Thank you all for your kindness and encouragement! I couldn’t respond to each comment but I was finally able to read through them all and gave them ❤️s! I appreciate all the words of wisdom and I’m excited to reconnect! Spain vids coming next week!
I am looking forward to your travel videos; I thought all your tv videos were great, as I am sure your other fans thought as well. I remember many people complementing your travel videos. take care Stella.
It was great to hear your story Stella. Thanks for sharing and being so open. I feel the imposter syndrome and go through waves of feeling low as well. It sounds like you have a great ability to be inteospective and figure out the best path for you, which is invaluable.
I started watching your videos as preparation for the AT but I stay subscribed because I just enjoy you as a person. My kids and I met you at a hostel in Virginia and you were 100% as authentic in person as you are in your videos. That's meaningful to me. RU-vid is absolutely full of hiking experts, which is wonderful, but imo you offer so much more than just hiking advice and inspiration, you speak to your audience from your heart and I think the world can always benefit from that. :) I hope you follow the inspiration to keep making videos, if that's what you feel is right for you. Whatever you choose to do, I'm rooting for your success, wellbeing and happiness! - Herding Cats
Stella, Welcome back, glad you are "OK" and sorry things didn't work out for you with Backpacking TV. I have some general comments based on your video update: First, you are an amazingly strong person that doesn't take enough credit for what you've accomplished: college degree, teacher, married, divorced, moved from Oregon or Washington to Florida, hiked several long trails including most recently the AT and then packed up and moved to Colorado. Pretty amazing stuff for such a young person. Second, I since you want to grow the channel slowly I would recommend going back to Teaching, even if it's Substituting, to generate money to live on and travel, plus you would have summers free to make content Third, you have a lot of travel locations you want to see and that all costs money so you need to either build the Channel faster or have another income source as stated above I think the tie-in with Travel Guides to cites/areas that have hiking trails is an excellent idea and a way to generate income by producing a web based travel/hiking guide for various cities that they could post on their website. I think you'd need to work with the Chamber of Commerce for each location, but you could do a lot of the research at home before traveling there to video, plus you could start locally or regionally to save money I hope my thoughts are helpful and useful to you in some small way. I'm looking forward to your continued success in whatever you decide to do!
Personally I think you should keep just one youtube channel as there are already so.... many others to follow!! If we are watching your channel we are here for you and all your adventures!!! If the Stella hikes is a channel about you hiking it should incorporate all your hikes - day hikes as well as thru hikes. Your day hikes are what get/keep you in shape for the thru hikes so should be all in one place. Just my opinion as you know everyone has one❤
So great to see & hear where you have been are are headed. You smile warms my heart and you open honesty should be appalled . Please keep posting . You are so talented and just seeing out on nature and explaining what you see & your interaction are so enjoyable. I am sorry the tv gig did not work out the ones I viewed were wonderful. Stella hang in there and I will be watching to see your next posting. God bless you and it was wonderful to reconnect. ❤😊
Sounds like you were out of your comfort zone but you do a great job hiking and chatting,etc. Your channel will grow if you just keep sharing. HYOH lol. Everyone loves your RU-vid channel. Good to hear you had some great experiences and you’ll find your place. Keep us updated. Get back on trail. Even for the folks that can’t hike, it is bringing people on trail through your hike. Sharing your training and diet would be great. Stella at home and out and about. A drone will be great.😊❤
So good to hear from you Stella! Welcome back. I suggest using a community post with a link for your new channel. I agree with you that a through hike needs a lot of preparation to be successful. Beginners should see more if that side.
❤❤❤❤Stella. Life is constant growth and change. We can be really be hard on ourselves. Don’t look at things as a failure. Learn and move on. Looking forward to your future adventures and evolution.
It’s good to hear from you Stella 😊 I’m sorry that the backpackingtv channel didn’t work out for you. I was disappointed that they didn’t give an explanation on your behalf or let you explain 😊 I’m also disappointed that they deleted all your videos. I wish you the very best on your channel 💚
Hi Stella. I would love to see your videos from the Camino de Santiago. I've done two Caminos so far and would enjoy seeing your experience on the Camino de Frances. Good luck and best wishes as you focus on your Stella Hikes channel!
You have just made my day better Ms Stella😃 It is so good to have you posting again, I’ve always loved your videos Your ups,downs, highs & lows Always felt where you where coming from and to a point how you were feeling👍🏻 I’ve learned in my many years of this crazy thing we all call life You live, learn, love and most importantly, when one door of opportunity doesn’t go as we might’ve wished or hoped for There’s ALWAYS another beautiful wonderful fantastic door that’s just opened into yet another chapter of one’s life❤️ Always be you and only you Ms Stella, that’s why we love you and your posts❤️ Take care, keep safe and see ya next go round 👍🏻🙏🏻😃☺️
Thanks for sharing this part of your journey. I'm glad to see you back on RU-vid and look forward to following your hikes and other projects as they unfold.
Well, hello stranger, I mean Stella. 😂 Tell your inner critic you didn't get 14K subs by making crappy videos. 😊 Stella Hikes at Home is a great idea, I'm in! This is your time to rise from the ashes..a Phoe-Nyx! I love all things nature, but it was your pure spirit and honest representation that won me over. I love your vlogging style. "Learn by watching." Transitions still bedevil me. You have my empathy on that. Forward, onward, and upward Stella...we got your back. 😁✌️
Hey Stella!! I’m sad to hear the epic trails adventure is over for you but I’m excited to see what is next for you! Give yourself grace and know this experience only helped you grow and if it wasn’t the perfect fit that’s ok too…I know you will find your inner peace again…time and patience…I’m looking forward to your new hiking adventures this Summer❤
Hi Stella, I for one would love to see the new ideas you have for taking us along in your day to day life. You and your perspective are so interesting, I can't imagine that anyone would find you boring. Everyone feels a connection to you bc you wear your heart on your sleeve and your just so genuine. I love the raw videos which aren't overly produced, they just seem more real. You're special, which is what Heliconia saw in the first place, but you need to do your own thing! Peace and love❤
I am sorry things did not work out. I know you will continue to do great things. I always enjoy seeing your adventures wherever you go on Stella Hikes..
Your love of nature is why I watch your channel so I know whatever you do will be wonderful! Love long vlogs too so bring it on :) We've all been there with jobs that just aren't the right fit. Bring your genuine self as you always do and you'll find the right opportunities. I wish you lots of happy hiking in whatever form brings you joy.
I’m so glad you’re back and I really appreciate how open and honest you are about the work situation because it is so relatable to so many of us. Your journey and the unexpected turns you’ve gone through make you unique. Please lean into work that gives you energy and doesn’t fill you with dread. I also enjoy following you for who you are, regardless of format, hiking or at home! Love your long form video content the best!
Hi Stella! Good to see you again! So crazy it's been a year since your hike on the AT. I've been watching some people hiking the AT this year and one of them was at a place I remember you being at during your trip...so funny I see your video right after. Anyway, looking forward to your new videos and personally, I think you should just post them all on this channel. It would be easier and if people don't want to watch, they don't have to... Take care! Zman
It's so good to see you. I say let's do it!! I'm here for your beautiful, sweet, fiesty self. I love the idea of.. home, nature, and community. I need some encouragement in all of those areas. As far as how you come across on camera.. it loves you. Lol, some people have that "it" factor, and you've got it in spades. I may be a little biased because of how much you remind me of my granddaughter, but I'm telling you it's a pleasure to watch your videos. Just be YOU.. all of You.. not only the parts you would want others to see but all of you. The best thing you can be these days is real. I can't wait to see what you come up with!! 😊 I'll be a ride or dieregardless. Much love, sweet girl. 🥰❤️🤗
Hello sweet Stella. So good to hear from you. Life is all about change, you have always been so real. Happy Trails 😊 looking forward to your adventures.
So glad to see you, Stella! We were just asking about missing you-and here you are! Still wish you'd do a bootcamp for new through hikers or section hikers...would love to see videos of preparation & training-not just what's in the backpack type stuff that is so common (meh). But real people of all ages and backgrounds coming together and interviewing participants during their experience. The guts and glory of a 50 mile (whatever) length of trail-one group passing the baton to the next-until the trail is completed...getting to know hikers along the way. You have the personality, sense of humor and experience to make something like this happen! Best wishes to you!
I’m so glad you’re back! 🎉 I’m excited that you are working on your own channel with your own agenda. Your creativity “seems” effortless when you’re in charge. You really are great at this! Looking forward to the future with you. 😃
Keep 1 YT channel and just separate it into different segments - Stella hikes videos and Stella home videos (separate by playlist) love the idea of daily stuff from ya!
Great to see you back! Sounds like you and Heliconia both made good faith efforts and it just didn't work out. Mike Fink is doing a great job for them too, but he's a little to high energy for me. I prefer your more laid-back approach to documenting your hikes. The Stella @ Home is worth exploring but your strength, I think, is the great outdoors. Maybe set aside a day on trail at a great location along the way and talk about (trail) cooking, yoga, etc.? Oh and gear critiques too! Cheers!
Hey Stella! I’m so glad to see you back, and so so glad to hear about your ideas and what’s to come! I got extremely excited watching your AT Thru Hike because there are not many hikers/thru-hikers that look like us (WOC) and your personality was so soothing. Stella at home health & wellness concepts sounds great and I’ll definitely be watching when those ideas come to fruition. Please don’t let your inner critic get you down, you’ve got great ideas! Cheers to the future !
You should have never stopped with this channel - your own. I was thinking that when you stopped. You lost many subscribers. NOW to my suggestions: don't make a second channel. Absolutely not. Do different videos here, adventures etc - the way Kelly Hays hikes does. You can do vlogs and people will watch. But first of all you need to get out of our head and I know you are very sensitive, but sometimes you just have to fake confidence! Especially on internet. Can't you post the Camino vlogs here? And what about your poetry e book? :-). All the best Stella! I'm rooting for you :0. Have a side job and all will work out.
This is really good advice! Today you don't create separate interest channels from your main channel. This type of marketing is way in the past. Instead, do everything you can to grow the community you've already created. People stayed here because they liked your personality, not necessarily just to watch the thru-hiking videos. If you want to separate your hiking videos from your lifestyle videos, you can simply create a "StellaHikes At Home" series and post it to this channel. I'm sure they will do great!
Your JOY being outdoors is what you share with your viewers and that is what we love about your channel! 💚 We've missed you! I would watch your "Stella at Home" as well!
I'm glad you did get casted on Backpacking TV, that's where I first saw you! I think you are very refreshing, and have very pure outlook on hiking backpacking, as well as life. I will be watching you channel.
So glad to see you back and I love your ideas on a second channel, Stella Hikes at home! Let us know when your new channel up and running, And looking forward to more content on Stella Hikes. You are so inspirational. You've been missed and so glad you are back. ❤
Hello Stella. I felt your feelings of overwhelming yourself. I spent my first night on the AT in Western Massachusetts and two days. I will be going back. Be safe
Good to see you, Stella! Big smile on my face when I saw you pop up on my subscriptions. Sorry you lost your job. That sucks - I know how excited you were for it, and I thought your videos over there were great. I like the idea of Stella Hikes at Home, but I'd say just put it on this channel. I think most people are here to watch you, whatever you're doing. Lifestyle and training is all hiking-adjacent. I'm here for it. Best of luck on everything you're working on now.
I’m in my 70s, an experienced hiker and backpacker, and I love your channel. I am, for health reasons, no longer able to hike. When I first started in my career, I had “imposter syndrome.” I didn’t know what it was, but I had so much self doubt. When I would get positive feedback, I’d think, “Oh, if they only knew.” But no one ever seemed to figure it out. I eventually learned that I was fairly good at my job, but it took several years. What did I do during that time when I had doubts? I faked it. If I was apprehensive about a meeting or an interview, I’d fake it, fake that I was confident and ready. Back in those days, the 70s, mental health, or the lack there of, was not talked about. Had I been able to, I would have seen a therapist. The only thing I’m suggesting, though, is it’s okay to fake it. Best wishes to you.
Glad that you're back. Most things in life happen for a purpose that can be recognized retroactively. You posed several questions - my advice is follow and trust your gut. You're well grounded. I know that you have a Colorado support system but if you need some help around the CT let me know. I live 9 miles west of Red Rocks and happy to lend a hand.
Thanks for sharing about the TV job and what your future RU-vid channel might look like. Your name popped into my thoughts this morning out of the blue, so when I saw your video pop up this evening, it was so coincidental. It sounds like you have many good ideas about future endeavors. Try them out and see what works best. I always enjoyed your backpacking long distance hikes. Take care.
I love the idea of AT Home Stella as well as hiking videos. I initially started watching because of your plant based backpacking food ideas, but of course, here I still am!! ❤
So happy to see your great smile again. I am very excited to see what you do next and if you do it your way then it'll be stellar! 🌠. Have a beautiful week! 🌸🧡
It was good seeing you online again. I actually looked for you on backpackingTV the other day and couldn't find anything, so I knew something happened.
Stella! So good to see you :) I have a thought- consider putting part or all of Stella Hikes At Home behind a YT membership or Patreon! I feel like that's a perfect opportunity to really get your finances rolling!
Hi Stella👋 good to have you back. Looking forward to the upcoming videos, your vlogging style is great, fun, honest, informative, love em.(Your not boring lol) Consider the TMB hike, I'm planning it for Aug next year. I'm onboard for an at Home channel, we're still waiting for that curry recipe!!😄 Keep on chuggin. 💙🇬🇧🥾
I think the stella hikes at home is a great idea but i dont think you need separate channel for it! Just put the at home in the title.. people can skip it if they want to! But all the stuff you want to do with it is important to the thru hiking lifestyle, i think a lot of people here could benefit from it even if they dont quite think they will! ...and did you just call yourself boring??! Welp im probably a slug at this point then 😂
I'm really glad to see you back on youtube, I feel like it's more accessible and it gives the audience a chance to really connect and comment. I actually think you approached it from a very mature standpoint. instead of potentially hurting someone who would watch, you said "I don't have this skillset yet". If anything I would use the experience to build your skill set naturally. Also definitely kick the doubts, you've got this. When you feel that way try to remember all youtubers have felt the same way and look back at their earlier videos lol everyone evolves overtime and you have a good presence. I like the idea of daily vlogs or even condense edited daily videos into a weekly video.
So happy to see your beautiful smile and even though you were down at points in this video, most of it was the positive energy we all grew to love on the AT. Cast those doubts aside and get back to work...we will be here.
Thanks for posting the video. I did make it all the way through because as many on the comment stream, we do love your videos. You are so lucky to live in Colorado and I think it would be great especially if you’re interested in tourism boards to start just posting videos of all the wonderful places in Colorado and just tips and advice especially now that it’s summer. Maybe 14er videos, videos of different mountain towns, hiking incline on the springs. Excited about the Colorado trail videos that are to come. Best of luck can’t wait for the upcoming videos
Stella, so exited you are back to connect with us! Yes, we are sad that Epic Trails didn’t quite work out the way you wanted BUT you have such a strong sense of your abilities and interests, speak to us authentically from the heart, and produce such beautiful and uplifting content that I am confident your StellaHikes/StellaHome channel will flourish! I’ll certainly be tuning in❤! What you’ll discover as you move forward in your career is that your gifts are going to be used in different combinations and go through various permutations in ways that you don’t even know yet. So exited to see where you’ll take us next, continue to inspire us to cultivate a deep connection to nature, and continue to challenge us to get out of our comfort zones and take chances. What you have working for you is an incredibly strong, intrinsic motivation to determine for yourself what to work on and how to work on it, AKA self-determination. By the way, I think you would be absolutely OUTSTANDING working with tourism boards!
I have the same fear, I think it’s common. I have a channel I started a month ago… hiking and travel. I keep being told to just keep going and be myself
Great video! You are a natural in front of the camera and don’t need any extra help. Looking forward to all your videos as you get started on your new Stella Hikes “business“👍👍. Don’t forget to include the Himalayas, especially trails in Uttarakhand in your future adventures. This could help you define/create your own unique brand - that extra “umph” missing in many hiking channels.
I really enjoyed your videos from when you were car camping to places. I haven’t come across many videos like that and it was interesting to see how people might be able to accomplish that kind of thing.
I welcome your new channel and your hiking channel! Nice seeing you back! Maybe think down the road would you consider meetup hikes in communities where you visit? I realize safety is a concern. Maybe you can team up with REI and sponsors to do so! Women Who Hike did that!
Stella I am not a hiker, never was interested in hiking, you will probably never see me on a trail or even taking a long walk for that matter 😂. I randomly came across one of your videos, and the title made me watch.. I believe you mention a man that gave you the creeps. After that I started watching to make sure you were safe and ok 👌🏾. I fell in love with your personality, and the cute little song that plays before all your videos. When you summited Mt Khatonon 😂or however you spell it, I felt like a proud momma! I even went back and rewatch from the beginning. When you went over to back packing TV, I saw your personality leave 😢. You are a natural, you are not scripted. You don’t need fancy equipment, you don’t even need to ask us what we would like to see! This is your life.. show us what makes you happy and we will follow along for the journey. I randomly came to your channel today to see if you posted something, and to my surprise here you are! I hope 🤞🏽 you can see that you didn’t lose anything when the other channel let you go, it’s just a confirmation that you are enough by yourself, congratulations and welcome back 👏🏾 👏🏾 👏🏾 😊
i definitely would love to see a stella hikes@home channel! i love your hikes but i love to see your chill home life, your day to day habits for mindset. thru hikers are more than hikers, and that side of taking the lessons u learned from hiking to every day life is very interesting to me. often i get back from a hike or vacation and i'm sad that it's over, but your videos of being at home after your cdt section hike really made me happy :)
The strongest people I have ever known have all been filled with self doubt. Keep being you, and I'll keep watching the videos. Thank you for the update.
Do your own thing where you are comfortable but push yourself a bit in order to grow. I would stay with one thing until you are ready for more. Most of the time Simple’s is the best. When I feel overwhelmed I go back to basics. Hope this helps!😊
Don't beat yourself up. Be yourself, look forward and pick a new pursuit. I've was a job jumper for much of my life and made it work all the way until retirement. Its possible to be the chameleon. Reshape your life and enjoy each change.
You could even incorporate your habits of Journaling and thoughtfulness and advertise them more as mindfulness journeys. You could do different skill level sessions so women who have never hiked/backpacked could do day hikes to learn skills, then new back packers could learn more skills then advanced journeys could be longer and more about promoting the mindfulness and building confidence so women could hike on their own. The Hungry Hiker does something like this, but yours could be more focused on the connectedness to nature and less about the technicalities of hiking.
Great to hear from you. I had a feeling something was up. Thinking you might enjoy The Understory: An Invitation to Rootedness and Resilience from the Forest Floor by Lore Ferguson Wilbert. ❤ 🙏
Sounds to me that you were expected to be hiker , producer , writer , everything in one . That’s so difficult and shouldn’t be expected from someone just entering the tv series media . Be proud that they chose you and saw your true skills . It was a learning adventure experience. Pat yourself on the back and keep head up high .
You have a lot to offer the outdoor people , maybe getting into expos around the country . Keep developing your unique franchise and lectures at conventions . Pick yourself up , defeat your insecurities and get on with it . The path of life is in front of you . Be happy and have fun 😊
Hey , you at least have the courage to try this . Not many can do this . Don’t feel bad or ashamed about this , we’re still with you and love your spirit . Don’t be so hard on yourself , take sometime and move on to what you enjoy . We are happy your back , missed you .
