Hiking: My Unexpected Chill Zone

Full disclosure: I used to dislike hiking. Okay, I strongly dislike it. 

Picture this: an eight-year-old trudging through a forest, convinced I was walking in circles past the exact same tree for five hours straight. It felt endless. Boring. Exhausting. That pretty much summed up my relationship with hiking… until I turned thirteen. 

So what changed?

I got a phone. (I know, it sounds shallow. Stay with me). 

At first, taking photos was just a way to entertain myself on the trail. But later, looking back at those pictures, something clicked. They were stunning (the scenery in the photo, not my skills). The lighting, the color, the layers, the trees I swore looked the same suddenly felt alive and different. I realized each hike had its own personality, its own rhythm. And beyond the visuals, they all shared something deeper: a sense of serenity. Stillness. A kind of beauty that you can’t replicate. 

Ironically, it was through my phone that I learned to put my phone down and truly see nature. 

Since then, hiking has become one of my favorite activities. I try to get out at least once a month, preferably on a trail that’s five miles or longer (the more time in nature, the better). I’ve even managed to convert a former hiking skeptic into someone who now asks me when our next hike is. 

It’s funny— what once felt boring is now what I crave when life feels overwhelming. Hiking taught me to slow down, look closer, and find joy in the small, quiet things.