I once had a desire to hike on the Appalachian Trail. It was a pretty big desire. I’ve had many things over the years that I’ve wanted to do but still have yet to complete. I’m tired of watching life go by with me sitting on the sidelines waving and then feeling sad that I wasn’t picked. Ha! The image of that is depressingly humorous. Fear stops me most times. The Appalachian Trail began as a desire to accomplish something out of reach. It was a challenge to myself to strive for greater; to remind myself that I CAN do hard things, that I can, in order: want, learn, do.
I’m not sure if you know of the AT but it’s a trail that runs from Maine to Georgia. It crosses prairies, mountains, city roadways and forests. People voluntarily leave the comfort of their home to trek across 14 states, all in one go. On average, it takes roughly four to six months to complete this hiking expedition, although people will also hike different sections of the AT, splitting up the time and effort. People choose to hike the AT for various reasons, it really is a personal decision and NOT as cRaZy as you think.
Think of a goal or desire you’ve had. Did you accomplish it? Did it diminish? Were there roadblocks that happened out of your control? Do you still remember your ‘why?’ I fully believe that remembering your ‘why’ is so important. You want to be healthy again. You want to like olives in memory of your dad. You want to hike the El Camino in Spain. Paint in watercolor. Make sourdough. Train for the Olympics. Start liking pink again. Have a family. Learn to sew. Get a job. Keep a job. Be kind instead of mean. Get rid of crutches after your surgery. Move out. No matter what your goal or desire, your WHY is probably the most important aspect.
Why NOT? Life is a mess? Surgery? Grief? No knowledge? No time? Do you get overwhelmed when thinking about where to start? Fear?
Pinpointing the ‘why not’ is just as important as remembering the ‘why’.
Fear and laziness were my biggest ‘why nots’ when it came to the AT. I didn’t make a plan nor did I get out and hike locally so that I could build up endurance. I didn’t put myself in the training mindset. I didn’t do these things because it really wasn’t a priority. My ‘why’ must not have been big enough. Well now, this actually makes me ponder many desires I’ve had over the years. Were they not what I really wanted? Did I not want them bad enough? Did I continuously let fear win? When someone wants something bad enough or if they feel like there is no other choice, they’ll get the job done or they’ll pray for someone else to accomplish it and they’ll live vicariously thru them.
An Instagram influencer shared in one video how she makes it easier to accomplish goals. She lists a goal, then the very very first step to that goal. Then, she lists the next step, then the next. The intent is to be as realistic as possible. For example, if my goal is to make sourdough successfully, the very very first step might be to gather a recipe and necessary tools and ingredients. Then the next step might be to plan out how much time needed to try making sourdough. The next step would be to put it on the calendar and stick to it. Or if your goal is to paint with watercolor (which is one goal I have) the very very first step might be to make sure I have all the tools I need and a picture if I am using one. The next step would be to dedicate a space in the house that I can do this freely. The next step would be to then start painting.
It is when accomplishing the goal becomes difficult, blurry or far away that we need to remember our why.
Although I do still have a desire to hike part of the Appalachian Trail, it is more important to me now to be healthy and able. Also, I’d like to be unafraid to do things that make me afraid. Going to hike, on my own, repeatedly and in different states does make me afraid. I believe that even though fear might reach us and we freeze, it is crucial that in order to grow, we do not stay frozen with that fear. We all need to learn to pray thru it, laugh thru it, think thru it, walk thru it or sit beside a friend thru it.
So, since my goal is to be healthy and hike more, I recently found nice, affordable…… trekking poles! I’m beyond excited. But remember, action is the important part now. I am most intimidated by the thought of being with myself and my thoughts for 3, 4, 5+ miles. I have three choices, talk to myself (I can be interesting!), wear headphones or walk quietly with my thoughts. One goal of being in nature is to hear nature, yes? When I’m hiking, I always stop once or twice and just listen. The woods have their own ecosystem and I’m always amazed whenever I remember.
It turns out, if you make a plan when you’re overwhelmed or if you act when you get a desire, you’re more likely to accomplish what you are setting out after. Haha, duh! (I’m hitting my own forehead over this fact). I wrote down a few parks nearby and the length of the trails. My goal was to see if I could willfully walk 2+ miles. There are a couple of women’s hiking groups I have joined yet not in person and the women seem like the real deal. So, I chose a park nearby that I’d only been to once (forgot my trekking poles, go figure ☹) and just started walking.
My intention is not to make the fact that I went on a hike dramatic but that I have a goal and I’m striving towards it. The park I chose has quite a bit of elevation changes, steep inclines and a lot of steps. I wanted to push myself and I didn’t want to take the easy route so I went for it. I only passed by two other people on the 3.8 mile hike and I love how it is a common courtesy to acknowledge one another. “Hello” “Hi” (pant, pant) Yes, I made it 3.8 miles. I was elated.
The funny thing is, although I was alone with nature and who knows how many critters (Snow White would be proud) for 90 minutes, I don’t remember anything I thought about. I remember the act of thinking about various things happening in my life currently but I don’t remember focusing on any of it. It was so liberating. Granted, because this trail is amidst some ravines, I was trying to avoid tumbling down one of them! My luck, I’d end up with poison ivy on the way down and lay there, unmovable and the inability to scratch would be the death of me. I loathe poison ivy.
Moving on.
Welp. As I paused to consider where I wanted my writing to go next, I realized that I have a new goal. In this specific park, there is a campsite that backpackers can use. This park is also a very small part of the Buckeye Trail that goes 1,100+ miles around Ohio. My new goal is to backpack two days and sleep in that campsite. Alone. I’m so thrilled. It sounds terrifying. HAHA! Although it does sounds terrifying, it sounds exhilarating as well.
So, figuratively, on one side of the trail, I have goals of raising confidence, getting healthier, being comfortable and getting to know myself again. On the other side of the trail are groups of women I am hoping to connect with, form memories with, build relationships with and go on adventures with. These are my ‘whys’. The freedom to choose is a beautiful thing.
Some areas of the world do not have that luxury. You, right now, have the freedom to choose.
Choose something to accomplish or to send or to say or to write or to make or to cook or to try, make a plan and THEN DO. If you reach that moment of doubt, that’s when you act! Just get up and do it. I’ll be praying for you!