Mindful Hikes
One of my favorite forms of self care is hiking. When I hike, I like to put myself in the here and now, and I do so by just noticing my senses. The sound my feet make against the path as my shoes slightly squeak. The way the gravel shifts with each step I take, or the softness of the dirt and grass paths that mute my presence. The smell of fresh green, that always has a hint of some distant flower. The sound of birds I can not name, frogs croaking, and leaves rustling for some unknown reason. The surprise of spotting an animal peacefully sharing space with me. The shadows and sunshine dancing across the landscape. Spotting designs within the bark of trees. Noticing how their trunks bend and twist towards the light. How full their leaves become, and how heavy their seeds look before they drop. The spots of color from the many different flowers, and how each season provides something a little different.
For me, I prefer longer hikes because it takes my mind awhile to slow its chatter. I consciously focus on my senses to dive deeper into the woods; to replenish my soul. I have always felt more at peace when I am in nature. No matter if I am moving or staying still, I have noticed that I take a deeper breath that ends in a sigh, which always brings me closer to relaxation. I call it my re-set breath. As if my body needed a little more oxygen in that moment to truly take it all in.
As I am hiking, my mind clears, my body shakes off any negative energy, and my soul feels at peace. To me it creates a great sense of relaxation. There are a few reasons why this is so beneficial to me. For one, I try to practice mindfulness while on my hike, and therefore the whole thing becomes a time to meditate. Which has been proven to reduce anxiety and depression over time. Not only that but my body is getting movement, which also reduces negative effects from anxiety and depression. It’s a chance for my body to naturally produce serotonin, which is what helps us feel better longer. Plus, hiking/walking is considered a slow bi-lateral movement, which is what we use in EMDR to calm. I once saw this “ad” that was promoting a new medication that had no side effects and was free, it was called nature. Of course this was satire, but it held so much truth.
I do my best to hike throughout the year, but my ambition does slow down in the winter - despite having all that I need to stay warm. I felt inclined to share this piece of me as we reached the first day of summer in 2023. We truly are blessed in Cleveland to have such an amazing Metropark system. Not only that, but we are about 20 miles from Cuyahoga Valley National Park (that's only 30 minutes for us Clevelanders that measure in time). There are so many trails to discover, and who knows, maybe while you're on one, you might discover more about yourself.
Sincerely,
Sarah
