I’d read the book Wild a couple of years ago and had forgotten a lot of Cheryl Strayed’s story. The movie emphasized the raw nature of what led her to take her hero’s journey – hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) alone.

She was 26, and after her mother died 4 years earlier, she spiraled completely out of control. She randomly saw a guidebook on the PCT and followed the calling.

“I’d set out to hike the trail so that I could reflect upon my life, to think about everything that had broken me and make myself whole again . . . I had to change. I had to change was the thought that drove me in those months of planning. Not into a different person, but back to the person I used to be–strong and responsible, clear-eyed and driven, ethical and good.”

Cheryl Strayed, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

What she found on the journey was not what she expected but was exactly what she needed. She didn’t cry and grieve, she dealt with intense pain and physical hardships.

She wasn’t lonely, even though she was mostly alone, and the persistent, consistent kindness and support she received from the people she met on her journey renewed her faith.

What struck me about her story was that she was able to make a complete transformation into the woman she wanted to be in only 3 short months. Now at 45 she is happily married with kids; is a very successful author that has had 2 books made into hit movies.

She went from broke and broken to whole and abundant in 90 days. That’s just not a lot of time. I’m not sure what form my hero’s journey is going to take, but I’m much more open to realizing a dramatic change in a short period of time. Knowing it’s possible is a huge leg up.