In 2010, before New Zealand's Te Araroa trail was officially open or widely known, Shalane Hopkins set out to walk its 3,000 km length with a friend. With no support crew, no GPS, and only a compass and a hand-drawn map, they pushed into some of the country's wildest terrain. Their journey challenged their grit and resilience as they walked through relentless rain, thick bush, endless beaches, multiple injuries — and even giardia. When the 2011 Christchurch earthquake struck, they paused their thru-hike to support the clean-up efforts before returning to finish the trail. One Step at a Time is an adventure memoir of courage, growth, and confronting the fears that shape us. It speaks to readers of travel memoirs, inspirational true stories, and women's adventure narratives — a powerful reminder of what becomes possible when you keep putting one foot in front of the other.