Hiking Through Chaos: How My 'Relaxing' Hobby Became a Hot Mess

Okay...I need help. Seriously. How on earth have I managed to turn what is supposed to be the most zenny and peaceful pastime into a full-blown stress fest?

I think I've officially accepted my fate—forever destined to be "un-zen". Yes, I could hike a gazillion trails, bask in jaw-dropping scenery, but my mind? Oh no. It’s too busy cooking up fresh stress.

Way back when. I decided to try blogging because, well, it’s supposed to be relaxing, right? Well, for me, it became a pressure cooker where I forced myself to churn out bi-weekly posts like some malfunctioning productivity robot. And—surprise!—what was meant to be a soothing hobby mutated into another stress trigger.

So, naturally, I boycotted myself and declared, “No more blogging!”

Before blogging, I was a camera-wielding maniac. That mom with a camera practically surgically attached to her face. Graduation? Snap. Turning 13? Click. Matric Farewell? I’m already on it. I documented every single moment of our existence like some kind of shutter-happy archivist.

Then reality rudely barged in and was like, “Hey, you realize you’re missing actual life, right?” When you’re too busy hunting for the perfect shot, you forget to actually enjoy the stuff you’re photographing.

So, like any normal person (no one but me), I went cold turkey. From 24/7 photo-capturing fanatic to... nothing.

Cue my new hiking obsession. I hit the trails like it’s my new calling, except I’d already forgotten where I hiked last week. “Was that trail scenic or just full of regret?” Who knows. It’s a whirlwind romance with nature, I guess.

 (You can already see where this is going, right?)

So naturally, I decided to start blogging again and—surprise, surprise—taking photos of my hikes. Mostly so I could actually remember where I’ve been. You know, to have memories I can refer back to, like a sane person.

So yes, I’m back. Here I am, sharing my newfound love for hiking, basking in nature, and trying to act like I’m not quietly losing my mind in the process.

It was all sunshine and butterflies for, like, five minutes. Then, like clockwork, the stress crept in.

First off, I tried being all trendy, asking my two Gen Z-ers, Salt and Pepper, for help. You’d think they’d be social media ninjas, right? Wrong. Apparently, I’m the proud parent of the only two humans born in this century who know literally nothing about social media.

But the second anyone hints they’re doing me a favour, I’m like, “Hold my coffee, I got this,” and off I go, all miffed and determined to DIY my way through the mess.

And, shocker, what did I end up with? A chaotic jumble of disconnected accounts that basically scream, "Here’s how NOT to do social media!"

Then comes the blogging stress. I finish a blog, post it, feeling accomplished, and what do I hear from Salt (the one who supposedly knows nothing about anything)? “Mom, you need to post systematically if you want to be a content creator.”

Systematically? I can barely make it through a hike without getting lost, and now you're—wait, hold up—content creator? Is that what you think I am? Awesome. I’m officially upgrading my title.

Salt explains that I should post, for instance, once a week. “But what if I hike twice this week and once next week?” I ask. And the genius replies, “Just queue them up.” Oh, NOW you’re a social media genius when it suits me least!

So now I’m stressed about having too many blogs in the queue. What if the queue gets too long and my creative genius gets swallowed by the apocalypse of outdated posts and a post-apocalyptic glitch deletes them all?

How could the world survive such a tragic loss??

And then there’s the photo situation… My kids? Totally over me. My phone? It’s practically wheezing at this point, throwing out “low storage” alerts like it's auditioning for a tech meltdown. Naturally, I go into panic mode, frantically deleting things to make space for the next hike. And because the universe has a twisted sense of humor, I end up deleting the wrong stuff. Now I’m stuck spending hours editing videos, only to realize I’ve deleted the one clip I actually needed.

Let’s not even talk about trying to match the sound and music to each video masterpiece. I could write a whole new blog series on that disaster alone.

Is this my full-time job?

Of course not.

Is my full-time job getting in the way?

Oh, absolutely.

It’s a glorious mess, really. A mishmash of chaos that’s somehow still standing. Honestly… I need a hike. STAT.