Introducing the OM Adventure Scholarship!

Happy New Year!

The year end gives us time to reflect on the year, and take a big breath to settle the mind and return to a positive state of being; whether we experienced something tragic, enlightening, or downright dull. 



With the New Year, comes the view of the horizon. It’s time to look forward to a better future and plan to take action.
 


At OM we look at the New Year as an opportunity to reengage, reignite, and re-imagine the future.
 


To start, I and the Executive and Advisory Boards will be having a retreat on MLK weekend. We will be reflecting on our accomplishments, examining our current state, and planning for a big future! These are exciting times at OM! And in the spirit of reigniting the spirit, I am excited to introduce a brand new program:
 


Introducing the Outdoor Mindset Adventure Scholarship!


The power of the outdoors to lift our spirits, to clear our thoughts and center our state of being, in history, was a gift that only gods could give. For many of us, the time we spend outside and in nature defines our character and how we view the world. We may dream of climbing that special peak, travelling to that amazing place and living that once in a lifetime experience. These experiences bring strangers together and friends closer, with memories and feelings that will be shared for the rest of their lives. It is at these precise moments when you take a deep breath and say, “this is what life is all about”!
 


Outdoor Mindset thrives on those moments and understands that the impact these extraordinary experiences have on our health and wellbeing is priceless! OM never intends to compete with the gods, but perhaps we can help provide the funding for you and a friend to get closer to experiencing a special peak, an amazing place and a once in a lifetime experience – an item on your bucket list that you have always wanted to complete.
 


Our goal with the new Adventure Scholarship is to help support OM’s mission to enhance the quality of life of our members, engage our members and encourage our community to connect with one another and get outside and live big!
 


El Chalten, Patagonia. Put it on your Adventure Scholarship
bucket list!

OM will be awarding at least one Adventure Scholarship per quarter. We will be awarding at least $500 per Adventure Scholarship! Applications will be accepted starting today, and applicants will be given until February 12th, to submit. Applicants must be an OM member, and the Adventure Scholarship must be used for an outdoor activity with at least one other OM member. Keep in mind, anyone can become an OM member and it’s FREE! And most importantly, the Adventure Scholarship awardee must have a great time!!!
 


Please click here to view the official rules and apply. Good luck!

 

Don’t forget to Participate, Engage and Promote! 
 


I can’t wait to see you outside and look forward to sharing more exciting news in the coming months!


~Sean

Strength To The Body And Soul

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul.” - John Muir

A common passion for the outdoors is a thriving element in the mind of the Outdoor Mindset folks. I know I can speak for all of us when I say that John Muir could not have been more spot on.

Last week, Outdoor Mindset held our second “official” board meeting in a local office boardroom downtown Boulder. The meeting kicked off with each of us sharing our most memorable outdoor experience. I don’t know about the rest of our group, but I had a pretty difficult time narrowing it down to just one story. Somehow, each of us managed to tell one of the amazing experiences we’ve had throughout our lives. As our stories circulated the room, I began to notice a similar theme in each. Whether it was my own personal story of hiking Yellowstone’s pristine backcountry, with 3 people I had met a week prior, and experiencing a full on charge from a grizzly; or Jake’s experience in the Wrangell-St. Elias Wilderness of Alaska for 12 days carving fresh telemark lines into the mountain every day, we each gained a sense of therapy, healing, or strength from the experience while connecting with relatives, friends, or people we had met only days earlier.

I wonder if John Muir could amend his quotes, he would mention the connection he also made with the individuals with whom he shared his experiences.

With three board members currently affected (or have been affected) by neurological challenges, each of us were able to see our mission of “uniting and inspiring individuals affected by neurological challenges to live big through a common passion for outdoor adventure” actually come to life. Our goal is to take individuals like these three, and match them with similar individuals where the same experiences can be shared. Our hope is while these individuals connect with the outdoors, they also have someone to connect with on the same neurological level….someone who’s been through or is going through a similar situation. As we’ve mentioned in prior posts, it’s great to have the love and support from family, but it would be nice to speak with someone who’s been there and done that….case in point, Jake and Diane Van Deren. This element of a similar diagnosis connection was missing from each story told last week, which in turn gives each of us more drive and determination to make OM a success for all affected by neurological challenges with a passion for the outdoors.

As summer begins to shed it’s light on The Rocky Mountains, the variety of outdoor activity only increases so stay tuned for more exciting news to come from the OM crew.

"You have to go on and be crazy" -Jimi Hendrix

Some people would call us crazy. We probably ARE crazy to start a nonprofit during the current economy. However, this group gets excited about challenges. Outdoor Mindset has developed because of the passion brought to the table for the mission, the talents of each board member and the willingness to do what it takes to get the organization off the ground (warning for friends and family – begging for donations may occur soon). My experience includes over fifteen years of volunteering and working in the nonprofit sector. What we have accomplished as a group in just six meetings blows me away - vision, mission, values, major services, committee work and a name. Okay, the name took a little longer than we thought and thank you marketing committee for getting us through our wall of sticky note brainstorms (see pic). I have to admit, I am somewhat of a process snob. I like process, but if it goes too slow I get antsy. Outdoor Mindset is keeping me on my feet. Stay tuned for what’s coming down the pike: an official logo, outreach events, party, partnerships and official 501(c)(3) status (IRS jargon for being a tax-exempt nonprofit). Join our craziness – follow us here, on Twitter and on Facebook.

The Beginning

A few months ago, our good friend Kyle went to the doctor because he was experiencing some symptoms that just didn't seem right. This led him to an MRI and the eventual discovery of an abnormality in his brain that is most likely a type of benign tumor. In the time between his doctor's appointment and his MRI results, Kyle looked to the internet for information and found no shortage of research and white papers about neurological disorders. What he didn't find was the answer to his biggest question: Regardless of the diagnosis, would he still be able to lead an active, adventurous life?

In the months following his initial MRI, Kyle envisioned an organization that could help people facing neurological challenges connect with others in the outdoors while helping one another through their new post-diagnosis lives. He pulled together a diverse group of people from around Colorado to make his vision a reality.

Since January, we have been meeting regulary to define our vision, mission, values, and by-laws that govern our organization. We have also formed volunteer committees to focus in areas of finance, organizational development, and marketing.

On this journey, we reached a major waypoint last night. We held our first official board meeting at Cantina Laredo in Boulder to vote on our organization's name, affirm board members, and elect an executive committee. Being a part of any company's start up always has defining moments that are funny, exciting, and moving. Last night was all of those things. Funny because we are office-less and meeting in a Mexican restaurant, opening the meeting with each board member's favorite joke, and "knighting" our new officers with steak knives. It was exciting because we finally agreed on our name - Outdoor Mindset, approved our by-laws, affirmed our board of 12 members, and voted on the plan for phase 1 of our website. But most of all, last night was moving because we got to see Kyle's vision and all of our hard work shape up into something very real.

We know that our work has only just begun and are excited to share our journey with you. And so, without further ado...

OUR DREAM SUMMIT/BIG FISH/POWDER DAY:
An active community of individuals affected by neurological challenges leading adventurous lives with no limits.

OUR PATH/ROUTE/TRACK:
We unite and inspire people affected by neurological challenges to live big through a common passion for outdoor adventure.

OUR GEAR:

• Cultivating an online community that connects people based on their diagnosis and outdoor interests.
• Promoting a support network that encourages sharing experiences, resources, and information.
• Supporting regional events and adventure programs to strengthen connections and encourage  healing of the body, mind and spirit.

OUR VALUES:

• Quality of life - we believe in living our best lives, connecting with the outdoors and finding opportunity in adversity
• Proactiveness - we believe in taking initiative, staying informed and creating change
• Community - we believe in an open-minded environment where we learn from and support each other
• Inspiration - we live and work in a way that promotes optimism, creativity and fun
• Accountability - we believe in taking ownership of our lives
• Integrity - we believe in honesty, ethics and transparency
• Passion - we exude energy and enthusiasm, and play hard
• Humor - we believe laughter is the best medicine