How Motherhood Changed Pro Ice Climber Majka Burhardt’s Relationship to Risk, Adventure, and Philanthropy

For The Love Of: Trade-offs we make in pursuit of our passions

Raising tiny humans is, for many people, the ultimate life trade-off. What happens when you’re a professional athlete, traveling the world and pushing your body, who then finds out you’re pregnant– with twins?!

Majka Burhardt (she/her) is a professional climber, social entrepreneur, author, filmmaker, mother of twins and the Founder and Executive Director of Legado, an international organization that supports indigenous communities to build healthy communities and landscapes. Majka wrote the book “More: Life on the Edge of Adventure and Motherhood,” a collection of notes, letters, and messages to her twins from pregnancy through toddlerhood.

We talk about…

- The parallels of being an athlete and pregnancy: seeing what our bodies can do, seeking new skills, embracing challenges

- How motherhood affected Majka’s ice climbing skills: more gratitude and efficiency, less extreme overhanging moves

- Wanting to be a high level athlete AND there for her kids, and how she juggles that duality

- Body image as a mom and athlete, like gaining 70 lbs. in pregnancy after having a six pack

- Communicating with your co-parent when things really suck (and not "I'll just handle it myself")

- Creating a family culture of loving time outdoors

- Teaching kids to be resilient, rather than just safe, since they'll encounter risks every day

- Life is messier than anyone wants to admit

- The urge to do it all and do it all well

- Becoming passionate about parenting is badass

How to connect with Majka:

• Majka’s website: https://www.majkaburhardt.com/
• Majka on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majkaburhardt/
• Read “More: Life on the Edge of Adventure and Motherhood”: https://www.majkaburhardt.com/more/

👋How to connect with Jeni and Angie:

• https://www.instagram.com/angvswild

• https://www.instagram.com/jenistembridge

• https://www.itsangiemarie.com/

• https://linkedin.com/in/angie-marie/

⭐Please rate and review For The Love Of:

• On Apple Podcasts

• On Spotify

Shout-Outs:

• Music: The Kind of Sandwich Island by Shut-ins

• Thank you to The Ruins, the best wedding venue in Oregon, for supporting the show.

Follow FTLO on IG: https://www.instagram.com/for.the.love.of.podcast/

For full show notes and more: https://fortheloveofpod.com

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