Meet Lisa Euthon | Commercial Real Estate Appraiser, Aspiring Outdoor Enthusiast, & Reclaimer of Dreams

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa Euthon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I don’t think there can be movement, growth, or transformation without some level of risk and I am not sure if risk can exist without hope. There was a time in my life when all I could see was pain and hurt. I think if my heart wasn’t created to beat or my lungs to breathe, I would have said the risk to keep going wasn’t worth it. Somehow I did keep going but in a state of numbness. It was a small smile from a stranger that sparked hope in me that there was goodness in the world and I wanted to find more of it.

It is absolutely fascinating to me how a smile, something that we can easily dismiss, has the power to change the trajectory of someone’s life. I wanted to tap into this. To me, risk is about stepping into the unknown and uncomfortable. I had learned to live with my dark cloud. It had become a familiar space. Stepping into a new outlook and hoping for something better was incredibly uncomfortable. Would I be utterly devastated if I didn’t find more goodness in the world? Probably. But the risk has been worth it. Hope has been my fuel to take risks and explore all the areas where goodness lives. So many of my choices, from getting a degree in Human Environmental Sciences, to the jobs I have held, to the communities that I engage in, have been about discovering and living in what is good.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
For so long, my career choices have been focused on exploring and bringing goodness to others. I have had some amazing experiences working in schools as a special education teacher and in hospitals in the speech therapy, child life, and neuropsychology departments. I have worked with all ages from all different backgrounds and abilities and have learned so much along the way.

In 2010, however, I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Health has a way of bringing to light some things that need attention. I had been giving so much energy to exploring and bringing goodness to others that I had neglected to provide the same level of goodness to myself. I tried being kinder to myself but I was still unbalanced in the level of kindness that I gave to others vs the level that I gave to myself. In 2016, having continued in that unbalanced state, I hit a wall with my mental and physical health. I felt I no longer had a choice but to leave the world of education for a job that would allow me to work from home and give my body an opportunity to rest. That is how I entered the commercial real estate appraisal industry.

Let me state one thing, I am a multipotentialite, fascinated by and able to accomplish many things, but this was a major career transition and it was not easy. The medical and educational worlds are vastly different than commercial real estate. But it was in this new field that I discovered my love for writing, research and analysis, and photography.

The journey hasn’t always been easy but I love where it has brought me in this present moment. I am living a more balanced life and in being kinder to myself, I am discovering all sorts of things such as my love for the outdoors. I have been paying more attention to my creative side and started painting again. Not only am I reclaiming my creativity but I hope to reclaim some lost dreams. My goal for this next year is to go to Africa with Hope WorldWide. This was a dream I had when I graduated college but I allowed others to discourage me from going. I have a new dream to help other women live a more balanced life and perhaps discover some of their own lost talents or dreams. I am excited about the goodness that lies ahead and am grateful for all the support I have in place to take the risks needed to discover these new areas.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My dream weekend with friends would be spent in the Salida and Cotopaxi areas of Colorado. We would stay at Bighorn Park in Coaldale and while there are many lodging options there, we would opt for a cabin. Waking up to the sound of the Arkansas River, we would step outside to enjoy a cup of coffee along the banks of the river, allowing the crisp morning air and flowing waters to bring us to a more awakened state. Then we would head off to Rock-N-Row rafting. For my friends who have never been rafting before, we would start off with a trip down Middle Bighorn Sheep Canyon for some Class II and III rapids.

After catching our breath from all of the laughter of this shared experience, we would head up to Salida for something to eat. Over the course of their stay, we would eat at Moonlight Pizza, Benson’s Tavern & Beer Garden, and Amica’s Pizza Microbrew & More. We would stop at Chill Salida for their Purple Mountain Majesty ice cream. Walking a short distance, we would enjoy the ice cream at Riverside Park, sitting under the towering trees, or on the F Street bridge overlooking the Arkansas River. We would stop at Vital Living to fill up a bag with bath bombs, serums, and teas before heading over to J2 Softwear for a custom-built polar fleece. In the evening, we would return to Bighorn Park in time to take in the live performance from local area musicians.

The next day would start with another morning cup of coffee along the banks of the river before returning to Rock-N-Row. I would have a hard time letting my adventurous friends go without experiencing the Class III-V rapids of Browns Canyon or the Royal Gorge. We would honestly all want a nap after that but then would head back up to Salida to enjoy the next great meal. There are so many more areas we could explore but I imagine we would find one of the clusters of Adirondack chairs on F Street and, with a drink in hand, we would sit there for hours laughing, sharing stories, and planning for when we would return to the area again.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

Hope has been my fuel but relationships have allowed me to downshift and go further, faster. Tyler, my husband, and two boys, Caleb and Logan, have been my pacesetters. I think I am more naturally drawn to situations that are “safe” and “comfortable” but all three of my boys embrace life and have an explorer’s heart. They provide endless inspiration through their examples and challenge me to take risks to step into experiences that I wouldn’t step into on my own. Shoutout to all my family members and friends who, by their presence or by their example, continue to inspire me to take bigger risks.

Then I think of Julie Landi, Ellen Herbert, and the incredibly gifted ladies with Live Your Vision. There is a reason why geese fly together. This community has been a giant uplift in my ability to fly higher. I have learned and experienced the powerful transformation that can occur by taking small acts of kindness and applying them to myself. I have also been able to experience the potency of a positive group environment and the ability it has to help rewire the neural pathways that tend to weigh us down and slow us down.

There are countless authors, poets, and artists who inspire me including Emilie Wapnick, Morgan Harper Nichols, T.D. Jakes, Elizabeth Gilbert, and K.J. Ramsey to name just a few.

I also wouldn’t be where I am without Antonio Navarette and family at Rock-N-Row Rafting in Cotopaxi, Colorado. I could read books and listen to podcasts all day long about the outdoors or taking risks but there are some things you can only learn from doing. The knowledge and experience this group has with the river instilled in me a confidence that carried me not only through the Royal Gorge but the incredible Browns Canyon at the age of 50. Rock-N-Row’s invitation to be curious and explore the river has provided me with a plethora of stories from which I will forever be able to draw deep belly laughter and wisdom from.

Instagram: @sherunstheriver

Image Credits
Carolyn Vertovec