NEW Member Highlight - Meet Alyssa!

Meet inspirational new Outdoor Mindset member, Alyssa! Her journey through life and navigating the challenges of a traumatic brain injury truly exhibits OM's "Live Big" spirit! Thank you, Alyssa for being an open book and sharing your story!

Name: Alyssa Bowman

Date Joined OM: July 19, 2013

Current City: Longmont, CO

Submitted by Alyssa Bowman:

I'm thrilled to have found Outdoor Mindset and I'm really looking forward to getting to know some new friends out here to go adventure with! I JUST moved from Seattle (like last week) to Longmont Colorado. As a Seattle girl my favorite food is coffee anything, and my newly discovered favorite color is Colorado sunshine! My outdoor passions are paddle boarding, yoga, hiking, kayaking, x-country skiing, swimming, and triathlon training. If I were to wake up as an animal I think I'd like to be a sea-turtle. They are so calm and serene (plus they swim all day...what a life!) My motto: Live life abundantly! 

December 11, 2010 I suffered a TBI while on vacation. I currently have a 30 hour memory. I remember everything up to December 17th 2010...and yesterday. So really, the movie "50 first dates" is my life. Some of the gifts found because of my TBI: I live in a state of constant mindfulness, I am very very confidential...you can tell me anything today because tomorrow I won't remember it. Gifts...every one of them is a gift that keeps on giving. Re-runs on TV are first time shows for me, plus, I have a knack for understanding the memory impaired! On a more serious note, I've learned what it means to be strong again, I've learned to really lean on my faith and on my support network. I've learned the value of my friends and family, I've learned how to not give up, I've learned how to ask for help, and I've learned how to thrive again! 

I just finished my first masters degree in Theology (with a 30 hr memory!) and I'm starting my second masters degree in two weeks (Marriage and Family Therapy w/ cert. in child therapy). I'm an administrator for a church and I also work at a counseling practice as a mentor for teen girls.

I chose to join OM because I wanted to meet new friends, play outside (A LOT), regain a sense of confidence, and get to know some other people who might really be a support and spark a sense of FUN and ADVENTURE. I really hope there will be a Boulder/Longmont presence at OM Meetups. I'd love to see yoga, hiking, paddle boarding, picnics, bike rides, horse back riding, x-country skiing, maybe a group presence at some races etc.

NEW OM Online Community Coming Soon!

We are still making progress with Indaba on our new website and online community! With the new website, there will be some changes to our membership and programs. 

Once the new website is launched, you will need to register so that your membership continues to be active. If you are an OM member, a participant in our Guide/Traveler program, and/or a member of a Meetup Group, keep reading!

• New Online Community: www.outdoormindset.org. Once you receive your temporary username and password, you will need to register online and set up your profile. Once you have registered, you may search and connect with other members, participate in our programs, gain access to special events, participate in exclusive giveaways, access member discounts and perks, and more.

• Meetup Groups (meetup.com) will be moved to our online community. If you are currently a member of any of our Meetup Groups (Boulder, Hanover, Cincinnati), you will need to make sure to join your city's Meetup Group on our sweet new website. In addition, soon you (our members) will have an opportunity to suggest and create events! 

• New Connect Program (formerly Guide/Traveler Program) will allow you to search our online community and connect one-on-one with other members on your own terms. If you are currently participating in the Guide/Traveler program, you will need to make sure that you connect with members you've already been matched with. Also, by searching member profiles in the OM online community, you will be able to create new connections based on your own individual expectations and interests. We will provide the tools to help you connect online to get offline and into the outdoors.

Soon we will be announcing our launch date. In the meantime, make sure you are following us on Facebook and Twitter for updates! 

We want to hear from you. If you have any suggestions on how to improve the OM community or would like to provide a testimonial about your OM experience, email us at: connect@outdoormindset.org.