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Living and Teaching in Jackson Hole, Wyoming
A red shape flashes in the corner of my vision. I turn away from my students, and see a red fox lightly pitter pattering across fresh...

Emma Lopez
Mar 12, 20224 min read
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The Nuances of Cultural Appropriation in Spirituality: Expanding Compassion
Recently, I started reading a book about spirituality called The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. I first discovered this book when I saw a...

Emma Lopez
Feb 1, 20229 min read
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Harvest Kale Salad
This meal is honestly way more than just a salad. It is packed with protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and more. This is my go-to when I...

Emma Lopez
Jan 20, 20222 min read
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Developing a Morning Routine to Start Your Day Right: 4 Things I Do Everyday
There is not a one-size-fits-all in terms of waking up. It is actually quite simple: You open your eyes, and start your day. How we start...

Emma Lopez
Jan 17, 20225 min read
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Finding Nature’s Power Through Stillness
I park my car next to a small snowbank of fresh snow, and see large footprints that head into the forest that start at my car. They...

Emma Lopez
Jan 13, 20226 min read
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Hiking Safety Tips from a Wilderness EMT
Some of us are super confident venturing out into the wild on our own, and others not so much. People may be dissuaded from going hiking...

Emma Lopez
Jan 9, 20225 min read
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Why I Stopped Collecting and How You Can Stop Too
When I was in elementary school, I had a box containing around 300 gift cards. None of these gift cards ever had any money on them. I...

Emma Lopez
Jan 5, 20229 min read
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New England Suburbia vs. Western Small Town
On the drive back from the airport in Boston I stare out the window at all the trees zipping by out the window. On long car rides I used...

Emma Lopez
Dec 30, 20216 min read
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Garlic Olive & Roasted Tomato Pasta
Cook time: 30 minutes Calling all olive lovers! THIS is the recipe that will change your life. Even if you don't love olives, this dish...

Emma Lopez
Dec 27, 20212 min read
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Beating the Holiday Blues by Managing Expectations
Twinkling lights wherever you go, holiday desserts, family gathering, gift giving, time off from work - How could one not be happy around...

Emma Lopez
Dec 21, 20215 min read
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Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Ready in 10-15 min If you are a big fan of fall/winter deserts, you will love this recipe for morning oats. Honestly, you could have this...

Emma Lopez
Dec 20, 20212 min read
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Zesty Shells with Sautéed Veggies
Ready in 30 min Buckle up and get ready for this wildly versatile and simple dish that takes pasta to a whole different level. This meal...

Emma Lopez
Dec 14, 20212 min read
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Blasé in Beautiful Arches
I planned to visit five national parks this week, and spend every night under the stars. I start to rethink this decision on the second...

Emma Lopez
Dec 10, 20218 min read
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The Materialistic World of the Outdoor Industry
Gear. Gear. Gear! You have it, or you don't. The word itself is so subjective - It can be valued at $5 or $5,000, depending on where you...

Emma Lopez
Nov 30, 20216 min read
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Hiking My Way to Sanity in Franconia, NH
I take deep breaths, half because of physical exertion, and half because the air is dense with the musky-sweet smell of fallen leaves. So...

Emma Lopez
Oct 12, 20216 min read
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Creating and Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle Wherever You Are
It can be easy to be healthy while living in an affluent urban area where you are a stone's throw away from a juice bar and an equinox...

Emma Lopez
Sep 12, 20214 min read
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Reevaluating My Path to Happiness
Slipping out of the hotel room and into the quiet dark streets of rural Slovenia, I feel as though my heart might be set ablaze. The cool...

Emma Lopez
Jul 27, 20217 min read
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Can I have your life? The Flattering Question That Makes Me Cringe
I posted a picture to social media last week of a moose that I saw while exploring the Bighorn Mountains. Someone commented, "Can I have...

Emma Lopez
Jul 8, 20214 min read
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Is My Life Worth a Hat? Grappling with the Value of My life
Never had I been forced to consider the worth of my life before my last solo-hike. I am hiking a trail called Upper Layout, a modest hike...

Emma Lopez
Jul 2, 20216 min read
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A Park Ranger's Experience Visiting Yellowstone National Park in the Summer
There is a Mott's fruit snack wrapper floating sadly in a bubbling thermal pool. I find myself staring at it longer than the geyser...

Emma Lopez
Jun 3, 20216 min read
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