I discovered my love for hiking a few years ago in the midst of a month-long sabbatical in Hawaii. I arrived on the island with a lot of emotional baggage and challenged myself to work through it all while there. I’m not a particularly into “feelings”, so this was an incredibly uncomfortable task. Here’s where hiking came in.

I remember the day vividly – I was having an early breakfast (yep, stuck on LA time and up at 5am everyday) while reading about the island when I stumbled on an article on Waipi’o Valley. The more I read, the more connected to it I felt, so I immediately packed up a bag and headed there. The valley is often referred to as “Valley of the Kings”, as it was home to many of Hawaii’s early rulers and the birthplace of King Kamehameha. It is one of the most sacred places on the Big Island and also believed to house the gateway to the underworld – creepy, I know!

Waipi’o Valley is incredibly lush with a black sand beach and beautiful waterfall after a good downpour. The walk down is dangerously steep and takes some real concentration, but it is well worth it once you enter the valley. Not many people inhabit the area, so there is no shortage of untouched nature and sacred spaces. I totally connected with the intensity of the valleys energy which completely opened me up. This adventure allowed me to not only work through negative thoughts and emotional pain, it pushed me to my physical limits at the time. What I experienced that day was life changing! Oh, and the hike back up is still the most challenging hike I’ve experienced, but I’d do it agin in a heartbeat, haha.

While I was exhausted in the end, I felt lighter and had a sense of euphoria. I’d never experienced that after a workout in the gym. There was no doubt in my mind that connecting with my surroundings in nature was healing me. I began reading up on psychological effects of hiking/being in nature, and was sold on my new found method of mental and physical “therapy”. Studies have shown an increase in cognitive functions, ruminism (receptive thought on negative aspect of self), and decreased levels of mental illness and depression post-hiking/immersion in nature. It is also suggested that serotonin levels are increased in nature, which directly impacts your overall mood.

Not only has hiking improved my overall psychological state, I’m pleased with the change to my physical state. I feel stronger and compelled to push myself to new limits after every hike. When I have a particularly rough day, I go on a difficult hike to reset my mind and release my negative energy – it works every single time! It also serves as the no-workout workout (if that’s a thing, haha) which provides a sense of accomplishment. As of late, I’ve taken on a more proactive appoach and go on scheduled hikes at least 3 times a week. I’ve also improved my diet and regulated my sleep patterns as I’m committed to maintaining my health, so naturally, my energy levels have increased (and my cellulite levels have decreased, haha).

There is a hiking area near my home that offers several different trails with views of the ocean and mountains, so every hike has the potential of a new adventure. Most days I hike alone to fully embrace natures gifts, but every now and then I’ll bring a friend so we can reconnect while enjoying a little workout. You can easily find walkable areas in nature no matter where you are in the world, so I challenge you to explore and connect with yourself in new ways this week. Your body and brain deserve it!

xoxo