Pushing through self-imposed boundaries is the best way to grow.
A recent hike on a newly-opened-to-the-public trail on an estate and gardens near my home had a profound effect on me, one that I didn't even realize until after I returned home.
When I heard about this new trail being opened, I was initially very excited. I love going to this estate, roaming the manicured gardens, sitting in the open meadow listening to live music, meeting friends for lunch, taking a painting, photography or floral arranging class, shopping in their oh-so-cute gift shop or enjoying the visuals when the estate and grounds are all lit up for the Holidays.
And over the past few years, I have enjoyed going on a mostly 'walk' that can, but doesn't have to, include a fairly short hike in the wooded area, but is mostly on a flat dirt path, and some of it is an old paved road. Not exactly challenging at a little over a mile, but actually something that I wasn't even sure I wanted to walk (hike) the first time I gathered up enough nerve to try it. And even then, I didn't attempt the whole hike at once. It took me about four tries, each time going a little further and then turning back before I ever even made it to the turn-around spot the first time. But I love this estate and gardens so much, I pushed myself to enjoy as much of their hundreds and hundreds of acres that I could.
Taking the challenge
So I was actually thrilled that more areas would now be accessible to visitors and members, without a guide. That is, until my husband said that yes, he would like to try out the new trail. That's when I started to get nervous. What if the hike was too much for me? After all, the only time I have hiked in the past many, many years, was on this little walk/hike on this estate. I do walk almost everyday in my neighborhood and recently completed a 5K, and have actually completed almost 9K of walking at one time recently. I wasn't worried about the distance, as the description said that it was less than 3 miles, which is what I like to aim for in my day-to-day walks.
I was mostly concerned about three things; the elevation (the description said 'steep'), rattle snakes and poison ivy.
I did all that I could think of to prepare. I called the Front Office. Twice. To re-ask my same question, just in case the first answer hadn't been 'exactly' correct. I read and re-read the website description. Read prior email blasts touting the trail new accessibility. I researched how trails were rated. What descriptions were used. I looked at Google maps to see if I could tell what the elevation change was from where the trail started to where it ended up. I tried looking at actual images of the area on Google Earth to see if I could see anything. I Googled (and re-Googled) the name of the estate, the trail, a description of the hike or any combination I could think of.
In one of my searches, I came across a podcast that is broadcast out on the estate. A month prior, the subject had been this new trail. The podcaster was interviewing the head grounds-keeper. I listened closely to their change in breathing, the pitch of their voice and their pacing as they were actually hiking on this trail as the Interview was being recorded.
The pair came to a bridge and the groundskeeper explained what it took to clear out the path that had been an old, steep path established almost 100 years ago for access to an upstream, uphill reservoir and plume, then decades later became a weekly-or-so used trail for very small groups of guided hikers, into one that would be more accessible to more visitors. Teams used a series of switchbacks, widened the trail in spots, repaired two old bridges, built a new bridge and cleared away debris that had been pushed downstream by two winter seasons of more-than-average rains and winds.
When I learned that most of the work had been accomplished by a team of 9-14 year old Girl Scouts, as a former Scout myself, I took up the challenge and decided that I just had to put on a pair of boots and check this thing out, which Is just what I did with my husband, and I'm so glad that I got up the nerve to do it!
From fear comes joy
I had approached the idea of going on this hike with such trepidation and actually a sense of dread and even fear, that to then feel such complete opposite feelings on the other side of the hike, I was completely floored by the change in my emotions.
I realized that I hadn't challenged myself by actually following through with something that I was physically afraid of in a long, long time. It almost felt like the level of joy and accomplishment on the other side of the hike, about equalled the level of fear I had going into it.
It made me think that while I may not have occasions to challenge myself physically all that often, I can use the idea of a hike, off of my usual, well-known-to-me trail, to challenge myself in other areas of my life. Especially during times when I am feeling that the day-to-day of my business has become a little routine and not all that demanding or exciting, that perhaps I could pull something new and different out of the 'bag' and try doing something that I wouldn't normally do.
I'm imagining that the payoff of how I will feel, will be worth the trepidation going into it.
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