Bad day? Go Take a Hike.

I’m constantly looking for ways to quiet my brain. My therapist tells me that I need to work on being in silence without needing to constantly fill it with noise. Having grown up a “suburbs girl,” I wasn’t used to spending extended time in the middle of nowhere. Sure, I had a gorgeous backyard full of plants (my father is a horticulture professor by trade), but I didn’t ever feel drawn to the wide open freedom of the woods.

It wasn’t until I met my friend (my editor!), who lives close to a state nature park, that I fully began to appreciate the value of experiencing nature. She’d take me out into the woods, and we would hike for hours. I’d often ask her how far we’d gone, to which she would always answer, “I dunno?” She wasn’t going for the exercise or to meet a timing goal for her fitness; no, she was going to fellowship with the Lord by enjoying His creation.

Recently, I noticed that I would notice a chaotic void develop when I didn’t get out into nature. I figured it was my lack of exercise causing me to feel more unsettled, but even after a run or walk, I could tell something was missing. Finally, after a particularly active thinking day, I texted my friend to see if she could hike with me. She replied with her common reply, “Let’s do it!” About ten minutes into the hike, as the trees rustled around me and the cool air blew my hair, I felt an immediate release of endorphins. Suddenly, life didn’t feel so overwhelming. Even though we weren’t in total silence with each other, the natural quietness of the woods still took over my noisy mind. I could think clearly. The crunch of the leaves under my feet centered me in a desperately needed way.

Sometimes we have to force ourselves to move out of the mental noise we collect in search of intentional peace by stepping away from our constant navel-gazing. We need help focusing on the quiet and calm that comes with listening to nothing but nature. Find someone you can be mostly silent with and go take a hike!!!!!