How do we find our way forward when life no longer resembles what we imagined?
I joined Travis on Overcoming to Live Well to explore loss, acceptance, and the choices that remain ours amid uncertainty. From traumatic brain injury and vision loss to finding perspective in the mountains, we reflected on grief, vulnerability, impermanence, and the possibility that living well isn't about overcoming everything, but finding meaning and connection along the way.
What does it mean to live well when life looks nothing like the one you imagined?
I recently joined Travis on his new podcast, Overcoming to Live Well, for a thoughtful conversation about life, loss, resilience, and the choices that remain ours when circumstances beyond our control change everything.
We began in Northern Ontario, where my family’s love of movement, nature, and adventure helped shape the curiosity that eventually led me to live, teach, and explore around the world.
Our conversation took us through the traumatic brain injury and vision loss that profoundly altered my life, the extraordinary medical professionals who refused to give up on me, and the long, uncertain process of rebuilding a sense of self.
We explored how the mountains became far more than summits to reach. They’ve offered connection, perspective, and profound lessons in acceptance, impermanence, and the delicate balance between holding on and letting go.
We also spoke openly about grief, mental health, and the ongoing challenges of recovery, including my ice-climbing accident and subsequent ankle surgeries. My relationship with movement continues to evolve, as does my understanding of what it means to heal.
Perhaps the most meaningful part of our conversation was exploring the distinction between overcoming adversity and learning to live alongside it.
What if resilience isn’t about returning to who we were, but discovering who we can become?
Recovery isn’t always linear, acceptance isn’t resignation, and living well doesn’t require having everything figured out.
I’m grateful to Travis for the compassion, curiosity, and space he brought to our conversation. My hope is that something within it offers a moment of reflection, a different perspective, or a reminder that even amid uncertainty, meaning and possibility remain.
After listening, I’d love to know what resonated with you. Did something challenge your perspective or invite you to see life a little differently? If you feel our conversation might offer someone else a little light, hope, or a new perspective, please consider sharing it. And if you appreciate the space Travis creates for these conversations, a like, comment, or follow is a meaningful way to support his work.
After all, everyone is overcoming something.
With gratitude, love & light,
jill 🩵