Mute the noise, turn up the thoughts

I did the 52 Hike Challenge last year because wanted to move more and get more exercise. Through this journey, I found a lot more. Most of the hikes, I hiked alone. I did not mind it. I knew better to pack more than enough for my hikes like water, more water, lots of snacks, and a walking stick. I always started my hikes early in the day so I don’t have to walk around at night.

I did not mind hiking alone. It allowed me to walk at my own pace, enjoy my surroundings, clear my mind. It was the first time in a long time I felt present. The year before I started the 52 Hike Challenge, I was becoming scatter-brained. Following that, my mind became so foggy with piles of things to do “when you get the chance” — they always add that part politely before it gets progressively aggressive — “what you did not get around to it yet? I needed it yesterday!”

I wanted to get out of this fog. Through my year of hiking, most of the fog has cleared away. The fog creeps back into my head once in a while because people like to storm in with stress, stress, stress. I take action to clear it up as soon as possible. I know some people embrace the storms and try to get as close to disaster as possible. Maybe they enjoy the adrenaline, the high they get when there’s high pressure. But remember, it is not sustainable to do this each time.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Silence

Check out other bloggers and their interpretation of “silence”:

• The silence of Ypres!; Tales from Mindful Travels
• Silence; Mara Eastern
• THE NOTORIOUS S-21 PRISON IN PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA; Al Batz Travel Adventures
• A Chilly Silence; Dealing with Fools
• Silence; That Indian Girl in Sweden
• Silence; From my Lofty Hill
• Fragment F503;  KUNSTWERK
• From Static to Silence; The View from my Window
• Silence; Nomad
• Silence; Words like Honey
• Silence; The Narrow Bamboo Gate
• Silence; umgebucht
• Silence Along Wild Rivers; Spirit in Politics
• Silence; Tea, Wine, and Cheese, Please!