4 Takeaways from a hike gone wrong

There’s always SOMEthing to learn, right?

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Anyone who uses their creative brain for their job knows these two things:

1 - Trying to force an idea is usually impossible
2 - The moment you stop forcing yourself is typically when the ideas finally start to flow

And the more I take part in long solo hiking adventures, the more I’m finding this to be true.

I never start these treks with the intention of creating content ideas…

Yet the hours of distraction-free solitude seem to put my brain into overdrive.

This was especially true a couple weekends ago.

Though, if I’m being honest, the thoughts weren’t all positive.

Maybe it was the:

-Hiking off trail (nope, not on purpose. oops)
-Unusually warm weather
-Sunshine (see warm weather above 🥵)
-Dehydration

…But I was being a real bitch to myself at times.

(Sorry, self)

Interestingly, this hike also led me into some deep contemplation.

It was like an internal struggle in my brain for 5 hours 😂

But through the challenges came these friendly reminders…

Like little words of wisdom from the falling leaves dancing in the wind.

One. Don’t rush your journey

It’s easy to keep your nose down and just focus on work, work, work…

Because there’s so much to do and it ALL needs to get done! 

But what if the steps you’re taking aren’t actually getting you where you need to go?

The trails I’ve been walking on can be deadly:

Roots and rocks and random holes.

It’s tempting to limit how much I look up in fear I’ll take a wrong step.

(And yes, I’ve tripped many times, heh)

But in doing so, it’s also easy to lose track of where I’m going.

Instead, I’ve made it a habit to just stop once in a while…

Stop, look up, and really take in my surroundings.

It helps me confirm I’m on the right track…

AND allows me a moment to enjoy where my steps have gotten me so far.

Two. Trust your gut

If something feels off, it probably is.

There’s so much content out there that people create with the intention of guiding you.

But no matter how amazing or “right” these people claim it might be…

It might not be right for YOU.

Don’t be afraid to reject an approach that everyone seems to be taking.

There’s a million other approaches to take these days anyway!

This reminder came after a stupid decision on my part 😂

And likely, I got pulled into the trap of not looking up enough.

Lesson learned, see section above.

After I had already found myself off trail (still trying to figure out where that happened), I spotted a family.

“Hey, do you see any trail markers?”

“No, but according to my map, the trail is just right over there! You can join us so you’re not alone!”

…30 minutes and a few scratches later, we finally found the trail.

Why I trusted a group of strangers to lead me in the right direction?

I don’t know 😅

But I’m alive to tell the tale and will let my gut lead the way next time!

Three. Be okay with a change of plans

One of the only constants in life, especially now it seems, is change.

What works in your biz now probably didn’t 5 years ago… and might not in 5 years.

And while it’s easy to get frustrated with always having to pivot, learn new things, and let go of original plans…

There’s often sweet moments of growth and opportunity waiting instead.

Something I highly value about my hikes is being alone.

So when I end up surrounded by literally dozens of people?

I can feel the frustration rising.

But being stuck behind an entire troop of stinky boy scouts who were returning from their overnight backpacking trip...

I was forced to walk slowly, have patience, and take my time.

Because of that, I was able to appreciate the way the dappled sunlight highlighted the ever-changing colors of the leaves.

And when a fellow hiker ended up behind me, sharing the same fate of being slowed down…

This led to a great conversation.

I now have some new trail recommendations 😉

Four. Acknowledge even the smallest wins

When things seem to be dragging on or going poorly for FAR too long, it’s easy to get sucked into the negative feelings and thoughts.

But more often than not, there's an even stronger positive feeling just waiting to be acknowledged!

I ended up hiking over a mile of steady, decent incline…

On the sunny side of the slope 😑

And even though I walk every day and hike nearly every weekend, I just couldn’t tackle it in one go.

I had to stop every few minutes.

It was easy to focus on how bad I was doing, but that would have made it worse.

Especially when a quick look behind me was an instant reminder:

Oh. I really have accomplished so much.

Don’t forget to take a peek and revisit everything you’ve done!

Did these resonate with you?

Who knew the trail could give us so many takeaways that are relevant to our lives AND biz!

I’d love to know if one or two (or all!) really hit the spot..

Comment and let me know 😊