With the presale for my memoir, One Step at a Time, around the corner, things have been a whirlwind behind the scenes. Endless to-do lists and planning sessions are consuming my every waking moment. Between tweaking the cover design, finalising the book description, and approving the printed proof, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m thrilled to soon share the incredible journey of walking New Zealand’s Te Araroa trail with you.
This process has also prompted me to reflect on why my story is worth sharing—and why it matters that it’s being told now. Fifteen years have passed since I first stepped onto the trail, and in that time, I’ve grown, reflected, and finally understood the significance of that journey.
15 Years of Growth and Reflection
For the longest time, I downplayed the feat of walking Te Araroa. I was uncomfortable with recognition or being seen as “amazing.” I tried to make my life “normal,” but my life has never really been ordinary. Shortly after finishing Te Araroa, I published the first edition of One Step at a Time. It was rushed, poorly edited, and I told myself I just needed to get it done to say I did it. I ignored the voice inside that told me I needed to take my time and do it properly—it was a story worth sharing, but I wasn’t ready to own it.
A voice niggled inside me over the years, carrying shame about the quality of the first edition. I realised that any criticism was a reflection of my own desire to shrink and live small. I knew I could do better, but I wasn’t ready to rewrite it. I wasn’t ready to fully step into myself.
Over the years, the universe repeatedly nudged me outside my comfort zone, yet I continued to shy away from fully embracing opportunities to reach my potential. Until now. At the end of 2024, the path I thought would lead to love, joy, and fulfilment crumbled beneath me. It was then I could see the truth: I had been living in a cardboard box of my own making, trying to feel comfortable in a life that wasn’t fully mine.
For me, 2025 has been a year of growth, reflection, and healing. Revisiting the journey of Te Araroa allowed me to finally appreciate the uniqueness of what I accomplished and to accept that my story is worth sharing. The memoir isn’t only about walking 3,000 km—it’s about discovering what you’re capable of when you take one step at a time.
Walking Te Araroa Before It Opened
One Step at a Time details an adventure that few have experienced: walking New Zealand’s Te Araroa before it officially opened in 2011. There were no easily accessible maps, no GPS, and almost no local knowledge about the trail’s existence. Preparing for an adventure that few had attempted before was a mammoth task of researching what little information was available and reading between the lines. Few people posted their journeys online, and even fewer were available to share advice. All declared it as the most challenging journey they had undertaken.
When my friend Alex and I finally set foot on Te Araroa, it was challenging to conceptualise what the next months would entail. We navigated using a compass and a hand-drawn map from another walker. Living on a backpacker’s budget, we relied on the kindness of strangers and slept wherever we could—paddocks, by the side of the road, and even directly on the trail itself.
The adventure was raw, rugged, and untamed. Sections of the trail were overgrown, signage was irregular, and some paths we simply had to create ourselves. Few people walked the trail that season—maybe 20 in total—so every day felt like exploring a brand-new frontier.
A Different Te Araroa Today
Today, thousands of people walk Te Araroa annually. The trail is well-marked, communities flourish along its path, and Facebook groups share advice and resources. The trail I walked in 2010, however, was a different world entirely.
We hitched rides with unsuspecting fishermen, bush-bashed through unmarked sections, and paused our journey to help with the 2011 Christchurch earthquake cleanup. The experience tested our grit, resilience, and fortitude, creating a story that could never be replicated.
Even though I now follow along in Te Araroa Facebook groups, I find few opportunities to give advice—so much has changed. The experience people have now is not like the one I had in 2010. And I wouldn’t trade a single moment of my adventure.
Lessons from Te Araroa for Life and Personal Growth
Walking Te Araroa was more than a physical challenge. It was a profound lesson in resilience, perseverance, and self-discovery. I learned that taking one step at a time is the most powerful approach to any of life’s challenges.
The 171-day journey allowed me to unpack my fears, embrace discomfort, and recognise the power within myself to accomplish things that once seemed impossible. Te Araroa instilled the understanding that any goal is possible if you break it into small enough steps and commit to never giving up. These lessons became the foundation for how I approach my work today—empowering others to step into their potential and live authentically.
Why It’s Time to Share My Story
The timing of publishing One Step at a Time is both deliberate and aligned with my own journey after Te Araroa. Fifteen years allowed me time to gain perspective on the adventure. I now approach the lessons I learned with depth and clarity that I didn’t have shortly after finishing the trail. It is only now that I fully embrace how Te Araroa shifted my approach to goals, growth, and tackling challenges head-on.
As I look ahead in my own journey of growth and stepping into my full potential, I feel it’s important to reflect on where I once was. By sharing my story now, I hope to inspire women adventurers, long-distance hikers, and anyone chasing personal growth to believe in their own potential and embrace life’s challenges—one step at a time.
Join Me on the Journey: Presale Starts Soon
The presale for One Step at a Time begins very soon. With every order, receive:
- Worldwide shipping
- Flat-rate NZ shipping
- A free copy of my digital workbook, Goals for Growth: The 21 Day Challenge
This memoir is for anyone seeking courage, inspiration, and a reminder that even the longest journeys begin with a single step.
Discover my story and take your first step with me.
