Hiking for Healing

By: Rose Carlson

Now that spring has arrived, you may be looking for things to do outdoors. Give hiking a try if  you are looking for a physical outlet to help take your mind away from grief for a bit.

On a recent hiking trip, I was enjoying the peace and quiet, and I realized I lose all track of time. My mind and heart feel calmer when the only thing I am focusing on is the path in front of me, birdsong and the rustling leaves. I also thought about lessons one can learn about grief and life in general from hiking.

Hiking makes you feel stronger

Grieving can sap your mental and physical energy; encountering and overcoming obstacles on the trail is common, and getting through those obstacles can make you feel stronger, both mentally and physically. Hiking will stretch your soul along with your legs. Getting through hard days when you are grieving also stretches you in ways you never thought possible. Obstacles on the pathways of the woods and life present opportunities for you to take on challenges you don’t think you are capable of and feel proud of yourself when you do.

Hiking forces you to live in the moment

When you are hiking, it is next to impossible to focus on what is troubling your heart and mind; in a way, walking on uneven terrain through the woods forces you to be in the moment and focus only on what is in front of you and around you. If you don’t, you might stumble, fall and injure yourself. During times of grief, you also must stop and be in whatever moment you find yourself in.

Hiking teaches you the value and necessity of resting and refueling

Hiking teaches you there is nothing wrong with stopping to rest when you need to, especially when the way is challenging or difficult. Hiking often involves steep hills, and when you have climbed them, you may need to sit on a bench and replenish yourself with some water and a snack before you are ready to move on. Sometimes, you may need to sit and fuel yourself to prepare for a difficult hill you know is ahead. Grieving also takes a lot out of you, and you may need more rest and time to refuel to keep going. But you also must keep going, even if it is necessary to slow your pace. You can’t stay stuck in the moment you are in in life any more than you can stay sitting on a bench resting in the woods forever.

Through hiking, I have learned that we all take life’s paths, hurdles, and hardships at different paces, and that is okay!

There are people I hike with who take the same trail much faster than I do. They may end up far ahead of me and stop to wait for me to catch up. They may hop on over the downed trees that I slowly and carefully crawl over.

This serves as a reminder to me that in life as well as hiking, we all go at our own pace and have different capabilities for overcoming rough terrain and obstacles blocking our path. Some may think you are moving way too slowly right now or not handling obstacles the way they are sure they would, but that’s okay. Know in your heart you are doing what you can when you can. Step gently and slowly when you need to.

Hiking shows you that things can grow and even thrive in harsh and less than ideal conditions

 I think this is one of the most important things I have discovered since I started hiking. There may not be much sunshine deep in the woods, and there are typically fallen trees in various stages of decay. Yet there are often tiny, colorful flowers blooming in the crevices of these trees. Sometimes, they seem to be growing out of stones and boulders. The environment may be inhospitable, yet these plants are hardy and search for any little bit of sustenance they can find. They might thrive in more favorable conditions, yet they still take root and grow.

You might be in a phase now where life feels dark and inhospitable, and it may be taking every ounce of your physical and mental energy to simply get through each day. You may feel like you aren’t thriving at all, not even in tiny ways. But know that, just like those flowers and plants that bloom and grow in unlikely places, you are surviving and growing in ways you cannot see yet.

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About Rose Carlson

Rose is the Program Director at Share Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support. She came to Share in 2002 as a volunteer and eventually joined the staff in 2004. She has a BS in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. Her personal experience as a bereaved parent brings an invaluable perspective to her work. Rose manages the Share Memorial events, serves as an educator and is the Share Chapter coordinator.