Pre-order now! Available July 21, 2025
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Pre-order now! Available July 21, 2025 ⋆
Breathtaking
A Field Guide to Living Your Epic Life
“This book from Shelli Johnson is one of the best manuals you’ll ever discover for an adventurous life lived in holistic communion with nature. But it’s also so much more than that. Shelli has mined her experiences as a business owner, entrepreneur, coach, writer, guide, mom, daughter, friend, and wife – and as a very human seeker with unparalleled humility, integrity, and curiosity – to deliver sage advice on living bravely and selflessly.”
- John Dorn, CEO of Teton Gravity Research, Author, and former Chief Entertainment Officer at Outside
Purchase includes access to the Epic Field Study Guide—exercises & reflections to help you live your authentic, epic life.
(Details inside the book.)
Free Preview
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What People Are Saying
“On the spectacular epics that verge off the beaten path into unknown terrain, the most important member of your team is the navigator. Such is the case in life, too, and for my money, Shelli is the companion you need – and Breathtaking is the compass you’ve been seeking.”
— Jon Dorn, CEO of Teton Gravity Research, Author, and former Chief Entertainment Officer at Outside
“Breathtaking awakened parts of me I hadn’t realized were waiting to emerge—parts I now understand are essential to living my most expansive, epic life. Each chapter offers a fresh and surprising theme, equally powerful whether you’re navigating the wilderness or the complexities of everyday life. With authenticity, humor, and deep relatability, Shelli delivers a captivating and potentially transformative read.”
— Stephanie Somersille, Mathematical Data Scientist, PhD
“This book is a gift. It’s a call to be bold, to rest when needed, to seek adventure, and to face life with courage. Shelli will meet you where you are and bring out the very best in you.”
— Shay Runion, Chief HR Officer, Arrow Exterminators
“With a storyteller’s soul and a mountaineer’s grit, Shelli guides us through the wilderness inside ourselves. Reading Breathtaking feels like sitting by a campfire with a wise friend who reminds you, with love and clarity, that your life is meant to be lived fully awake.”
— Joel Krieger, Head of Creative and Experience at Magic Leap
“This book is captivating—I couldn’t put it down. So many important lessons, all in one place. If you’re seeking a life that feels more meaningful, inspired, and truly alive, this book is your guide.”
— Susan Johnson, C-Suite Executive, Athlete, Volunteer
“Breathtaking is not just beautifully written—it is deeply lived. Shelli has walked the walk—literally and spiritually—and returned with stories that matter. Her voice is honest, humble, and wise. She is the rarest kind of guide: one who walks beside you with fierce devotion through the untamed wilds of your own becoming.”
— Jamie Leachman, Entrepreneur, Clinical Herbalist, M.S.W.
“A must-read for anyone ready to explore not just the great outdoors, but the depths of their own inner landscape. With grace and authenticity, Shelli invites us to discover the hidden beauty in both nature and ourselves. She truly walks the walk—living one of the most aligned, intentional lives I’ve ever witnessed.”
— Ilana Tolpin Levitt, LPC, LMHC, NCC
“Breathtaking is an inspiring guide that is a call to action—reminding us that an epic life is not about grand achievements alone, but about living each day with intention, courage, and a commitment to personal growth."
— Brian T. Brouillette, Vice President, CrowdStrike (retired)
"Breathtaking is a transformative guide to discovering your passion and purpose, paving the way to a more meaningful and epic life. A true breakthrough, it brings forth essential principles to elevate your leadership and inspire personal growth.”
— Mona Harty, Chief Purpose Officer, Board Member/Advisor
“In this chaotic, overly busy time we live in, Shelli’s wisdom is especially valuable. I plan to buy this book for the members of my leadership team.”
— Wendy Mullen, Chief Administrative Officer, First Manhattan
“It’s like you’re sitting in a good friend's kitchen drinking a cup of tea and talking with someone who really cares about your well being. The book uses the wonderment of the outside world to inspire us to help heal our inside souls.”
— Karen Monson, Backpacker and Outdoor Enthusiast
“She says she’s not an expert, but her hiking boots tell a different story. Breathtaking will re-inspire you about your life, and your leadership impact. With Shelli as your guide, you’ve taken the first step towards one heck of an epic journey.”
— Tina Postel, CEO of Nourish Up, and adjunct professor at UNC
"Like many women, I arrived in my fifties without knowing who I was. I had spent much of my life accommodating others’ needs, becoming whomever I thought they wanted me to be. It was a betrayal of self, and I was lost. Then came Shelli. She brought together thirteen amazing women—largely metropolitan, corporate, city girls—and met us with her unassuming warmth, clearest sky-blue eyes, and wisdom forged on the wide-open homestead of Wyoming. On the surface, Shelli was nothing like us. And yet—somehow, she was us. She helped us strip away the labels and the roles, and reminded us who we are at our core. I can’t wait for the world to experience her magic in Breathtaking.”
— Doreen Rose, Chef, Chef Instructor, Health Coach
About Shelli
Shelli Johnson is an entrepreneur, coach, keynote presenter, leadership consultant, writer, and adventure guide. She is also the founder of Epic Life Inc., a company dedicated to helping people live their authentic, epic life.
Before launching Epic Life Inc., Shelli spent 15 years building and running a Yellowstone-based tourism publishing company (and Webby Award–winning website) that promoted travel to the world’s first national park. She often went “into the field” to cover stories, and to inspire and help people plan a vacation of a lifetime.
Today, she still goes into the field—but with leaders, teams, and individuals navigating the wild terrain of their own lives. Her mission is to help them live the life of their lifetime, and to create more meaning in their life and their work.
Over the past 15 years, Shelli has walked thousands of miles—alone, with loved ones, alongside clients, and during coaching calls. The wilderness has been her teacher, mirror, and compass. Walking is how she finds her way home to herself.
She lives in Wyoming with her husband. Their three grown sons are forging their own paths. Her office is a 100-year-old sheepherder’s wagon parked alongiside the Popo Agie River.
In an age when we spend more time indoors—sedentary, distracted, searching our screens for inspiration and meaning—Breathtaking is a call to return to ourselves, and to the wild, for what truly matters.
“To live our epic life requires tremendous daring and courage. Most of us won’t do it. But one of the most valuable things I’ve learned in all of my years and work with people, is: We risk our life when we don’t live it.”
— Shelli Johnson
