Julie McGuire shares her journey from suicidal depression to discovering purpose through the mountains. Using her mantra, “let me see how far I can get,” Julie illustrates how life’s hardest experiences can become tools to help others, even when our lives don’t turn out as we envisioned. Through her story, she demonstrates that you don’t have to be the best at something for it to be meaningful, and that hobbies—especially those pursued for joy, not profit—can guide personal growth, slow down the nervous system, and open you up to life’s signs.

Julie is a high school English teacher, backcountry skier, and the first woman to ski all 33 Catskill High Peaks. She volunteers with Winter4Kids, teaching students from the South Bronx to ski, and maintains trails through the New York–New Jersey Trail Conference in collaboration with the Catskills 3500 Club. She is currently pursuing a project to ski the “lower 67” and hopes to become the first person to ski the 100 highest mountains in the Catskills.

This episode discusses suicide. If you are thinking of suicide, please call 988.

In this episode, we explore:

• The significance of hobbies in trauma healing and personal growth
• How skiing and outdoor challenges helped Julie process grief, betrayal, and depression
• The power of sharing your story to help others feel seen
• Practical ideas about self-talk, goal setting, and connecting with nature
• How experiences of hardship can make us more sensitive and impactful in our relationships
• Julie’s work bringing students into the mountains, and the ripple effect of small gestures of kindness

Julie’s story is also featured in the film Queen of the Catskills and is part of the Girl Winter Film Tour.

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik