Here is a snippet from a coaching session I had recently (my own, so I will share freely!). I had a session with a peer coach with whom I...

When I told my dad I was walking at the beach again he asked me, “Are you doing a mini Camino or are you looking for ice cream?” I replied, “Both!” I returned to the California coast yesterday. I walked part of the path my sister and I did during my DIY Pilgrimage but I began and ended the journey at a different place. I wanted to see what I had missed. I wanted to experience another perspective. That was my mini Camino. I also wanted to get a frozen banana on Balboa Island

When I told my dad I was walking at the beach again he asked me, “Are you doing a mini Camino or are you looking for ice cream?” I...

You might wonder at first glance what badassery and pilgrimage have in common. Let me tell you about a conversation I had with my sister...

You might wonder at first glance what badassery and pilgrimage have in common. Let me tell you about a conversation I had with my sister during day 2 of my DIY Pilgrimage. First, a litte background—my sister and I had initially intended to walk the Camino de Santiago from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, to Santiago de Compostela in Spain in 2020. It’s around a 485 mile/780 kilometer journey. That’s a long way and we felt pretty courageous wanting to attempt it. When our pilg

I’ve arrived home. Home sweet home! That was the intent of my DIY Pilgrimage to begin with—I wanted to walk from home to home. It was to mark the transition of my work life and to honor my body as it ages. What I’ve found instead is that, really, my pilgrimage became about neither of these things all that much. It was more about remembering who I am in this journey of life and how that brings me home to myself and to those closest to me. I mentioned previously that I got a bl

I’ve arrived home. That was the intent of my DIY Pilgrimage to begin with—I wanted to walk from home to home. It was to mark the...

It seems weeks ago that I left on my DIY pilgrimage. But I’ve only been gone a handful of days. There have been a number of things I’ve...

It seems weeks ago that I left on my DIY pilgrimage. But I’ve only been gone a handful of days. There have been a number of things I’ve noticed: Time runs differently when you are moving constantly at walking speed. It moves in and out of feeling quick and feeling slow. And there’s always enough of it. Feet are the foundation of walking. I got my first blister and I was shocked. I can’t remember the last time I got a blister doing anything. All of a sudden I’m paying way more

My journey started this morning with a train and a bus. When I got off the bus, I decided to walk the extra miles and forgo the next bus...

My journey started this morning with a train and a bus. When I got off the bus, I decided to walk the extra miles and forgo the next bus (a better idea this morning than it felt mid-afternoon!). The bus dropped me off right outside of Target. So being a good consumer, I went in to buy snacks. I was worried I wouldn’t have food the whole way and as it turns out, that was a good move. I began my first steps of my pilgrimage in the Target parking lot. Weird. But in a lot of ways

I began planning my pilgrimage with the intent to avoid the military base because I didn’t want to think about it. I wanted to avoid. And...

I began planning my pilgrimage with the intent to avoid the military base because I didn’t want to think about it. I wanted to avoid. And yet, here I am, beginning my pilgrimage in the midst of another war. “War is not healthy for children or other living things,” (thank you to the artist Corita, and to my friend Anne, for reminding me of this today.) But, while I reflect as I start my pilgrimage, I realize that war is all around us, all the time. The war of words in the boar

When I initially put together the itinerary for my DIY Pilgrimage The beach where I'll catch the train on my pilgrimage. I decided to skip walking through the military base that is situated in between where I’d be walking and where I wanted to end up. There’s no path around, only through. So I decided to take the train to avoid the base. Mind you, I do have a Department of Defense pass that allows me to pass through on my bicycle but I wanted to not mix military (towards whic

When I initially put together the itinerary for my DIY Pilgrimage I decided to skip walking through the military base that is situated in...

As I begin to pack for my pilgrimage, I realize already that I have too much stuff. My body won't like it if my backpack is too heavy....

As I begin to pack for my pilgrimage, Lea's backpack and hiking poles ready for the trip! I realize already that I have too much stuff. My body won't like it if my backpack is too heavy. I'd really like to bring the small one but I am having trouble making everything fit. I've heard this is a problem for people going on a pilgrimage--they bring too much stuff. They prepare for the life they are used to living at home and want to bring these amenities with them. Or, they want

I am in search of beauty daily. Or the quirky. Or surprising. Or heartwarming. I was inspired by poet Ross Gay and his Book of Delights....

This was almost my first blog post-- every time I sat down to write, I would begin with my cancer story. So here it is in a nutshell: 29...

Seems like the best place to start is with an introduction. I am Lea Appleton and I am a Wellbeing Coach. I've been doing this for a...