California Quails & Hatching into a new identity

The other day I was walking to a friend’s place to bake. A car was pulling out of a plaza and suddenly I was stopped side by side with a fellow pedestrian waiting for the car to exit. 

I glanced over and the stranger was carrying a bag that had a drawing of California Quail. 

I LOVE CALIFORNIA QUAILS. I started to chit chat with the stranger and bond with potential birder and California quail lover.

And I asked if they were a birder and they replied something along the lines of, “no because I don’t know a lot about birds, but I do enjoy looking at them.” 

I had to refrain as they headed down the Metro stairwell from yelling, you know, if you enjoy looking at birds, you can claim the identity of being a birder.

Now you might be asking, why are you suddenly talking about birding. Isn’t this a newsletter about biking and shifting gears in life? Yes. Yes. Yes. Stick with me just for a second. 

A few years ago, I worked for the National Audubon Society in NYC. When I was hired, I could tell you what a blue jay was, a cardinal and a pigeon. I 10000% wouldn’t have called myself a birder, but the role was fit for me like a glove. I had a teaching degree and the role was about exciting elementary kids about the outdoors. I literally led kids on bird walks in their neighborhood and got them stoked about the call of a Barred Owl (which legit sounds like its singing ‘who cooks for you’… but I digress).  

Through training and learning our curriculum, I slowly and surely could identify the common species of birds in New York City. But claiming the identity as a ‘birder’.  That’s something that took me some more time, even though I literally was the model birder for hundreds of kids and worked for one of the most notable birding organizations in the country. 

As I got more excited about birding and immersed in the job, I cut myself some slack and started calling myself a birder. I didn’t need to check any of those boxes to be a card carrying birder. I was excited about birds. I took time in my life to oh and ah at them, even if some days I had no clue what I was looking at.  I became a birder! 

Which brings me to biking? Do you have resistance in claiming that you are a biker, even if you enjoy biking? 

Earlier this week, I was having a conversation with a retreat center leader about the upcoming Circle and Spoke event on April 14th – Ride & Reignite. She said, “you know I wouldn’t identify myself as a biker, but I do know how to ride a bike.”

Which made me think of the California Quail bag owner and my own former resistance to claiming the identity of birder. 

Honestly until a year ago, I wouldn’t have called myself a biker. I would have said, ”I occasionally ride my bike and like to do that.”

Reasons why I was too intimidated to claim the identity as a biker:

• I didn’t know enough about bikes

• I couldn’t tell you the difference between a gravel bike and a hybrid bike

• I didn’t own my own deluxe bicycle. I used a hand-me-down from my mom. 

• I hadn’t done enough biking 

• I connected with biking from a place of wonder and it was less of an exercise, competitive sport and rather more of ‘oh wow that feels fun to go ride down that hill’

• The people who identified as bikers are primarily white, older males and that’s not who I am. 

• There are people who identify as bikers are legit cyclists. They have a mechanic level’s knowledge of biking and gear and know a lot about biking. I am not one of them. 

And then last year, I had this epiphany: I was going to bike from DC to Pittsburgh. That’s a longer story for a different day, but what I’ll say is that in choosing to say yes to this bike ride, I realized that I was a biker. Bikers go biking and I was going biking.

I was going to learn and train and become a better biker. I didn’t need to own any fancy gadgets or do the ride from a competitive place. I was going to claim being a biker and go bike those 330+ miles. 

Perhaps there’s an identity that you are hoping to claim? Perhaps you aren’t going to wake up and suddenly be a biker or a birder or whatever it is, but what’s that identity that you’d love to claim?

I’d love to know what that identity is and how I can be of support to cheerlead you on and affirm that you can say yes to that! Email me at [email protected] .

Wheels up, 

Ellen

PS- A great way to claim a new identity is to have some sweet space to reflect and share that in a supportive community.

Join me for 🔥Ride & Reignite: A DC Biking Adventure for Bonding & Breakthroughs🔥happening in Georgetown, DC on Sunday, April 14th from 1-3:30pm, which is all about sparking that reflection and supportive community in your life!

➡️ Tickets are limited and this will sell out, so register TODAY! Sign up today and use the Promo Code: NEWSLETTER10 to save $10 and get your ticket for $5 (The supply of these promo tickets is limited, so grab your tickets today!)

This is more than just your typical meet up where you are hoping to bond with new outdoorsy friends and walk away disappointed. We believe in creating events where there are authentic opportunities to bond and connect. 

I know it’s one the reasons you show up in the first place...It’s hard to make friends as an adult and going to an event with people of similar interests greases the wheel for making friends. And we go a step beyond that.

We ‘set the table’ for you to actually make friends that through top notch facilitating and fun games and connective prompts to get to know folks. I’m so excited for the new gal pals you are going to make thanks to connecting at this event.