I hate hiking.
For me, hiking is everything that I am not. Hiking is outdoorsy. Hiking is about the journey, not the destination. Hiking is walking, which for those who know me, know I complain when it comes to walking any type of distance. I’d rather drive! Hiking is about being okay with getting lost. Being lost makes me panic. Hiking is about the adventure of the experience, and the unknown. I enjoy more of the planning of the experience and knowing what’s ahead. Hiking is about slowing down and taking your time, and I am not a patient person.
Hiking is not who I am.
Yet I decided a goal of mine for 2022 is to go on a hike once a month for the entire year.
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Why Hike
Because I dislike hiking so much, I knew making it a 2022 goal was important. It would push me every-so-slightly outside my comfort zone. Being pushed outside of your comfortable zone helps to build on top of so many other goals. I don’t need to jump out of a plane or go whitewater rafting to get outside my comfort zone. If I waited around for the courage to do ginormous outside the comfort zone things, I would never take a step. A slight push outside the comfort zone is the baby step that pushes us towards our ultimate goals. It’s the baby steps that get us moving and don’t seem insanely scary to do. They are attainable! The baby steps are action and any action in life or toward goals is important.
Hiking is my baby step.
There’s a saying among writers that goes, “I hate having to write, but I love having written.” I stand by the statement as a writer 100 percent. But for me, the same is true for hiking. Maybe it’s the same for all hikers, I don’t know! I hate having to hike, but I love (mmm I like, I’m not at love level yet), having hiked.
I have gone on hikes over the years and I’m oftentimes an emotional or complaining mess before and during them, but feel pretty accomplished after them. So I guess that’s the point of this goal. The feeling of accomplishment after the hike. It’s a literal action that will move me forward in 2022.
Related: Go Live Your Story Outside Your Comfort Zone
Hiking in the Faroe Islands; Courtesy of Jeff Bartlett
Hiking Business
When I reflect back on a hike, I often see a connection to something else going on in my life, whether that’s something in my personal life or something in my business life. The emotion that spills out on a hike isn’t always necessarily about what is happening on the hike. It is in that hiking moment, but when I think about it later, I ask myself, what was the bigger impact there.
I was on a group photography trip to Denmark’s Faroe Islands and I knew we would be hiking a lot in order to get the best landscape photography shots. I had traveled with this group before so I knew what I was in for. One particular hike was short but steep. Our small group of about 10 piled out of vans and looked up at the small mountain before us. Several of the men in the group raced up the mountain in seven minutes (they timed themselves). I had barely gotten started when they reached the top.
Two friends hung back with me and “managed” my hike up. One told jokes, one tied my shoe, both told me not to worry about our extremely slow pace when I apologized every few steps for taking so long. I complained and had anxiety for most of the walk up. I’m perpetually out of shape and have exercise-induced asthma so breathing always quickly becomes difficult.
As we finally got closer to the top, I told them to go ahead, I was good. The rest of the group was up there and someone made a joke and I laughed. I laughed hard that entire trip so I was genuinely happy and laughing as I reached the top of the mountain. But then suddenly my laughter turned to sobs and I was crying and breathing heavily for no reason. One of the guys on the trip watched the quick turnover from giggles to sobs and said, “I don’t know what’s happening to you but I’ll give you a moment.” It was a typical male response but his reaction made me laugh again because I could only imagine how ridiculous I looked in that moment. I just shook my head yes to him, continued my giggle sob and found my own space on the mountain top for a minute to compose myself.
I believe the tears were tears of happiness that I reached the goal of the top of the mountain. I still had anxiety (because fog was also rolling in and making me nervous) but I had accomplished the hike. I made it to the top and got some freaking amazing photos to prove it.
Related: Expanding Your Comfort Zone in Costa Rica
Take A Hike
The bigger impact is not always clear and sometimes I don’t connect those dots. But I’ve connected hiking to business building of late. The same issues I have with hiking, are also some of the same challenges I have in business. I want to reach the business destination faster. I don’t have patience for the unknown in business. And don’t get me started on the roller coaster of emotions that pour out when you’re building a business. The giggle sobs in business are no rock!
So this goal for me is much more than just taking a hike. The hike symbolizes more. It’s my business. It’s my patience, my emotions, my accomplishments, along the way.
It’s my journey.
Related: Devil’s Bridge Hike: Be Where Your Feet Are Now
