffocated by it. Why can't I be this and be that, and why can't I try this and try that? And that has actually got me really far, because I believe that we should be exploring more about what we want in our life, because the more we explore, the more we're likely to find what it is that lights us up.
Speaker 1:So I'm curious what age did you figure that out?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't think there was like an age that I can think of. I just know that I did things differently and I was I was, for the most part, okay with it, thank you. I just I just could never do. I just couldn't sign up to this notion of, you know, go to college, get a degree, you know, get married. Listen, I got married. I had two and a half kids. I've done it and it's fantastic. I didn't want to, you know, get that career and get just all of it. Just even talking about it suffocates me. Now come, I can't just do what lights me up, and follow that and and create something that I'm passionate about and make a difference and make money doing it Like, why, why not? If I'm the author of my story, then I'm not going to tell myself I can't do something, I'm just going to go for it.
Speaker 2:So I have lived a very large life and people look at me and they how did you do this and how did you like how? And I said because if something felt right, I said yes, and that took me from Australia to the Middle East. How many people questioned my sanity at that point? A lot. But you know what? It's my life, not theirs, and it was what I was being called to do. You know, and it's like I've been a flight attendant, I've worked at Porsche, I've done sales, you name it.
Speaker 2:I've done so many things and what I've really come to love and what I'm currently right, because I'm ever evolving what I'm currently obsessed with is helping women step through the fears that are trapping them right, keeping them stuck, keeping them small and telling them stories themselves. Stories of oh, I can't, it's too late, I'm too old, that's not responsible. What are people going to think of me? Right, like, fuck all that. This is your life. You are here for a purpose. You are unique, you have something to share, you have something that lights the fuck up out of you and you were put here to do it. So I help women basically unlearn all the bullshit and step into their power and break some rules and be unapologetic and get messy and be imperfect. That's what I'm really passionate about now and that's that's what I do you know if we all came together and really embodied that.
Speaker 1:Honestly, I feel like there's there's been a lot of shifts globally with women and women's empowerment and all that, but I feel like when I left my separation, I had to have that insight almost of like okay, because I how do I explain this? I used to think that I had to do certain things because of the people that were brainwashing me my family, my friends, my partner was the worst.
Speaker 1:You know, and I had to break free from that. Yeah, right, but at that time there was not like, instagram wasn't really hot and all this stuff wasn't really coming out. It was more sheltered and so I didn't have that support. But you're building this community around you, that you are allowing women to step into their power.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's really beautiful because what they, what they see in me and trust me, you know I'm not going to go fully into my story here, but I have always been, you know, very passionate and taking risks and doing things led from the heart. But I've also been conditioned into believing that I am a weaker or not worthy enough person. So so to give you a little snippet into why I'm passionate about what I do, is I, you know, from the ages of 15, I suffered eating disorders, which was rooted in self-worth and and a lot of, you know, trauma from my past, but it manifested into eating disorders. So that's how I, you know, felt control in my life. Well, if I can control the way I look and my weight, then I'm going to feel in control of my life, which is, you know, a lie.
Speaker 2:Eating disorders really took a toll on me. I had bulimia and anorexia and nearly took my own life, which is really heavy, when I was 24 and when it all came to a head. So I have had a lot of you know. I really can understand where women can be stuck in patterns and and trauma and, you know, low self-worth and all of that. That is just a little bit that I think is important to share. It's not that I don't ever want someone to look at me on Instagram now or what I'm doing and I don't want them to think, or I don't want you to think oh, she just has everything together. I've been a hot mess, you know. I have been codependent, I have been in very toxic relationships, I have had zero confidence, but I've done the work to come home to myself and that's why I'm so passionate about it now. That's beautiful.
Speaker 1:Yeah, a lot of people see these. You know Instagram influencers and they they start to feel unhappy because they're like, okay, well, look up what their life is like. My life must suck, but there there's been a lot of steps that we all had to do to get here. So many chapters.
Speaker 2:You know some chapters are good and some are messy and painful and dark night of the soul. Yeah, and it's all part of the journey. Yeah, right, we can't skip. We can't skip chapters.
Speaker 1:No, as much as I tried, it doesn't work and also, too, like when we're going through these dark chapters, you can ask yourself like what am I learning right? Instead of stepping into the victim mindset of like oh, this is happening to me you can look at it as what am I learning from this? How am I going to grow into a bigger person?
Speaker 2:exactly. You just know that one of my, one of the things that I always teach my clients, and something I always apply to my own life, is I used to be a victim mindset. When I went through difficult times, I had a victim mentality. Why is this happening to me? And I remember somebody's you know saying just switch it. Why is this happening for me? If we switch two to four, now you're in the power, right. What am I learning from this? How can I overcome this? What can I do differently? Right, you're back in the when we're victims, we're not in control. So what did you want to talk to me about today?
Speaker 1:so I've got a thousand stories we can go on about this topic forever, but maybe we need to make a mini series, so okay. So today we want to jump into you hiking alone because, honestly, a lot of people are like how the fuck does she do that? How does she get into the wilderness and be okay with being completely alone, being empowered to pack your bags by yourself and travel into the wilderness and just go? You know that is difficult, I think, for a lot of people, so I really want to hear the story on how you can do that.
Speaker 2:If you had said to me ten years ago this is what I'd be doing, I would have said you're a lunatic, like there is no way right. So just you know, to preface, I would never grew up camping. I never grew up being some wilderness, you know, girl. But the story starts with me reading Cheryl Stride's book called Wild and talking about that things lighting you up and following your intuition. Following those things that light you up, right? I remember reading that book and I was so moved by that book and something within me was like, oh my god, I want to do something like that Now.
Speaker 2:I was living in Toronto at the time and you know I used to live in Dubai and I stayed in five-star hotels. I was like a bit of a princess, putting it lightly. I was not interested in camping. I had never set a fire. You know I had gone hiking with friends, but you know I was certainly not, you know, somebody that would consider something like this. But I felt that pull and I was like something lit me up.
Speaker 2:And then I was at the premiere in Toronto and Cheryl Stride was there and Reese Witherspoon and once again I was just like with them and so moved by this story of her going on this quest and for those that haven't seen it, it's basically about a young girl that has zero experience. She does the whole Pacific Press Trail, which is like from Mexico all the way to Oregon. It's insane. She did it by herself and she was ill-equipped, but she learned so much about her journey on the way it was incredible, so, anyway. So following that, I was out in Vancouver for a month on vacation with my ex-husband at the time. We cope, her and our children. We do a really good job at that. So we were actually on the island together sharing the kids for that time, and so he had a week of having the kids and he said what are you going to do? And I said I'm going to go hiking in the wilderness. And he looked at me like I had just grown another head right. He was like what?
Speaker 1:And I was like yep.
Speaker 2:And off. I went down to REI and I bought everything on a Friday night and I asked them where could I hike for four days by myself? And they printed off a little piece of A4 paper and said here to here and I said done.
Speaker 2:So I went back and I didn't even check my bags, my ex-husband said to me maybe you should like set up a tent. I was like, nah, I'm like the, you know, jump in and learn right. Like I don't throw me in the deep end, I'll figure out how to swim. That's me, I go, I don't plan, I follow, I follow. So Saturday morning I packed up my bag and I drove off to this. What I thought was the start of the campground, the start of the trail, I should say. And I said to my ex-husband pick me up in four days at this location, hopefully I'll be there.
Speaker 2:And now we're talking Vancouver Island guys, we're talking zero cell reception, like bears, cougars, you know wild, you know West Coast terrain. And I had no idea what I was doing. I rocked up and I literally said to some campers there do you know where the John DeFucker trail is? And they were like lost it and they were laughing. And they go do you mean the Wanda Fooka? Now, listen, I'm Aussie, as you can tell, and there is no J in that.
Speaker 2:So anyway, I was very confused. Off I went and it was messy and it was imperfect and it was exhilarating and it was scary and I learned what I was capable of and I came out a fucking brand new person and I. It was 47 kilometers and I came out with yet another download that I actually was meant to move to this island when I knew no one and you know, everyone said I was crazy, but I listened to those pings right. So I want you to hear that when you feel something, listen to it, because it's always leading you on the right path. And I came out of that hike.
Speaker 1:That's kind of the quite a big difference, coming from Dubai to concrete jungle in Toronto to all of a sudden the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Why did you move here?
Speaker 2:Honestly, on that hike that I did, there was just this, knowing I can't explain it. It was like I meant to move here, I meant to live here. This feels right, my whole nervous system feels right, like something is calling me, and when something calls to me, I listen. Now, at this point I had, you know, my children were young. We were living in Toronto for around eight years. I had friends there, I had a community, I had everything. And when I suddenly came back from my wilderness adventure and said I'm moving to the West Coast, they're like what?
Speaker 2:Who do you know?
Speaker 2:Like you don't know anyone, you don't have family. That's crazy. Don't do it. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Never listen to the voices of everyone else around you. Listen to the voice within you. My friend, this is what I want the message for you to get today. You have an inner compass always pointing you in your true north. Okay, so I have tuned into that throughout my life and I followed it, even to the disappointment. And you know, people care about you and they might question it because they want the best for you, but you know what's best for you. So I think it was eight months later I packed up my kids and my dog and I moved over here and everyone said, oh, you're never going to meet people, oh, you're never going to visit me. Listen, water off a duck's back. That's your story. My story is I want to meet amazing people. It's going to be amazing, and that's what it is.
Speaker 2:Hello, who's here? And then you just waltzed into my life, right?
Speaker 1:I don't know what I'd do without you.
Speaker 2:to be honest, Be careful of the stories people are telling you and tell yourself new stories. So when I started that hike, I was completely not prepared and everything that went wrong could have gone wrong.
Speaker 1:I want to know what. Did you completely fuck up on your first adventure? Oh my God, everything.
Speaker 2:Everything. I mean it was like I look back at that version of me and I'm so proud of her that she was willing to do it messy, imperfectly, and just go for it, right? Do you have pictures of this?
Speaker 1:I do. Yes, you got a post-it. I've got to Because I've done it now.
Speaker 2:So this was how many years ago now, seven years ago. So now people see me, it's become my way of life. I love to go out and solo adventures, I love to explore, I love to get off grid and be in nature and just adventure. So I've actually done that John DeFucker trail, wanda Fuka trail I think I've done it six times solo now, as well as many other things. But that version of me that did it. I'm so happy she did. I'm so happy that she had the guts to fucking go out there, because you can only learn from experience.
Speaker 2:I could have sat there not that I would have, because it's not who I am. I could have sat there with every trail book and this and that and prep myself and yes, that is smart and it's good to be that way sometimes. But I believe that if we really are going to make our lives what we want it to be and we want to get messy, we have to throw ourselves in there, because what I see a lot with my clients and women is we get stuck in the overthinking at stage I'm not ready, I'll wait until all my ducks are in the road, I'm not right. And so we're talking about me solo hiking, but you can apply this to anything. Right, you have to jump in. You don't learn from words, you learn from experience. You learn from doing so, every mistake I made. Whoa, the first night I froze my tits off literally. Okay, like I'm on the West Coast, I'm Australian.
Speaker 2:I'm just weather, changes the weather changes and I was in my sleeping bag the wrong way. I had, I'm not kidding. So I have to carry everything with me for five days. So picture that I've got like minimum clothes. I've got dehydrated like astronaut food. I didn't bring a lighter. I mean just like everything, like everything that could. I made every mistake. I truly truly did. I froze. I had undies on my head. Why? Because my head was cold and I had socks on my hands.
Speaker 1:Was it a thong? Or was it full underwear? That wouldn't give you much heat, oh my God a thong Dude.
Speaker 2:I probably I probably shoved the thongs around my ears but I was so cold so the first night I froze to death and I didn't bring a lighter so I couldn't start a fire. So luckily, you know, you do meet random people hiking. So I got a lighter which is all I see sometimes and the strap on my backpack was broken already before I even began, so that was getting loose so I was holding my backpack the wrong way so I could barely stand up. I had blisters all over my feet. But the second night I was laying in my tent and I called it the coffin Because it literally was a one person tent. You couldn't even put the bag inside, really, yeah, and it was like raining and I can hear an animal outside of my tent and I'm shitting myself. I'm laying there with my bare spray and my knife and I barely slept Actually.
Speaker 2:Okay, this isn't from the first one, but this is worth telling. Okay, there are bears on this island. There is something like 7000 black bears on Vancouver Island. Really, yeah, 1000 cougars we have the highest population of cougars. By the way, I'm not scared of bears, don't really want to meet a cougar, but look kind of cool. And there's 200 of them and we're not talking about us.
Speaker 2:Yeah, real cougars, so you? Know everyone's always like carry bare spray, carry bare spray. Yeah Listen, I'm a threat to myself. I have sprayed myself with bare spray twice. Oh God, that is the most unpleasant experience ever. So the second time I did this hike the night before, I was packing my bag, I shoved the. I packed the whole bag, I shoved the bare spray in and sprayed myself all over In the tent.
Speaker 2:No, at home oh okay, at home, covered myself, covered my bag and by poor mother. I called her and I'm like she thinks like something really bad is happening because I'm just like. I'm like crying, like I'm burning everything. It's oil based, yeah. And she was like Amanda, I think you shouldn't go tomorrow. I think it's a sign. And I was like no, mum, it's like mosquito repellent. I am now bare repellent and I spent the first two days of the second hike crying like pain, everything burned, but it was worth it, Anyway.
Speaker 2:So I've made every mistake and then, I've learned from my mistakes and I continue to make mistakes to this day, and I learn and I learn and I get stronger and I get stronger. But what I realized is I came out and I am capable of so much more than I ever gave myself credit for, and that that applies to every part of my life, because one of the things that I'm known for now is oh, you're brave. And I always say to women you can do hard things. Because the moment you do something that you think you can't do and I'm not talking about going and hiking in the wilderness alone I'm not saying anyone should do that. If it lights you up, do it. If it doesn't think about something else that lights you up but scares you, I want you to be brave enough to lean into that, because only from doing that you realize just how capable you are Right.
Speaker 1:So I'm curious too what were you first afraid of, like what was going through your mind when you didn't know anything about hiking? You didn't know where the trail was, you didn't know how your experience was going to be. What thoughts were going through your mind?
Speaker 2:Hmm, so I struggle with that because I think my I'm so like a picture, like a little cartoon animal, like a little thumb, like just so excited. And just that was me. I was so excited. The only thing that I think was a concern for me was actually coming across men and being a woman and I'm not so concerned about that now because those men better watch out but back then I didn't quite know my strength. Yeah, trust me, I've got big ball energy. No guy wants to cross with me.
Speaker 2:But back then I wasn't quite as confident in that aspect of how I would be in a situation if I was uncomfortable in the middle of nowhere with no cell reception and being very vulnerable. And I have been. I think that stops most women. So a lot of women say I would love to go out in nature, I'd love to go hike, I would love to go camping by myself, but I'm scared and I'm like, listen, that's totally inherently normal fear and it's sad that that is the way it is. But you know, in my experience of doing this for so long now, it's so rare. It's so rare that you come across somebody like that and you learn, like I said, like trust me, guys try to say anything or try to intimidate me in any way. It takes them about two seconds before they walk around with it.
Speaker 2:They dig between their legs who they're messing with? Yeah, do not mess with me. So, but that confidence was built over time oh, totally.
Speaker 1:You inspired me to go camping by my own myself too, actually, and I did it. So I went to the US and I went camping by myself, and it was scary, you know, because I was like, do I have everything? But I just kept repeating over and over again no, I can do this, I'm capable.
Speaker 1:And I went and did it but what I did make sure is I had Wi-Fi because that was my safety net. Yes, so I felt okay. But being alone in the wilderness when all you hear is like crunching in the bushes and all that kind of stuff, you know you start to think, oh my god, like is there someone there?
Speaker 2:you know, it can be scary, it can be and let, and actually just bringing that up just recently, I don't know where I was somewhere in the wilderness and I started, my mind started to, you know, loop some, some scenarios that were not good, and I'm quick to catch them now because really, thoughts aren't truths, right? We? I'm not predicting, I'm just telling myself a fear-based thought and I get to choose a different one, right? So so that's something is be aware of your thoughts and and choose ones that empower you.
Speaker 2:But I really just want to pop this in why am I so passionate about doing things solo right in the wilderness, camping is because in that 47 kilometers, on the very first time I did it, I had never, ever, been alone with myself for a long period of time. I was constantly with people, I was constantly distracted, I was constantly numbing myself out. To put yourself in a situation where you're unplugged and you are just with yourself is probably one of the greatest things that ever happened to me. I was forced to to go within and reconnect to a part of me that I long, long forgotten, and that's where my power was really coming from can I ask you something, if you're okay with sharing it anyways?
Speaker 1:how did you, how did you numb out? Would it go previously?
Speaker 2:yeah, oh, every way, every way that was possible. Listen, I, I spent my whole life avoiding, avoiding, feeling right. So you know that began with the eating disorder. So it began with binging food and then not eating. It was alcohol, it was men. Anything sleeping I would sleep for long periods, I would binge watch tv, I would do anything, never, ever, ever to sit with myself because I was so scared of what I think, I thought I think I felt like I might drown if I was ever to stop long enough. Well, yeah, that's, that's powerful, and you can't heal unless you feel so. Here I was running away from all of my shit, you know, and listen, I ran good, I ran great.
Speaker 1:I ran around the world. I ran, you can tell me countries, 55, I think.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow, yeah. So I ran to the top of, you know, eiffel Tower, I ran to the Jordan Sea, I ran to the deserts of whatever. I've been everywhere, I've done everything. And guess what, wherever I was there, I was right. I was trying to run away from my problems, I was trying to not feel and and that is not the answer, my friends, that's what I'm passionate about everything I do you know, one thing I discovered recently is that we get addicted to the intensity, even if the intensity is toxic and super bad for us.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, you know, the intensity can be like you know, all the fuckboys? Or oh, the rollercoaster boys oh yeah, favorite flavor red flags same with me. She's whoo from Bollywood to Hollywood.
Speaker 2:I've been. Yes, oh god so, and that's another distraction. That's another way to avoid yes, oh.
Speaker 1:So if you're, you're listening to this right now. I think, if you really want to step into the next level, ask yourself that question what are you running away from and what are you not feeling?
Speaker 2:and what. Okay, so the topic that I'm most obsessed with right because I've been working with women for so long now and and from my own personal experience, is what fear like? How is fear manifesting in your life? Is it showing up in procrastination over thinking right, like it making excuses? There is something inside of you that dream, that thing you think about when you're in bed late at night. That thing you know there is something and there's some fear that's telling you that you can't do it, and I think it's so important to to bring self-awareness to that, to what you're talking about, aubrey, and how is fear, you know, essentially holding me back from my potential?
Speaker 1:and also finding your, your tribe too. Like I say this over and over again you're probably gonna get sick of me saying it, but it's important, because who you surround yourself with, your environment, is so important. Yeah, do you want to be trying to chase your dreams in a bowl of dirty water? Like no, you know, you have to move into the clean environment, the clean water, where you can thrive right.
Speaker 2:I remember hearing and I don't know if I'm gonna say this right, but it's like. It's like you know there's, there's a plan and you bring it home and it's in this tiny little like pot and you know it's important to water it and then, as it's getting bigger, it's important to take that out of that tiny pot and put it into a bigger pot right to let it grow, and then, you know, some weeds might come out. You know it's important to to nurture, but it's like, just because we start in one little pot right and I see this so much with women like, oh well, I've been friends with them since, you know, high school and you know they know that they're toxic and they bring them down and they're horrible to be around.
Speaker 2:It's like you can't expect to grow if you're just in that environment. You must always expand, you must be so conscious of how you spend your time. Your time, your energy, that's your most precious.
Speaker 1:So if someone wanted to start doing this and traveling on their own and hiking through the wilderness. What do you suggest they do first?
Speaker 2:I always say start small, right, because you build confidence by like taking steps or, if you're crazy like me, just kind of jump in. But you know, I want to be a little bit responsible for women and and really prep them up for success. So I always say, well, why don't you, you know, go for like a like a long hike by yourself, somewhere close, somewhere where you know you feel somewhat safe, right, and see how that feels. And then you know, and then expand and add each time maybe I get a lot of women reaching out to me on Instagram and they go, you've really inspired me to, you know, go do some solo adventures and they'll ask me, you know, some questions. I go well, why don't you go camp for one night, see, how that feels, or go in your backyard even set it up in your backyard and and I always recommend like books that they can read.
Speaker 2:You know other women like I. Obviously, what inspired me was the story of Cheryl Strad doing this, so read stories of women doing these, like empowering things, and be moved by it. Be moved so that you can move right and and start slow and you know if you're somebody that worries a lot. Um, you know, be prepared. Read some books, read some, you know, learn where you're going. You know always pre, always, make sure you're looking after yourself. You know there's, there's things that are common sense so I'm curious how did you set up camp?
Speaker 1:how was it for the first time, when you didn't know what you're doing? You came from Dubai and concrete jungle in Toronto to setting up a tent by yourself in the middle of the woods.
Speaker 2:I well, the first thing I did the Friday night before I left is I actually googled what to bring on a back country trip and I looked through the list so I wrote it down on a piece of paper and then I just kind of like visualized through. You know, through my head it's like okay, we're gonna get there, I'm gonna put my bag down, I'm gonna need to set up camp, I'm gonna need something to sleep on, like a sleeping pad, I'm gonna need a pillow. I didn't bring a pillow, um a sleeping bag, so I just went through like what would I do? So I'd set up camp and then where would I get my water from? Right, I'm not carrying water. So the the first mistake I ever made on this trip was I didn't have a water filter. So I actually brought water purification tablets so I would scoop water out of the creek and.
Speaker 2:I would pop one of these tablets in and I would drink that water. It was like drinking a spa water, like a hot tub, like chlorinated, it's so bad. So I, that was you know, yet another mistake I made. But then, yeah, and then it was like, okay, and then I need to start a fire. So you know, I collect wood. So it's like I need food, I need water, I need warmth. These are the things you know. Um, that is yeah. So I made sure I, I wrote the checklist and then I thought about all the things that I might need. But the biggest mistake was the, the water purification tablets, because when I came out the end of their end, I was so dehydrated because it's imagine just drinking water out of a pool. That's literally what it was like for me. I thought it was we say for you, but then they're meant to be used in emergencies.
Speaker 1:Oh, so you used it for like how many days?
Speaker 2:for days. It was bad, so I invested in a water filter. Now and you just collect your water from like a creek, a lake, anything like that. You collect your own wood. So one thing, once you're out there, you cannot like if you forget something, you're screwed. Yeah, there's nothing out there yeah, there's nothing so I've actually I've been out in the wilderness on other trips with not enough food, with the wrong um heating canister to cook my food. I have literally made every mistake.
Speaker 1:So you get really so how did you cook your food? Then, if you forgot that, like, what did you do?
Speaker 2:I just ate dry food. No, you didn't. Yes, I did.
Speaker 1:Okay, wait. What kind of dry food are you talking about?
Speaker 2:Like the packets that you buy at like a Mac. Yeah, no, you can not eat that. I was like that's disgusting, oh my goodness, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:So you know I've literally been starving on. You know I've made mistakes of not packing enough food and once I was so delirious I was lost in the wilderness. I didn't take enough food. I was so sleep deprived, covered in mud and soaked through. And a hiker walked past me and like, literally it was like are you okay? And I said no, and he gave me, I'll never forget, pulled out his bag, he gave me a granola bar and like a slab of cheese oh, I can't Cheese, cheese, a slab of what the heck do you keep cheese called? Yeah, do you just have and you don't understand when you haven't eaten. And like that was like the biggest gift from God. I literally sat there eating this cheese, like it was the best thing you must have been like oh, no, yeah, you know what I love about doing this is you.
Speaker 2:You know you eat basic. When you're out there, you eat a lot of like you know, dehydrated food. You appreciate everything so much more when you come home. Right, everything is like oh wow, we just have everything so easy and so automatically just open our fridge. When you're out there, it's like every time you eat you open a can of tuna.
Speaker 1:You're just you're there with it. You're so appreciative, it's amazing. Right, you got your stick in the ocean. You're ready to catch a fish and eat it raw. So, I'm curious, what was the company name that you use, like the filtration for the water bottle?
Speaker 2:That is a good question. I'm not sure, but I'll let you know.
Speaker 1:Was it.
Speaker 2:LifeStrawl? No, it wasn't LifeStrawl. Okay, that's good as well. Yeah, so you know what I'll find out and you can put it in the show notes. It's my favorite. I've got different ones. I've got a small one just for you know, filling up, and then when I'm kind of camp near somewhere, I go fill up like a whole big bag and I hang it from a tree so then I can like refill it my water and I cook because you're cooking with water, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're eating a lot of dehydrated food, oats, things like that. You know coffee I think the biggest mistake I've ever made is for getting coffee on my trip.
Speaker 1:No, it was awful.
Speaker 2:Like I would rather sleep cold than not have coffee in the morning. So you know, it's always. Always write a list of everything you're going to need and make sure you bring everything and really go over it many times, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like make creative template or something probably is a good idea. Right, I have that now.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:There's nothing better for me to wake up in the morning looking out your tent, looking at the ocean, having a cup of coffee.
Speaker 2:It's like that is the best, yeah, and not having any distraction, right, you're not on your phone because you don't have any cell reception. You are just there. You are so present, and that's why I love doing what I do solo. Right, I do trips with other people and that's a different type of you know thing for me, but the solo trips, that's like a spiritual trip, it's like a you know. If I'm ever feeling anxiety or like stressed out, I'm like, okay, what do I need right now? I need to go to the wilderness and I need reset, which is why I go a lot, so your tent when you set it up.
Speaker 1:how did that go?
Speaker 2:The first time. You know what? I figured it out. I figured it out and I was so proud of myself and it was a one man tent.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that was my coffin.
Speaker 2:I called it a coffin. I took the coffin out a few trips and then I upgraded to like a two person tent so I could actually put my bag in side the tent and just have like a little bit more space. But the thing is, when you're doing these types of trips you can't like. The weight is very crucial, right?
Speaker 1:So yeah, also with bears. So with the bears here on the island. You don't want to put food inside the tent because the bears will try to get in your tent.
Speaker 2:So a lot of the trails and the camping trails out in the wilderness they will have bear caches. Is that how you say it?
Speaker 2:Bear caches, I have no idea, I have no idea, it's basically a massive steel box that you put your food in and then it locks up. Now the other alternative is which I'm usually too lazy and I like to be as far away you know. If there are people camping, I like to be far away. Or if you are somewhere where there's no bear cache, you hang it from a tree. You have a rope and you hang your food up from a tree.
Speaker 1:Make sure you hang it high enough.
Speaker 2:Yes, they can climb, I know oh my god, that's amazing.
Speaker 1:Good on you. You should be proud of yourself for doing that. That's what I am.
Speaker 2:I love it really. It makes me feel so alive when I'm challenging myself like that. And you know, when I came out from that first hike, I was, you know, showering under waterfalls, starting my own fire. I set up my own tent and I put it back away. I felt so empowered and so strong and so capable right. So each time I do it and I make a mistake and I learn something about myself and I, you know, it's just, it's built such an immense confidence in my own capabilities for doing anything in life, right, which is why I'm passionate about showing other women that they can too Amazing.
Speaker 1:I have one funny question though Okay. Okay, if I was to go camping by myself, my one thing would be pooping in the forest. That is weird and awkward.
Speaker 2:Oh my god, I'm so glad you asked me this question because I think about it a lot right, I think about it a lot because I know people that that hooks them up.
Speaker 2:They're like, oh my goodness, like I've never peed out. I've never, you know, done that. Like that's so weird. Let me tell you right now it is the best. So you know how you're talking about your coffee in the morning. Yeah, imagine just sitting there. I can't tell you how many craps I've done whilst overlooking a mountain, a snow cap mountain or a river, or the most exquisite you know, in the middle of nowhere. And and your present, you just sit in there and, oh, it's, it's, it's the best thing.
Speaker 1:Well, they say it's healthy to squat. It's so great, it's not healthy to poop on a toilet, but what do you do? Do you bring toilet paper? Yeah, yeah, no, you know I pulled the leaves off the tree and I wiped myself with it. Hey, just saying you could go in the ocean, ocean does not change me it's the most natural thing.
Speaker 2:And you know, I think when I first started researching things it was like, oh, you're gonna dig a hole. Like I'm like, why would I dig a hole? Like you know, bears crap everywhere, animals crap everywhere. There's so much wilderness I'm not gonna dig a hole. No one's coming across it like it's all good, just get over it. Everyone shits, all of us. I know we like to keep it hidden, but you know it's part of life and my wilderness crap is my favorite.
Speaker 1:Okay, I had to put that out there. I'm so curious. You know another thing that I learned too. I used to work for this company that made like seaweed, skincare and stuff like that if you're on the beach. You can actually pick the seaweed off the beach and I can't remember what kind it is, but you know the ones when your kids and they pop oh yeah, the little tiny ones isn't the bullcull?
Speaker 2:No, it's not the bullcull, but it's like yeah they're little tiny ones.
Speaker 1:Anyways, if you open those up, you can put that on your face and it's really good for healing. It's really good for like a moisturizer. So yeah, it sounds weird, but it actually feels amazing.
Speaker 2:Well, lately on when I'm out, I'm off I'm actually drawn to learning more about, like the plants and the wild, like you know, what can we eat, what can we use. Like you know, I'm definitely drawn to learning more about that. I don't know you enough right now, but yeah.
Speaker 1:Soon. I know I've been worrying so much because you decided to stay an extra day or something like that and I didn't know where you were. And here I was calling your mom in Australia and we're like I don't know where she is and she's somewhere in the wilderness. I mean, I'm going to be the one finding you and coming to look for you.
Speaker 2:So so I only recently learnt this. So I you know I'm somebody that jumps and does without thinking and I would often just disappear for days. So it is so important to let people know where you're going and when you're expecting to come back. That is really important. And also, I am actually going to invest in a satellite phone, my friend which is going to change everything, but I think it's just yeah, it's common sense.
Speaker 2:Just make sure that you have things that you feel safe with, people know where you are, you know when you're expecting to get back.
Speaker 1:And also have a list too. I think that you need to bring, and maybe you can give some tips further on that of a list.
Speaker 2:I've got created lists for backpacking trips, for camping trips, for it all.
Speaker 1:so yeah, I think women convince themselves that they aren't capable of doing things alone. It's a common story that I hear over and over and over again, and I used to be that girl. I mean, I used to start adventuring when I was quite young, but I also got fed that by everyone around me because just my group wasn't doing it.
Speaker 2:But I realised that there were so many other people around the world that were doing the things I wanted to do, so I just started making friends with those people you know, and it's whether it's you know starting your own business, whether it's you know there is so much, we are so much more capable than we give ourselves credit for, and the only way that we're going to build that confidence is by getting a little bit uncomfortable and doing something a little bit outside our comfort zone and a little bit scary, and it's 100% worth it, because that's where the magic is, that's where you build confidence. That's when you realise, hey, you know that story I used to tell myself that was out of bullshit. I can do, be and have whatever I want in this damn life. Yeah, amen, amen.
Speaker 1:And reach out to Amanda if you're feeling scared or you need some guidance. You know she will help you. She's done this and I've seen her walk her journey and it's been so beautiful because I love.
Speaker 2:My favourite thing is seeing a woman with something on her heart and wanting to do something and stepping into it. That is everything. I've watched so many of my clients just step into what they're doing now and it blows me away. I'm like I'm so honoured to be part of that journey like that is that's where I come in. I am here to help you remember who the fuck you are and step into, into taking brave risks. And listen, my friends, not about going into the world. This is about everything in life. This is about starting that dream business that you want. It's about doing the art. It's about anything you want and you are capable of it, and that's really where I live.
Speaker 1:And when you work with someone like yourself, right, when you gain that insight, right, you might be stuck in your head telling yourself the same story over and, over and over again, or living in this environment, but when you have the actual like aha moment and you see it from a different perspective, that's when you can take action and that's what you do. So what are some exciting things that you're working on right now, and how can people work with you?
Speaker 2:Oh, my goodness. Well, number one, I am working on my podcast, which will be launching soon. So definitely, if you stay tuned, you can follow me on Instagram for any updates on when that's coming out. But it's gonna be called the Living Bravely podcast. So it's gonna be a lot of conversations like this and just how can we breathe brave in our life and how can we step through that fear and get outside of our comfort zones to get the things that we wanna you know, get the things we wanna do, the things we wanna achieve. So I'm super excited about that. So that'll be coming out shortly.
Speaker 2:And I've been asked by women for so long if I would take women out and do some wilderness kind of adventures with them, some retreats, and the time has come and I am so excited. I live on Vancouver Island, but we live here and it is just beautiful and I really wanna give women the chance to connect to themselves in the way that I've been able to, by going out into the wilderness and doing yoga and meditation and just all of it. It's gonna be amazing, fun, adventurous. So that's in the works as well. I'm just getting certified in you know some things before that, because I'm gonna be responsible for some women and, working with me, I do one-on-one coaching with women, so that is usually in a three month you know package, because you know it takes time to really implement and learn these different. Also, I do eight week group coaching programs for usually around 20 women and we just go deep and that's incredible.
Speaker 2:So stay tuned for when I'm gonna launch my next one and if you've got any other questions, you can just find me on Instagram and DM me and I'm happy to connect and support you in any way I can. What's your Instagram handle? It's underscore Amanda Eckert T-C-K-E-R-T. Underscore.
Speaker 1:Amazing. Yeah, thank you for being here and thank you so much. I'm so excited to do more podcasts with you.
Speaker 2:Oh, I'm so excited and thank you for being a voice for women and being brave enough to you know, launch your own podcast and do all these incredible things, because I know you know we have the fear. It's still there, but it's having the courage to do it anyway.
Speaker 1:The fear of being heard was my biggest fear when I did this, but I said I'm put it in the fuck it box. Fuck it bucket or the fuck it box and just going for it.
Speaker 2:Good cause. We need to hear stories like this, so yeah, thank you, my friends.
Speaker 1:Cheers everyone. Thank you for tuning into fuck the box. I have a couple of tips for you before you go. Number one energy is a guide. Trust it. Trust yourself. This is for love, friendships, business, absolutely everything. Number two ask yourself do I have any limiting beliefs that are stopping me from living a fuck the box lifestyle? Ask yourself is this true? Number three change the story you keep replaying in your mind. I want your new mantra every single morning when you wake up to be. This is important to me and I am making this familiar how you can support the show when you subscribe, comment and rate our show. It helps me make more awesome podcasts and also supports everyone in business that has been on the show. You can share with another fuck the box or friend you think would love to hear fuck the box. You can donate to the show. Or if you have an awesome brand you want me to tell the world about, send us an email below. Cheers, lots of love.