Five Reasons Why I Am Going on Sabbatical

fryingpan river colorado — **Because you don’t need skis, but you do need time, to enjoy the outdoors.**

Remember when you were in school and summer meant VACATION?

Summer was a break from the 9-month routine of classes, books, homework and tests. Not that school wasn’t fun, a lot of it was. But after 9 months of learning, everyone needs a break.

Recently, I have found myself in need of a proper summer vacation. Or as I’m calling it, a sabbatical. Which I think of as just a fancy way to say summer vacation for grown ups.

Five Reasons Why I Am Going on Sabbatical

It’s summer and no one cares about skiing.

Are you thinking about skiing or snowboarding right now? I’m not.

And since the Southern Hemisphere ski season doesn’t really kick off until July, no one in the world, with the exception of professional athletes, industry employees and die-hard backcountry adventurers is thinking about skiing right now.

friends tio bob's portillo chile — If you can’t let go of the northern winter, I cannot recommend skiing in Portillo, Chile highly enough.

If you are thinking about skiing or snowboarding and need information, I’ve got you covered.

Just use the search function at Braveskimom.com. In nearly 8 years, I’ve created and published a staggering total of 831 posts. That’s eight hundred and thirty-one articles about family skiing, the ski industry, ski gear and the like.

Search on and let me know your favorites. It might be time to rewrite and republish some of them for next winter.

Also, while I’m not thinking (much) about skiing right now, I do have a queue of new skiing topics to cover during the fall. I’m excited to share them with you.

It’s time to free up some head space to consider other topics, pursuits and thoughts.

While I love skiing, especially with my family and friends, I also like doing other things and thinking about other things. What am I going to think about this summer? I have no idea, but I’m planning to think as little as possible on the days when my brain needs a rest.

Lie in the grass and stare at the clouds? Uh-huh. Maybe some really big thoughts will come to me when I least expect them.

Or maybe not.

a family hiking together in colorado — **Sit in a meadow and talk about whatever strikes our fancy? Yes!**

Life is full of transitions, perhaps this is one.

I started Braveskimom on a whim and a challenge from my son (and you can read about this here — in the very first post I wrote).

I had no idea how it would evolve. But thanks to your support, and a lot of typing on my end, Braveskimom has grown into a wonderful community. You all mean a lot to me.

Still, as I float along the river of life, I can’t predict which eddies, rapids or diversions are going to impact me.

And while I don’t see myself stepping away from family skiing and snowsports, there may be new topics and areas within the ski industry that call to me and are appropriate for this website.

One of the (possibly) big ideas I’ve had is increasing my focus on sustainability. When my sons say things like “I really hope my kids will have snow to ski on,” it breaks my heart and strengthens my resolve.

deep snow park city — **Because we don’t want days like this to become a distant memory.**

It’s a big interesting world out there. I’m hoping to explore more of it.

This doesn’t mean travel, but rather learning about new things, writing about them and immersing myself, even if just for a 500 word article, in some new topics.

While I love, love, love producing Braveskimom, it’s not all that I do.

I also write for other publications, both online and print. I look forward to freeing up some time to learn about new topics.

Case in point? I just wrote a really interesting article about collegiate women’s wrestling. I learned a lot about something I’d never really considered before.

What a gift.

Enjoy the summer with your family! I look forward to meeting you back here, at some point when I’m recharged and ready to click into my skis again.