News and Media

By Iudita Trifa-Schmidt

Dear Participants,

This is my fourth attempt at writing this letter. When I agreed to write a farewell message, I didn’t expect it to be so difficult. But sitting in silence, reflecting on the last 19 years with Out Doors, I found myself overwhelmed, not just by the memories but by the emotion tied to every one of them.

What kept coming to mind wasn’t the milestones or the challenges. It was you. Each of you. Being part of your journey, your courage, your vulnerability, your struggles and your breakthroughs has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. Whether we met during a program or whether I supported your journey from behind the scenes, you reminded me of what truly matters: connection, growth and the belief that change is always possible. But instead of looking back, I want to invite you to look forward.

You’ve already walked through the hardest days. You’ve endured what many never see. And yet, you’re still here. You continue to show up for yourself, for your loved ones, for your community. That strength cannot be measured, but I see it in each of you. As someone who has lived with PTSD since my early twenties and experienced a life-changing cardiac event not long ago, I’ve come to learn this: life demands that we keep evolving. Change doesn’t come easily, it’s often triggered by pain, crisis, illness or loss. But when we decide to stop being defined by those events, we open the door to transformation.

And that’s what I’ve witnessed through Out Doors, a place where you are given the tools to move through discomfort, face uncertainty and take meaningful steps toward healing. It’s not always a smooth path. Growth rarely is but with each choice to keep going, you reshape your future.

Here’s what I want you to hold onto:

You are already worthy. You don’t need to earn your place in the world. You don’t need to prove anything to anyone. Your existence matters just as you are. You have something special to offer, and your story, your truth is powerful. If your thoughts shape your reality, then choose thoughts that support you. If your actions shape your future, let them reflect who you want to become. And when your emotions start to pull you backward, remind yourself that they are only echoes of the past—not the map of your future.

You gave me purpose. You trusted me to lead this organisation, to shape it, to grow it with you in mind and I never took that lightly. Every change we made, every step forward we took, was with the goal of helping you believe in yourself more fully.

So as I take a step into my own next chapter, please know that I carry your stories with me. You have made me a better leader, a better person and for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.Be kind to yourself. Keep experimenting. Keep moving forward, even when it feels uncomfortable.That discomfort is where transformation lives.

With deep gratitude, admiration and love,

Iudita Trifa-Schmidt