Monthly Hikes are the Key to Life

At the beginning of 2025, I made a goal for myself: to go on at least one hike a month. Nothing crazy or intense, just consistent time in nature to help me feel more connected and grounded.

Spending time outside has such a huge impact on my mental health. The more time I spend in nature, the better I feel. When I’m anxious or sad, I ask myself, “When was the last time I was really in nature?” And usually, it’s been way too long.

In January, I went on a beautiful hike on the Tennessee Valley Trail in Marin. It felt peaceful and refreshing and reminded me why I set this goal in the first place.

In February, I was supposed to hike in Palm Springs with friends, but one of them wasn’t feeling up to it, so we ended up staying in and having chill time instead.

In March, I had a Marin trail hike planned with two friends, but one of them got sick so we canceled it. And then in April, I had a hiking trip planned in Yosemite with family, but we ended up canceling it because of the weather.

May came along, and I realized that I was quite behind on my hiking goal. Instead of waiting for perfect plans or other people, I decided to hike on my own on a familiar trail that I know well. It was just what I needed; I felt so good after, like my spirit was recharged!

When I am embarking on a hike in a new area, I use AllTrails to find trails, and I download the map ahead of time. I pay for the premium version, and honestly, it’s so worth it to me. All it takes is getting lost once to realize how helpful those offline maps are. I even made a custom Hiking Focus Mode on my phone so the only notifications I get are from AllTrails. If I go off course, the app lets me know, and I don’t get distracted by anything else.

I really believe hiking is one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health. And it doesn’t have to be some big dramatic thing. You can start with a short, flat trail and work your way up (literally and figuratively). Just getting into nature regularly makes a huge difference.

In Japan there is a concept called forest bathing. It’s the idea of slowly walking through the forest and soaking up the atmosphere with all your senses. Doctors there even prescribe it for anxiety and stress. And science backs it up. Time in nature has been shown to lower cortisol levels, improve mood, support the immune system, and help with focus and sleep [source].

So if you’ve been feeling off, or overwhelmed, or just stuck, ask yourself when you last connected with nature. And then find a trail and take the first step.