3 ways to start hiking ... and like it!

3 ways to start hiking ... and like it!

Everyone has something that they would like to start doing but may not like it. Yeah, I know, that sounds sorta counter intuitive, but think about it!

Maybe you want to be healthy but you know that requires working out and being active. You realize you don't really enjoy working out, but that does not deter your wish to be healthier.

Or let's say you want to start reading books to have a new form of entertainment but you realize you don't enjoy the silence. You're not going to just give up, are you? No. You're going to make you're best effort to enjoy it. 

This is a common thing! The key to beginning something new that you may not entirely love at first, is to have small goals to help guide you into loving it. Hiking was one of the things I wished to do but realized I didn't really like it that much at first.

Here are the 3 ways I started to hike and like it.

1. Start out small! - It does not have to be intense.
2. Have a goal and plan based on it.
3. Do something fun and be one with nature.

Start out small! It does NOT have to be intense

If you're anything like me, you love to put your all into whatever you wish to accomplish. This trait has it's pros but in this case, it's for sure a con. It's so easy to think about anything that's remotely active as an intense activity, especially if you're not an athlete, and that's exactly what I was thinking when I began.

I had my mind set on this idea that I needed to plan out some extravagant trip that required hours of my time and major preparation in order to complete a proper hiking trip. I'm here to tell you (from experience) that this is not the right route to take, especially if you're an inexperienced hiker.

The best thing thing I ever did was starting out small and that's what I'm suggesting to you.

Maybe go for a walk in your neighborhood park or explore the nearby woods. Anything that has grass, rocks, and dirt is what you're looking for. Doing this will help you get used to walking on that type of terrain.

I know that seems like such a trivial thing to do but it's not worthless! I strongly believe in building your muscle (both figurative and literal) slowly and surely to ensure you're prepared for heavier weights (or a longer hike in this case 😜).

After you become familiar with the terrain you can then begin planning trips to real hiking trail destinations. Again, when you reach this step don't be overly ambitious! Find trails that fit your fitness level.

This may seem daunting but remember- you're not going to go climb a mountain on your first hiking trip. So be patient and remind yourself of why you are doing it!

Have a goal and plan based on it

Once you feel comfortable enough with the terrain, your next step is to plan your first trip. It's always important to plan out your trip, even if its a quick 30 minute exploration in the woods.

Know what your goals are. Ask yourself, what is my reason for doing this? Are you trying to be more active? Try something completely out of your comfort zone? Or just practice being one with nature? Whatever your reason for wanting to start hiking, know it! 

Knowing your purpose for doing something is a great way to maintain motivation and remind yourself why you should keep with it. After you know your reason, you can start planning small goals based around that goal.

So let's say your reason to start hiking is to enjoy nature more, you would then base your goals around that. These small goals will help your enjoyment level go up and help you maintain your overall goal of bringing that "hiking life" into your life.

For me, I kept a small bullet journal with notes of my progress and goals. I developed my first goal based on one of my values. That value was having a healthy balance between nature and technology.

I spent a good amount of my time on my phone, laptop, and TV. I knew I needed to get out more. So with that value in mind, I developed a small goal of spending at least an hour a day outside without my phone.

This goal then allowed me to go on a casual hike and be present with my surroundings. This helped me enjoy the activity more, knowing that I was in line with that value and achieving my goal.

So get out there and know your reason for starting, write down your goals, plan a trip and get out there! 

Do something fun and be one with Nature

This point somewhat ties in with the last, but even if your reason isn't to be one with nature, try to include it!

One of the amazing things about hiking is discovering and experiencing new things. You would think that hiking would get repetitive because you're seeing trees, flowers, and water over and over again,  but trust me, it doesn't!

Yeah, I'm sure you have seen a sunset but just imagine traveling to a new area with a lake. You're sitting by the water and you notice the way the sunset reflects against the gentle movement of the water. In that moment you have a whole new appreciation for the beauty of a sunset.

Occurrences like this happen all the time - you may think you know what the night sky looks like, the sunset, and the woods, but then you're in the right time and place and it will look totally different! Keep this in mind when you're not feeling like you want to go for your hike.

Being able to recognize the different types of animal, insects, trees and the little details in the environment can make your hike much more fun! Every location you travel to will have it's own little ecosystem that works in ways that balance it. So start practicing!

Starting to practice does not take much effort. These are the steps you can take to start practicing!

1. Choose your location for a hike and research it. 
2. Find different types of animals, insects, etc. that will be within that location.
3. Set a goal to find a certain amount of wildlife while on your trip. 

This doesn't have to be a tedious task. Even start with finding just one type of wildlife you're not familiar with and explore!

Remember, exploration isn't about doing it "perfectly", it's about having fun!

So take this trip into Perpetual Grit with me and discover something new.

Check out my last post if you haven't already!