Hiking: Break the Cycle of Rumination
@theTreeHouseOnWheels and Tango hiking in Arizona
In this blog post we get a new update from @thetreehouseonwheels and insights into the mental health benefits of hiking.
Climbing Out of My Own Head: How Hiking Helps Break the Cycle of Rumination
By @thetreehouseonwheels
Rumination. I learned this word this week while searching the web to understand some feelings I’ve been experiencing over the last few days.
Rumination is a cycle of negative thinking (keyword: repetitive) where a person dwells on past negative experiences, interprets present events through that same gloomy lens, and ultimately feels hopeless about the future. It’s like your brain playing the worst highlight reel ever, on an endless loop.
Normally, I’m someone who focuses on the future and moving forward, sometimes to a fault. But over the past few days, I found myself obsessing over a few minor issues (not even worth mentioning, really), and suddenly, the future felt like it was shrinking. It was almost a physical sensation, like I couldn’t see beyond my current problems, and everything was “falling apart.”
The beauty of the Arizona Dessert
So what did I do? I didn’t need Google to tell me to take a hike, I felt it in my bones, I craved it! Boots on, off I went to the Superstition Mountains near Phoenix, Arizona. A perfect destination for the mild winters of Southern Arizona.
I started my hike like any other, focusing on my steps and avoiding spiky cacti until I found my rhythm. The trail began with a long, flat stretch before turning steep and slippery, demanding my full attention. As I concentrated on not tumbling down the mountain, my mind and body synced up, and I immediately felt better. The air was crisp, the sky was the bluest of blues, and the desert was stunning as always.
Tango and Cacti
At the summit, I sat down to enjoy a snack, fuel for my body, and the views? Fuel for my soul.
My furry hiking companion stayed close, providing silent support (and catching every crumb I dropped). Life felt good again.
I’ve always known hiking clears my mind, but this time, I wanted to dig deeper. The way up had been about resetting my thoughts; now, the way down would be about analyzing them. As I descended, I mentally categorized my recent worries into trail sections: steep, rocky, or flat. Just like hiking, breaking problems down into manageable sections made them feel less overwhelming. Suddenly, solutions felt clearer, and I could see the path ahead. (Pun very much intended.)
Beautiful Arizona
And so, the lesson here? When life starts feeling like an avalanche of stress, sometimes the best thing you can do is literally climb a mountain. Worst-case scenario, you’ll get a good workout. Best-case scenario, you’ll leave your worries at the summit and come back down with a fresh perspective, and maybe a dog full of stolen trail mix.
We are very happy with the partnership with @thetreehousehonwheels and her wonder dog Tango! Look for more blog posts soon as she travels and hikes multiple beautiful areas in the US and across the globe!
We hope that these real life shared experiences from some of our community friends inspire all of you to Get Outdoors for the Health of it!!!
If you would like to share your experiences, please just send a note to TheMountainExp@gmail.com. We’d love to help tell your story of how you and your friends are benefiting from getting outside to help inspire more people.
