Hiking -The Mental Ammunition To Survive The Chaos Of Life.

Does weekend hiking actually do wonders for your mental health? Uuuuum....damn right it does!!

This is for those seasoned hikers......I can’t decide whether to applaud you or envy you...(possibly both), who’ve forgotten what life felt like before they got addicted to the trails, and also for the "I’m starting next week" crowd—yes, you know who you are.....

I’ve been hiking for about a year now, but I only really got serious (as in, hiking every single weekend...at least once) about eight months ago. And yes, I’ve turned into that person—the one who won’t shut up about how life-changing hiking is.

But honestly my sanity depends on it.....Dramatic much? Well if you had to climb a mountain to find your zen, you'd be a little over-the-top too.

Normally, by this point in the year, I’d be a walking mess—one coffee spill away from completely losing it—counting down the minutes to my annual leave.

My idea of a break back then? Parking myself in one spot for days, binge-watching Netflix, and spiraling into existential dread.

But not this year. This year, I feel like I could survive another 12 months without a vacation. Don’t get me wrong, I won’t ........I’m not that healed, but I could.

This year every weekend has felt like a mini-vacation. The new trails, the changing environments, the forced detachment from the everyday grind—it’s a game-changer. The best part? It doesn’t just feel good in the moment; it has this lasting ripple effect. I’ve gone from “permanently stressed-out gremlin” to someone who actually has patience (well, more than before) and occasionally smiles (okay, I've gone too far.....but you get it?)

And sure, maybe there will come a time when hiking becomes routine and loses some of its magic. But right now, the difference it’s made is staggering. I look forward to my weekends, actually get excited for them, The sheer joy of knowing that no matter how chaotic the week gets, the trails will be there, waiting to save my sanity, is unmatched.

So, to anyone still in the "I'll start next week" camp—just go for it. Pick a trail, any trail, and see for yourself. You’ll thank me halfway through, not when you are sweating buckets, but when you see the views, feel the sense of accomplishment, and when you’re doing something completely out of your comfort zone.

And when it’s all over? When you’re scrolling through the photos later in the week, in that moment you’re ready to throat-punch your co-worker or yell at the printer for jamming again, you’ll thank me.

Hiking doesn’t just give you memories—it gives you the mental ammunition to survive the chaos of life.

And on a final note… to those seasoned hikers: yes, I do salute you. You’ve cracked the code, figured out the secret to staying sane, and made it look effortless while the rest of us were still bumbling around trying to “find balance”. Your endurance, dedication, and ability to gracefully conquer nature’s challenges are nothing short of inspiring—or maddening, depending on how many falls I’ve had that day.

So, to the seasoned hikers, hats off. To the beginners, laces up. And to everyone in between—see you on the trails!