This week, I felt like a true Montana ranch girl. Chalk it up to something on my "59 for 59" list—things I want to say YES to in this last year of my fifties—and this time, it was fly fishing. Now, I’ve been fly fishing before. But if I’m honest? Someone else always rigged the reel, handed me the pole, and practically pointed the fish out for me. It was fly fishing the “training wheels” way. I wanted to get right into the thick of it. Feel the confusion, the thrill, the attempt, the actual learning.

So, my friend (and photographer) Chloe Nostrant took me out on the river. If you don’t know Chloe, she’s incredible. An absolute powerhouse with a camera and a real-life river guide to boot. We headed out to a spring creek as clear as gin. (Hence, the fish saw me long before I ever cast a shadow on them.) Did I catch anything? Nope. But I saw so many. I felt the rush. I felt the frustration. Most of all, I felt the wonder of trying. And isn’t that the core of learning something new, especially as we get older? The point isn’t perfection. The point is just going for it.

Just as we were laughing about my (lack of) beginner’s luck, an honest-to-goodness cowboy stumbled across us in the trees, boots and all. Proof that in Montana, you never really know what wild sort of magic you’ll find. (Check out the photo at the bottom of this post—worth it, I promise.)

Inspired, I decided to bring my rod and reel up to the Nine Quarter Circle Ranch for a little solo practice. This is the very ranch where I’ll be welcoming my retreat Darlings this September for our five days together. I love coming up here. It's wild and wide-open, and the stories of the day are stitched together from morning ritual to campfire glow. I did a little impromptu photo shoot up there with my friend Sara Saxton. It felt great to breathe in that big Montana air!

But of course, I couldn’t resist a side adventure with my ranch crew. Last year, roping was such a hit at our "ranch rodeo" retreat, I had to see if I’d remembered anything at all. Spoiler: Let’s just say my aim’s not bad, but the true victories are measured in belly laughs.

If you ask me, these kinds of days are the ones that add depth, color, and sparkle to our stories. The days when we try something new, risk getting it wrong, and find ourselves in the mess of it all. This is the spirit I try to build into every retreat and Dare experience, most especially up at Nine Quarter Circle Ranch. We wake up early, move our bodies, dive into hearty breakfasts, mount up on horses raised right on the ranch, and give ourselves permission to play, rest, learn, and share.

Our theme for the retreats this year—Our Stories Matter—is an invitation to step into what's possible, just as you are. The fly-fishing fumbles, the lasso tangles, the sun on your cheeks, and the ache in your side from laughing too hard—they are all part of the story you’re writing. And it’s so much bigger, more beautiful, and more promising than you might see right now.

So here’s my Dare for you this summer: Find something new to try. Get a little mud on your boots, cast a line, rope a dream, and let your story get a little wilder. And if you want to do it alongside some of the most inspiring women I know, there are still a few spots open at our Montana retreat. (September’s coming fast, and you do not want to miss those views!)

P.S. Here’s that cowboy photobomb moment. Proof that all detours are worth taking.