Have you hiked Breakneck Ridge? It’s an hour north of New York City. The first 90 minutes is a rock scramble and then it’s an easy breezy (sort of) 3 hour stroll downhill. Each time I hike it I think I might fall backwards and plummet to a bruised (at best) and broken (probably) mess at the bottom. But somehow, I haven’t yet - lots of credit to my mother and her Austrian blood!
My day-to-day experience of life is meaningfully better than it was 3 years ago as a result of things that help me manage my state of mind: therapy, coaching, conversations with friends, journaling, daydreaming, meditation, shower thoughts, exercise, etc. Anything where I’m reflecting, learning about myself, and processing what’s happening around and to me. I come out more clearheaded. Hiking is one of those things.
There’s always a moment in a long hike where I wish I wasn’t on the hike. I wish I was in the car. Or at the brewery. Or just coming out of the shower with a beer or Moscow Mule. But then I’m still on the trail with an hour or so to go. Sometimes it feels like I’ll never get there. Ever. SAD FACE.
But the silver lining is I’ve been here before and I know what happens. If I put one foot in front of the other, I will always get there. I will always get to the end, if I just keep moving. One (sometimes painful) step at a time. The only way through is through.
If I freeze. If I stop. If I sit down. If I could somehow find a helicopter. I could sit down and journal about why I haven’t reached the end yet. I can spiral about what I should have done differently earlier on in the hike - taken a shorter route. Worn my real hiking boots. Brought more snacks. Picked a less clammy day to hike. I can noodle. As I do. Figure out why I ended here. Be depressed about it.
But ultimately none of that gets me down the mountain. The only useful things I can do is move forward in the best possible way I can.
Put one foot in front of the other
Optimize the journey w/ what I have - maybe drink some water? Have a snack. Put on some music. Stretch. Change my sweaty shirt… Just take a minute to tune into my body, reflect on what has worked to energize me in the past, and adjust.
Then I can make sure I’m still on the best possible path to where I want to go. I can pull out the map and get clear on where I ideally want to be - THE CAR. Am I on the right route? Is there a shorter one?
Once I’ve optimized - there’s only thing left to do: Take a step forward.
Are you feeling demoralized? Tired? A bit scared you won’t make it to that car?
Maybe you can just sit on a rock. Take a deep breath. Drink some water. Confirm where you want to go. And then take a step. Keep moving. You’ll get there.
