How a Good Hike Might Be the Cure I’ve Been Needing

Jul 17

Lately, I’ve felt something creeping in — not overwhelming sadness, but a kind of stillness that borders on numb. A strange mix of being relaxed yet restless, idle but not rested. I’ve caught myself wondering: is it depression? Boredom? Just burnout? Whatever it is, I know one thing for sure — I haven’t been prioritizing myself.

Somewhere along the way, I slowed down. I stopped pushing myself to move, to stay active, to be outdoors. And in that stillness, bad habits started slipping in. Too many cigarettes. Too much screen time. Midday naps that blur the line between rest and retreat. The kind of behaviors that feel easy in the moment but leave me feeling foggy and unmotivated.

But nature has always had a way of clearing the fog.

There’s something about putting one foot in front of the other, breathing in the open air, and walking through a trail with nothing but trees, wind, and the sound of your own heartbeat. Hiking — even just a short walk through the woods — has reminded me how alive I still am.

So I’ve made a decision.

In August, I’m joining the American Cancer Society’s 300-Mile Challenge. It’s a fundraiser, sure — but for me, it’s more than that. It’s a reason to get outside again. To move. To build habits that feed me, not drain me. To find healing in motion.

I’m creating what I call a “side schedule” — not the list of things I have to do, but the things that make me feel human:

Wake up with purpose
Hit the trail, even just for a bit
Break a sweat
Drink water from a stream (or bottle… let’s be honest)
Take in the sun
Eat real food
Let nature sort out what the mind can’t

I’m not saying hiking will solve everything — but for me, it’s a start. And sometimes that’s all you need.

I’ve seen people stop moving and fade before their time. I won’t be one of them. Not if I can help it. Not when there are forests to walk, hills to climb, and sunrises still waiting for me.

So here’s my reminder — maybe for you too — that healing doesn’t always happen in stillness. Sometimes, it happens in motion.

See you on the trail.

– Christopher

Photos from monks mound collinsville Illinois 7/2025