Mud, Momentum, and Making History: Lessons From Adirondack Women
- leeanneruff
- Mar 24
- 3 min read
March in the Adirondacks is mud season - the stretch of time when winter lingers, spring hesitates, and everything in between feels messy. The trails are slick, the roads unpredictable, and each step forward feels a little uncertain.
To the outside world, mud season is a nuisance. But to those of us who live and work in the Adirondacks, we know better.
Mud season isn’t just about the mess. It’s about transition. Growth. What comes next.
And isn’t that the perfect metaphor for what it means to be a woman navigating life, leadership, and change?
The Messy Middle is Where Growth Happens
The Adirondacks teach us that nothing stays the same forever. Seasons shift. The ice melts. The rivers rise. And in that in-between space, the ground is soft, pliable - ready for what’s next.
Life is full of mud seasons. The moments where we feel stuck between where we’ve been and where we want to go. The times when the road ahead feels unclear, and all we see is the mess in front of us.
But here’s the thing: Mud is a sign of movement.
When the path is messy, it means something is shifting. It means progress.
So when you feel like you’re wading through uncertainty - whether in your career, relationships, or personal growth - remember: this is where transformation begins.
Strong Women Don’t Wait for Perfect Conditions
Women have never had the luxury of waiting for the perfect moment.
The suffragists who fought for our right to vote didn’t wait for easy conditions.The women who broke barriers in business, science, and politics didn’t wait for an open door. The mothers, daughters, and sisters who kept families and communities strong didn’t wait for a smooth path.
They walked forward anyway.

And so do we.
Whether we’re launching a business, stepping into leadership, or making bold life decisions, we don’t wait for the road to be dry. We put on our boots and go.
Because progress doesn’t happen in the perfect moments - it happens in the ones where we choose to move forward despite the mud.
You Are Stronger Than You Think
Mud season is a test of patience. It slows us down, makes us take careful steps, and forces us to trust ourselves.
Maybe you’re in a season of transition. Maybe things feel unclear, messy, or uncertain. But here’s the truth:
🌿 You are stronger than you think.
🌿 You are capable of walking through the hard parts.
🌿 And even when things feel uncertain, you are still moving forward.
If the Adirondacks teach us anything, it’s that the messy seasons don’t last forever. The sun returns. The ground dries. The flowers bloom.
And in the meantime, we keep walking.
A Final Thought: The Women Who Came Before Us, and the Women We Are Becoming
March is National Women’s History Month - a time to honor the women who walked before us, who paved the way, who kept going even when the path was hard.
This month, let’s celebrate their strength, and our own.
Let’s remember that history isn’t just something we read about - it’s something we are making.
So whatever season you’re in, take heart. Even if the road feels muddy, you are still on your way.
And that? That’s history in the making.
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