A print by artist, Kathy Sullivan of a winged woman, possibly an angel, carrying a banner that says, "You Can Choose Joy."

Happiness is a Choice | Healthy Aging Series: S12 E6

Disappointment Doesn’t Always Lead to Disaster My son and I were backpacking in Canyonlands National Park this past month. I was probably carrying 70 pounds in my pack due to the extra water and camera equipment. I’m sure he was carrying about the same weight. Our plan was to backpack 1 1/2 miles to the first...

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Mark Neese of True North Counseling poses for a photo while on a hike.

Preparing for Your Own Armageddon | Healthy Aging Series: S12 E5

It was May 19, 1980. I had just spent three days on a religious retreat at the Havilah Retreat Center about 100 miles north of Vancouver, Washington. As a religious studies Student-Intern, I was asked to be part of a Deacon’s and Deaconess’ spiritual awakening weekend. They were such wonderful people. Gracious. That’s how I...

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Mark Neese with his cat, Hansel.

Dog is My Copilot | Healthy Aging Series: S12 E4

I have learned to enjoy solo backpacking, mostly. My first solo backpacking trip was in the Grand Canyon about 20 years ago. I was going to do three nights and four days solo and then join a small group of friends for an additional three nights at the bottom of the Canyon. Solo backpacking requires...

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Mark Neese of True North Counseling

Discovering Your Superpower | Healthy Aging Series: S12 E3

My Superpower I wanted to quit. I was a quarter of a mile from the summit of Mount Quandary, and I wanted to quit. I could see a small crowd of hikers gathering at the top. Sitting. Enjoy enjoying a snack. Laughing. Prior to Quandary, I had summitted twelve 14ers. In fact, I had done...

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Mark Neese of True North Counseling while on a hike.

Defusing Your Ticking Time Bomb | Healthy Aging Series: S12 E2

Jim Fixx died from a heart attack while running, on July 20, 1984, at age 52. Does that name ring a bell? Fixx was a runner and wrote the best-selling book, “The Complete Book of Running.” He played a major role in the Running Revolution. In 1967, at age 35, Fixx decided that he needed...

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Photo of Mark Neese, owner of True North Counseling, on a hiking trip.

10 Habits for the Apocalypse | Healthy Aging Series: S12 E1

I wake up. Check my phone. Weather. E-mails. Amazon Prime deliveries. My wife gets up and makes coffee for us. I sit up on the edge of the bed. My wife is delivering coffee, and I get a good hug. I walk to the bathroom and take care of business. After taking care of business,...

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