Erin Mielzynski

The last month has been a whirlwind of firsts, lasts, tears and laughs.
The transition back into school hasn’t been easy. I’ve wondered if my brain was affected by too many hits to the head, or if I was simply out of the game too long.
It hasn’t been easy and I’ve doubted my decision nearly every day. But I keep reminding myself that I will adapt. I will find strategies, systems, and methods. It won’t be easy, I’ll need to ask for help along the way, and I certainly won’t be perfect. I’m not a patient person, we know this, but I’m working on it.
This month has been a shock to the system, but I’m also shocked by how much I’ve learned so far, the kind people I’ve met, and the positive benefits of simply biking too and from school instead of driving.
This next month is going to get even busier, so I’m going to take a few deep breaths this weekend and be thankful for the journey thus far. To those that have been there with me through each transition, thanks for your patience, while I’ve had none! 😂

Summertime and the login’ was easy.

📚😅 Everything I’m learning is so interesting, but my brain is feeling the 15 years away from school.

Send study/learning tips, tricks, apps, playlists ⬇️ (thanks in advance)

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We’ve been calling it the “Summer of Weddings”. 6 weddings in less than 4 months crossing over 5422km twice.

However, after getting home from the Yukon last night I feel like a more suitable name is “The Summer of Friends”. Weddings are certainly about the union of two people, however as the sweet .be said “I never realized that my wedding would make me fall more in love with my friends.”

We love you all. We’re thankful for the time we got to spend together. Now let’s buy a huge chunk of land, build mini homes and live closer together 🤓😘

Wedding szn!

We’ve been so happy to celebrate these amazing days with our favourite people, especially after spending so much time away from them these past few years. ❤️❤️

Missing the mountains a little extra today, but I’m so excited to share one of my favourite things with some of my favourite people in this new chapter!

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Many big changes coming our way soon.

Stay tuned.

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Ever since I was a little girl I’ve been mesmerized by how vast this world is. At the moment, I am in Whitehorse, Yukon doing some work. Meanwhile, around the world countless other people are going about their own lives. Some may be giving birth, others are saying goodbye to a loved one. Some are finding it hard to find clean water, others are cruising on yachts. The celebrities we see on tv are as real as you and I, living their own lives, dealing with their own struggles.
It is mind blowing how big this world is, how many people are living here, how different our lives our. Each of us is just a small speck in a huge world.

My mind still has trouble wrapping around this idea, although FaceTime, social media and texting makes it earlier.

The only thing I know for sure is that we have to protect this huge world, each speck has a unique story and how important it is to honour and get curious about each story. Also… this speck beside me is what keeps me tethered.

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Daydreaming about this past winter in our bus 🍾

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I’m certainly not fearless. Often when I find myself comparing to others it’s not about looks, money, experiences- it’s about how much fear I feel compared to them. I’ve wrestled with that concept for years.

The other day said something that really rang true “Fear is something you feel in the face of the unknown”. How true is that? I feel fear when I don’t know the outcome. Will I make this hop turn? How will I enter that line? Will I be able to perform? What if the snow let’s go at this point?

Fear is healthy. It keeps us safe. There is certainly a place for it, but I really and truly hate the feeling of intense, debilitating fear. That fight or flight kind of fear where your knees go wobbly, your emotions go haywire and you further put yourself in jeopardy.

So I try to find a balance by becoming more knowledgeable. I try to learn as much as I can, I watch others, I stay humble, and I know that each day is a learning opportunity. The other day with JF was a huge learning opportunity and I’ll take those lessons with me always.

For now I have some knots to practice and some skills to sharpen!

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What a whirlwind of a weekend reconnecting with friends, adventuring with family, challenging myself professionally, and witnessing some of my dearest friends realize their greatest dreams.

you’ve inspired all of us time and time again. This weekend in an interview you told me that your last result has nothing to do with the next one. You often told me tips like this during my career as we talked through challenges, celebrated successes and cheered for each other. When you won your Olympic gold, you proved how true this statement is, and once again you proved it this weekend when you won the last World Cup race you ever entered. You’ve inspired so many of us and I know you’ll continue to do so. It has been an honour to watch your career and train alongside you.

when we made the Canadian team many years ago, you became my safe place in the ski world. You let me be weird, sad, mad, successful… you let me be me. I’ve watched you push your boundaries. I’ve watched you get torn down and rebuild yourself from the bottom up. I’ve watched you succeed when all odds are against you. Sometimes we were right there for each other and at other times we were watching from a distance. I am so happy that this weekend, I could greet you in the finish. This weekend you podiumed at your second race back after injury. You are one of the greatest athletes that I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and I am honoured to call you my teammate and friend.

way to put the hammer down this weekend on home soil. Winning the nations cup for the 10th time, watching step onto the podium both days (and 3rd season overall), watching sign countless autographs after a 2nd place, and witnessing celebrate his 2nd crystal globe on Canadian soil with his family. And to the entire team- thanks for welcoming me into your team with open arms. Your team is successful because of how you work as a whole, never every underestimate your value on this team even if you aren’t the one that stepped onto the podium. ❤️

And of course thank you for this interview. 😂

Your destination will be on the right ➡️

Let’s see what Kaslo, BC has to offer!

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Almost 10 years. We’ve experienced travelling the world, 2 Olympic Games, breathtaking views and little miracles. We’ve lived through distance, heartbreak, adversity, and changes. We’ve picked up new sports, invested in our passions, bolstered friendships new and old, and we’ve learned how to do it all together.

You are my home and whatever life throws at us, I want you by my side.

We never plan much for holidays because we simply feel lucky to be together.

I know this holiday can be sad and tricky for some people. It’s a day of love and many people have different experiences with love. What I hope is that each and every person experiences some form of kindness today and knows that they aren’t alone.

Our team grew for the 2nd stop on the in

OG teammate couldn’t make it to Bear Valley this past weekend because she had NCAA races, so we decided that it would be great to support another woman on the tour for the 2nd stop on tour. We called up - who is the defending 2022 tour winner. As soon as Nick & Mark met Tuva, they not only offered her a spot on the team for Bear Valley but for the rest of the season as well! ❤️

I am so proud and honoured to be part of a team that makes sure that multiple women are supported each race. Our team may not have a traditional structure and we may often fly by the west of our pants, but we are becoming a small family, supporting racing outside of World Cup, and writing our names on those podiums.

and it’s a pleasure to be your teammate, now let’s go sweep the podium 😝

I started knitting a sweater yesterday. The choices of wool in the store were minimal and I made my best guess for what would work with my pattern. As the sweater slowly unfolded I realized that I got it wrong. The wool was too thick, the sweater too big.

I realized that I would have to unravel all of my work so far. I’d have to go back to the drawing board and start again. Stitch by stitch it unravelled, but instead of feeling sad, I felt so grateful that I had figured it out. I could use the wool for something else. I could try again.

I found myself thinking that this is such a perfect metaphor for life. Rarely do we get things right the first time, and when we realize that we got it wrong we sit at a crossroads. Do we continue persisting, struggling, wasting time OR do we go back to the drawing board, try something new, start again? Sometimes it’s the former, other times the later. But no matter what, it’s important to realize that this is part of life. Learning, changing, and growing, and yes, that sometimes means letting things unravel so that we can start again stitch by stitch.

My new wool and sweater look better already, however… only time will tell. It may turn into a knitting disaster, and you know what, that’s okay too.

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When I was younger I walked through life seeing magic, goodness and opportunity everywhere. My dreams were bigger than the sky. My trust in people never wavered. I assumed the best case scenario was inevitable.

I also understood what it meant to work hard. From a young age, I started grinding on the water, on the snow and in school. I worked for those big goals and I thought that as I chipped away, they would eventually come to fruition.

At the same time, life slowly chipped away at me. As it does to all of us as we get older. My family fell apart, we moved, I was bullied, I got injured, I failed, my heart was broken, and ever so slowly I started to question the fairytale. The magic started to fade.
Of course, at the same time I succeeded, I fell in love, I overcame, I won, and I was supported. But I still felt those chips as I wondered what if- what if I fail? What if I get hurt? What if we break down? What if I run out of money? Instead of thinking about all of my dreams, I often found myself trying to avoid the what ifs. I came to expect bad things to happen, instead of looking for the good things.

I’ve been working on changing that. To put myself in the best position for success, I continue to prepare, work hard, research, train, and study, but then I try to jump in and trust myself, trust the process and trust that no matter what, I’ll be okay. I’ll find a way.

I’ve always found magic in my days- a kind stranger, the sun on my back, a walk through the woods. But I’m working on searching for the magic, moving towards it, instead of shying away from the shadows of what if.

There have been many changes in my life recently. Some I’ve handled well, others I’ve struggled with and failed. I’ve grown, discovered, felt taken advantage of, laughed, felt lost and loved. This is what life is all about. It’s been beautiful and messy.

It felt like my life personified the trick where you rip the table cloth out from under the table settings, only to watch the glassware tip and teeter wondering if they would fall and shatter, before finally coming to rest.

My life- changed. The people I saw and relied on daily- changed. My priorities, goals, wardrobe, routines- they all changed. How I define myself- changed.

But some things stayed constant. Some people stood ready to settle the teetering glassware, unexpectedly at times. Some people never left my side checking in daily, weekly, monthly to ask how I was doing, and really listening for the answer.

As my world shifted, altered, teetered and eventually settled, I am so thankful for the constants. For those strong souls who held me up as they whispered “I got you”.

Whenever life feels overwhelming, the feeling is met with kindness, strength, goodness and understanding. I never need to search for the good, it is always there to greet me.

I’ve felt like this often in my life. Not necessarily about change, but about my friends, my rocks, my sponsors, and my family. I thought it was a good time to write it down 🥰😘

🚨Let me introduce to you our Sports Insurance.com Racing Team

Our team is the 1st Women’s team in decades (since the 1990s) on the

I am so happy and honoured to partner with this incredible team and be teammates with the kind, bubbly, thoughtful, powerful, fast and intelligent

I love being part of a team. I love that we can lift each other up and help each other succeed.

I am so excited to announce this partnership, to build with this team and to see where it takes us!

🚨Let me introduce to you our Sports Insurance.com Racing Team

Our team is the 1st Women’s team in decades (since the 1990s) on the

I am so happy and honoured to partner with this incredible team and be teammates with the kind, bubbly, thoughtful, powerful, fast and intelligent

I love being part of a team. I love that we can lift each other up and help each other succeed.

I am so excited to announce this partnership, to build with this team and to see where it takes us!

Great weekend in competing at the I’m so excited to tell you more about our new sponsored SportsInsurance.com Racing team, but for now I’ll just say that and I sandwiched the podium, made a lot of new friends, hit over 42 big jumps and had a grand ol’ time.

It was so incredible to feel powerful and strong while doing something I love.

To all of the competitors, staff, volunteers and thank you for making these races so inviting ❤️

Traded gates for trees this Christmas… still somehow cutting the line too tight.

Backyard shreddies for Christmas from our happy hearts to yours.

Merry Merry Christmas 🎄

I haven’t had many words recently, just this unwavering need to find solace in the heart of the mountains.

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The mountains are calling… but now they are cover in snow! 🏔>> ⛷

❄️ Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.
❄️ Don’t be afraid to put out B+ work once you finally find the courage to be vulnerable.
❄️ Don’t let the fear of an imperfect outcome stop you from starting.
❄️ It’s never too late to start, although you may have to find your own way. Dream bigger than you think.

These lessons keep coming back to me this week from various people, in different forms, and at the least expected times. I thought I would share because maybe the same has been happening for you OR let me know what lesson keeps coming up for you?

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First hut trip of season is planned, and I CAN’T WAIT!!

One thing that’s really special about skiing is that after athletes retire from high performance skiing, we can still ski in some capacity for the rest of our lives. Sooo… goodbye red and blue gates 😢 but hello trees and skin tracks 😍

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It’s been a goal of mine for a while now to eat more sustainably. I would love to be able to grow most of our produce 🌱 and catch our animal protein 🐟.

So far, most of my plants have withered and I have yet to catch a fish this year.

Very hungry. May have to rethink the plan and improve my skills. Come back to be in a few weeks 😉😂

Do you have any tips and tricks for living more sustainably?

Where I belong 🤓

Outfit:

I dreamt about skiing last night… I used to dream about waterskiing nearly every night, but now I dream about alpine skiing. Sometimes I dream about the freedom I felt, sometimes I dream about the people. Sometimes it’s a nightmare and other times it’s a beautiful fantasy.

With the start of the World Cup season and The Toronto Ski and Snowboard Show coming up on Oct 28-30 winter is definitely on everyone’s minds! (Whether you like the cold or not!)

I will be speaking at around 3pm on Oct 28th at the show about the lessons that I learned through skiing and why I’m excited to lean on those lessons to slingshot me into my next endeavours.

I’m nervous, and excited… sort of like the beginning of ski season 😋

You know I love thrifting, so I’m excited to peruse Canada’s largest ski and snowboard swap! Ambassadors from resorts across Canada will be there to help plan our next adventures, AND we get to learn about all of the new technologies and gear for this season 🤓… not to mention a tube ride and prizes 🎉

Will I see you there? Get your questions ready for the Q&A!

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Why does the glass have to be half full or half empty? Can’t it be refillable?

There are times in our lives when it feels like our glasses are overflowing, everything seems to have found its place. We are at ease, energetic, motivated and happy. Other times we feel like we keep tipping our cup for the last drop, but there is nothing left. We try again and again, but it’s dry, barren, and overwhelming.

But here’s the thing, a full cup rarely remains full forever or sometimes we decide to share with others. Other times our empty cup starts to be filled again by others, by our own mindset/hardwork, or by life.

So I don’t think about it as half full or half empty. I think about it as being able to be drained and refilled, like the tide. Of course, I often don’t have control over what happens, but I’m working on having control over how I interpret what is happening and how I can use my strength to help others or I can lean on them when I’m struggling.

Life is about balance; good and bad, work and play, struggle and success, grateful and yearning for more.

So this thanksgiving I challenge you to think about how you are feeling. If your cup feels full, cherish it and maybe think about sharing. If your cup feels empty, take time for yourself, reach out for help, or make necessary changes.

Magic number 8

Eight is one of my favourite numbers. It’s the number that all other numbers are built from on a digital alarm clock. Eight is also the magic number in our “West Side Gs” friend group.

I call these girls my high school friends, and most people are so incredibly shocked that 8 of us were able to remain friends for so many years. However, these friends are actually grade school friends. I met them when I was going into grade 8, my parents were freshly divorced, I moved out of my childhood home, away from my dad and sister, and it was the first school I attended without my sister. When I was 13 I got my first dose of hardship, and these girls have been there with me through every hardship since. I’m going into my 20th year of friendship with them 🤯

But that is my story, their story began even before that. Many of them have been friends since they were 8 years old, playing in mud puddles and comparing rubber boots.

We’ve watched each other fall in love and get our hearts broken. We’ve celebrated huge career milestones (Vice Prezzie moves), weddings, babies being born, and new houses moved into. We’ve chatted about life, challenged each other to think differently, and offered a steady place to rest.

So this is us. This is what women supporting women looks like. And this is a testament to the strength of friendship.

Cheers 🥂 to all of you. And and we love you. Congratulations on your wedding and giving us the best day!

Gratitude for life’s small moments between the big ones- like quickly pulling over to catch the sunset on the way home from playing tennis.

🎾👗: (Use code: erinmielzynski_10off)

Supporting local in a time where can can buy anything with the tap of a finger: 🌾

I love when I get to know the business owners, their children, their stories and their triumphs. I learn how they started, the struggles they overcame and why they pour so much love into their products. I see how they treat their animals, staff and customers. I love choosing from unique products while the owner’s children play outside and their pets greet me, feeling safe enough to leave my car unlocked. I see where my money goes, how it bolsters our community and how those same local businesses do the same. Supporting local feels like creating a family of neighbours, and that is something that we need more of in today’s society.

Supporting local businesses at the feast in my Canadian owned Coretta romper.

When I first made the national team at age 17, I didn’t bike. I don’t mean that I didn’t compete, I didn’t bike… period. I could physically ride a bike. That was it.

Our first dryland camp was in Fernie and I was SO far behind in everything. I had never weightlifted before and never biked.

The first ride out I lost the group immediately. I had an asthma attack, but I was too scared of getting kicked off the team to stop, so I kept hiking my bike. Eventually I found the coaches, who agreed that I was in no state to continue, so one of them took me back down, on a single track. I almost immediately went over the handlebars, and then almost got hit by a car in town.

Those weeks in Fernie were embarrassing, scary and exhausting. I went over the handlebars at least once a day and my heart rate was always over 200. I couldn’t bike with the rest of the team, and I didn’t seem to improve. I grew to hate it. I started road biking instead.

Little by little, I started to mountain bike since then. Lenny will spot me on tough sections, and gives me feedback as we ride, but I am still scared.

But I have this deep seated issue with fear- it holds me back, makes me over think and makes me miss out on opportunities. Of course, fear is healthy, but I always feel the need to face each fear until it is slightly less scary, especially in the right circumstances.

Now I’ve set a new goal- I want to ride a lot, I want to slowly push my limits instead of jumping in head first (literally). I don’t hope to be the best, or even good, but I hope to be able to go out with my friends, without slowing them down too much.

So this is me, scared, over thinking, and bad at something- but doing it anyways.

Where my water skiers at?! And how old does a ski (life jacket, wetsuit, gloves, bindings) have to be to be considered a relic? 😂

I started waterskiing at 2 years old. I trained intensely as a water skier until I was 17, competing for Canada at the Junior Worlds (2nd in jump, team Canada- 1st) and the Junior Masters (1st in jump). But then my world abruptly changed when I made the Canadian Alpine Ski team just before my 18th birthday.

I haven’t run a slalom course or gone over a jump since I was 17, at the Canadian Nationals in Calgary. At the time, I didn’t know that it was my last time, possibly ever…

Now 15 years later, I’m in another transition, and I find myself with a little bit more time to spend on the water… and a little bit less fear of getting hurt and missing ski season 🙃

I have a habit (bad or good idk?) of saving my nice clothes. I think it comes from my parents being frugal with certain things, so that we could afford to ski. Many of my clothes were hand-me-downs or bought second hand, so when I got a fresh look… I saved it. Do you do this too? 🤦🏼‍♀️

However, sometimes I save them for so long that they go out of style, they no longer fit the way I want them to, I forget them in a hotel (only happened twice) or I end up ruining them somehow anyways (hello messy taco Tuesday). So I’m challenging myself to let go of that habit, and to really enjoy all that I have.

So when I found I was so happy, because my nice outfits are not only comfortable, but they hold up well to wear and tear… and wash well time and time again- even after a fishing trip, cutting myself and getting blood everywhere, or speed walking with a 60lb duffel bag on my back for 2km as I try to chase down an Uber.

👗/👒 (use code:ERIN15)

Today, I looked down at my feet and I felt self conscious. This happens sometimes with different parts of myself. I compare to others, and judge how I look. I feel like I’m not enough sometimes.

But I looked down at my bone spurs, the nails that have fallen off more times than I can count, my webbed toes. And I thought “Wow, think about all of the places these feet have taken you. Think about the turns they’ve skied, the paths they’ve run, the ground they’ve stumbled over and the temperature they’ve endured.”

And I was filled with a sense of immense gratitude. Does it matter how my feet look? Sometimes my brain says so, but really it’s how far they’ve taken me and will continue to take me.

Are they beautiful? No. But the places that they’ve taken me have been beyond beautiful. Their mess is a testament to all that I’ve been through and I love that.

And my webbed toes are handed down from my greatest hero, my grandpa. So for as long as I live, they will remind me of him.

Check out my favourite shorts! (Use code: ERINMIELZYNSKI_10)

Bus is done! ✅ Looks like we have everything we need 🚽

Being back on snow has me reminiscing. 🪄 I’m realizing how valuable all of the lessons I learned are, and how amazing it feels to pass these lessons on and watch them start to manifest in the lives of our younger racers.

It’s been an amazing week of coaching with my ski sisters… I also shed my first tears since announcing my retirement.

I love skiing and I always will- and now I know that this love can help ignite the flames in others. I don’t just have to hope 🙏🏻

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