This middle age woman learned a thing or two from survival training. Today, I want to offer a bit of encouragement about truly defining your DREAMS and then doing every little bitty thing that it takes to make it happen! Let me tell you a story so grab a cup of hot java or tea, and sit back and read a while with me. BELIEVE me, there are some lessons and nuggets of gold in this, LOL.

What Creek Stewart of Fat Guys In The Woods Taught a Middle Aged Woman

You see, there was this fella. He was in college as a Pharmaceutical Major but changed to Business Major. He would find himself seeking out pieces of parks and nature to prowl around in. He has some back story of living in the country on a farm with his parents, being an Eagle Scout and loving the outdoors. While in the dorm room studying one day, the crazy old crow that had been squawking in the courtyard for days had finally had gotten to him. He couldn’t stand it any more. So he built a little trap and trapped that sucker. He didn’t have the heart to kill him though so he let him go, and that crow never came back to the courtyard. He also went to the college and asked if they had a Survival Skills major, but nope, he was stuck in Business. But, he started crafting a “Plan B” income plan.

Lesson from a Crow

That crow sparked an ember deep inside and he knew he just wasn’t going to be happy working inside four walls as a business man. The great outdoors had always been in his life, and he knew that’s where he needed to be.

The first thing he knew he wanted to do was to write a book about ‘survival’ skills he had learned as a Boy Scout.

“”It was a 90 page self published book with hand-drawn sketches of the survival skills I knew at the time – which wasn’t much. I didn’t make excuses. I moved forward. No, I wasn’t qualified to write a survival book. In fact, I wasn’t qualified to write any kind of a book on any subject. No, I didn’t have a publishing contract. I also didn’t have any money. But, I didn’t let any of that stop me. I PUSHED FORWARD ANYWAY AND MADE NO EXCUSES THAT MIGHT SOMEHOW ALLOW ME TO QUIT.””

Dreams and Plans

His Sophomore year of college, while others were out partying and doing ‘college-y’ things, he was writing that ‘book’ and hand drawing figures for it. He self published it at Kinkos and had it spiral bound. He was now an AUTHOR!

At first, he taught free classes to area Boy Scout troops and would sell his book to the kids and parents. But, he didn’t like traveling around, so he convinced his parents to let him invite strangers to the family farm and he would sign up folks to take classes (by the way, he was 21). He put out an ad in the newspaper (1997) and had about 15 folks actually sign up for the “Survival Skills” classes AND some folks bought the “signed book by the Author” as well.

He learned after teaching that first class, that he needed MUCH MORE TIME in the trenches truly LEARNING the craft and skills that he LOVED TEACHING. “” I had to spend 100s, even 1000s of hours practicing and perfecting the skills I wanted to teach AND I had to figure out how to build a business around teaching survival skills. Talk about a tough business model. You can’t find a book on this one!””

One of his life lessons is he shares with others is YOU KNOW YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH WHEN YOUR PASSION FOR YOUR SUBJECT DOESN’T DIE EVEN THOUGH YOU AREN’T GETTING THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK YOU WANT. Even though, at first, he couldn’t make a living with the survival skills and writing, he still ENJOYED doing it. He knew the skills were important for people to know AND he loved teaching people.

He didn’t roll in the bucks at first. If he had depended on the money earned from teaching the classes and writing to pay the bills, he would have quit in the first year. But, he supplemented his incomes with various businesses (selling t-shirts, a snow cone shop, selling door knobs for a major hardware brand, working nights for major shipping carriers) all while still BUILDING his business he had a PASSION for. Out of college he turned down nice job offers that would have had him stuck in four walls wearing a suit and tie. Why? The reality is that “I WAS PREPARED TO LOSE EVERYTHING FOR WHAT I WANTED.”

21 years have passed since the journey began. Now, Creek Stewart is the founder of WillowHaven Outdoor Survival School, author of 3 books (with another one on the way) he has an online gear shop that his parents manage, AND he is the HOST of The Weather Channel’s show that just finished it’s second season “Fat Guys In The Woods.” (p.s. By the way, it was The Weather Channel that sought HIM out to be the host of the show!)

Mental Survival Skills for the 50-something woman

After spending some time with Creek on Friday (yes, I’m a star struck fan of the show, but having learned even more about him I’m a fan of his heart for his passion for HIS business) I completely agree with his 3 Mental Survival Skills and encourage that they be used by all ages, especially Empty Nest moms needing to survive after the kids fly the coop!

The Absolute Refusal to Give Up:
Never give up no matter how bleak the circumstances.

Every time the new school year rolls around I am so saddened by the moms that are not only sad about their kids leaving for college, but pretty much declaring they ‘don’t know what they will ever do now that the house is empty.’ The situation looks bleak to them, and I watch as they just let life glide on past them – as if they have given up and think that those ‘school years’ were the only years for living. Oh MY, there is MUCH more that awaits you but you can’t just sit back and give up! You have to go out and seize the days!

The MacGyver Factor:
Use what you have to get what you need.

Everyone is looking for happiness, joy and peace, including moms. After the kids leave home you may feel like you don’t know what you want to do, and truthfully, with college expenses for the kids, you may not have a lot of extra money. BUT, USE what you have. Do you have an unfinished hobby sitting around the house that may would need some TLC to revive it? Is there a stack of books or magazines that you didn’t have time to read? Have you ever thought about taking a ‘dream’ vacation but wouldn’t know where to start? Well, start TODAY by doing some research on the internet and take notes along the way. Use what you have at your fingertips to start charting a path to empty nest surTHRIVAL.

Exorcise the Demon named Negativity:
Do not tolerate negative thoughts or negative people in your life.

Do not do not, do not, do not tolerate negative thoughts or people in your life. Don’t do it. I remember after our son left for college there was a woman at the office that was full of negativity. I really had never met someone that was so negative. I finally had to just remove myself from a room if she was in it. Her negativity was like poison to my mind. The ironic thing was that a few years later I ended up having to supervisor her – and her negativity. Now THAT was a hard one because I couldn’t as easily walk out. Thankfully, she ended up moving on to start her own home based business.
Your greatest weapon and asset for your innermost heart and soul will be controlling the demon of Negativity. You just can’t let it take root in the Mindset of your Spirit because it will bring you as low as an ant, fast!

I truly hope you start out this week with a new fire and determination to BUILD the LIFE you have a PASSION for and don’t let anything stand in your way!

By the way, that’s my buddy Creek AND I wouldn’t be a real fan if I didn’t buy 1 of everything he had on his table like the sticks needed to make a trap to trap a critter for food. As if I would EVER really kill and eat a furry little critter, lol. BUT, he had me hook, line and sinker! #FGITW

Hugs and feathers from the nest~~()~~

Kim Steadman is the Content Curator and COOP (Chief Online Operating Person) for The Re-Feathered Nest, a place of encouragement for moms entering the Empty Nest Zone who are ready to RePurpose and ReDesign themselves according to God’s purpose for their lives now that the kids have flown the coop. She is the author of the soon to be released book ““My Little Book of Empty Nest Quotes & Wisdom.’ Kim can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheRefeatheredNest and on Google+ at +Kim

 

P.S. If you are interested in what Creek teaches here are a few links to his online world!

http://willowhavenoutdoor.com

http://www.creekstewart.com

http://www.notifbutwhensurvivalstore.com/