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Member Spotlight – Dacia

Member Spotlight highlights the stories of inspiring women from the She Hit Refresh community. We hope that by sharing their stories of change and travel we can expose the unconventional paths that millions of women 30 years and up have chosen.  There is no one way to live a life, just your way.

Dacia’s Story

My name is Dacia Reinhold and I’ve been refreshing my life every 2-3 years. Here are a few of my most recent favorites and what sense I’ve made out of it all.

female travel

In 2008 I fell in love with a super-intriguing guy named Dave. Five months into swooning and dating we were both laid off on the same morning by 10:00am….different jobs, different industries. Yeah. Thanks Universe. Message received, REFRESH! So we moved to Austin, TX for the promise of a better economy and had a BLAST.

female travel

We got married a few years in and that year stumbled across a whole new level of adventure. Dave’s dental hygienist told him about a running expedition through Morocco with a company called Rogue Expeditions owned by “She Hit Refresh” sister, Allison Macsas. I said HELL YES. And then promptly also signed up for a marathon training running group. Note, I wasn’t exactly a runner at the time. But I was open! I committed to a trip, but later realized I was initiated into a lifestyle. A marathon will teach you that you can accomplish anything, and a running expedition abroad will teach you that you can accomplish anything, anywhere.

female travel

Two months following the Morocco trip (and a couple extra weeks of backpacking in Spain), we rode bikes through southern France with family. Two months after that, I quit my corporate job in a super toxic environment. Couldn’t do it anymore, I had seen the light. We packed everything up and moved to the Pacific Northwest for freedom, mountains and adventure. REFRESH!

Finally having the time, I became a certified yoga instructor. And with the help of a running buddy I networked into my dream job, a marketing rep for Clif Bar & Co. My work days were spent outside at marathons, mountain bike races, snowboarding festivals and yoga events. I was supporting athletes and promoting healthy lifestyles while meeting the coolest people along the way.

female travel

While living the dream, another opportunity presented itself, REFRESH! That second summer up north, we modified our Honda Element, put a tent on the roof and lived in it with our dog Juneau. Dave and I both worked remotely while traveling California, Oregon, and Washington to Clif Bar gigs and Rogue Expedition adventures.

female travel

As with many things, the dream job didn’t last. I had been covering for managers on sabbatical and maternity leave. But alas, they came back to work and my hours withered. As if the universe knows when I’m heartbroken, Dave was awarded a sabbatical…REFRESH! Last fall we set out and walked El Camino de Santiago. That’s an epic tale in itself. We spent 4 months on road in Spain, Italy, Iceland and Thailand.

Once we returned home to Seattle, for the first time in my life, I felt a hint of peace in my wild soul. Thanks Camino 🙂

Drunk on feeling grounded, we bought a house 8 months ago. I know, WHAT?! Those are roots! That’s commitment! GAH! But it’s ok. A girl needs a place to hang her backpack in between adventures. It’s been a long and tricky lesson to learn that as an adventurer, I need to be both lost and rooted at the same time.

female travel

Ok, so now, once again, I needed a job. REFRESH! The universe being awesome, I bumped into a guy at a coffee shop who is a CEO of a tech start-up. He hired me this past summer. This job is not adventure-centric, and I have to actually wear real pants and make-up to work. But it doesn’t feel like prison. I am building skills and hopefully we’re successful, sell, and then I will be filthy rich.

So here I am. Undergoing a shift in that journey my wild soul has always considered “project freedom”. The house, the committed full-time job, and the biological reality that at age 37 I need to decide if I will have kids. UGH. Though it all seems anti-wanderer, this refresh is a healing lesson in grounding. This delightful journey has me discovering my authentic self in an entirely new context.

female travel

I like positive change and of course, adventure, so patterns tell me another refresh is on the horizon. To help me know when to hit refresh, I have created a road map:

When the doldrums creep into our lives Dave and I ask, “Have you exercised, eaten well, meditated, spent time with friends, and gotten nature therapy?” If the answer to all 5 is yes, but the feelings persist, we hit refresh. If the shine to our souls are feeling dim, we search for something that lights it up and hit refresh. If an opportunity presents itself, especially if we are fearful of it, we say ‘YES’ and hit refresh.

Be willing. Trust your intuition. And above all, be open. Open mind, open heart, and an open-ended ticket.

Member Spotlight highlights stories of inspiring women from our She Hit Refresh community. We hope that by sharing their stories of change and travel we can expose the unconventional paths that thousands of women 30 years and older have chosen.  There is no one way to live a life, just your way.

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  1. Pingback: The Ultimate Camino de Santiago Packing List for Women - She Hit Refresh

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