Hey Sara, Aloha from home! Great to see you helping other folks with their fears. You have lots of great tips and strategies. As someone who, in the past, has suffered from overwhelming fears and anxieties, I know what fear can do to you. I've be a solo hiker/backpacker for over twenty years and it has been my salvation. It started with many day and night hikes on the active lava flows in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park as an Eruption Duty Ranger. Navigating solo on a featureless landscape in pitch darkness without any trail or cell service can really play mind games on you. One trick I learned was to be 100% focused on my here and now and not let my mind wander. On my solo hikes and backpacking trips in the Ka'u Desert my situational awareness is heightened. My mind is focused on the wonderful sights and sounds around me (the sound of silence, the wind and the little things). I find this very calming. Hiking solo built my confidence to where I feel totally relaxed and at peace. I always have a healthy respect for Mother Nature and accept she doesn't care whether I live or die. I hope this helps. Mahalo to you and what you do. Let's go backpacking when you come home for a visit. Good Luck in grad school!
Aloooha! Thanks for sharing your stories, I love the bit about one of the best tricks being focused on the here and now, it's probably one of the most underestimated!
I’m hearing myself up to do my first solo camping for this spring and this is the first video that has talked about fears! I’m so grateful because I have lots of fears and I love planning but I never thought about planning for the fear. It makes a lot of sense, thank you!
Omg I’m so glad! Dude, I have SO MANY fears and anxieties, and this always helps. I’m glad it landed and I hope you get lots of use out of it on and off trail :). Keep you eyes peeled, next week is 10 mistakes I made solo back packing that I hope you avoid. There’s a little section on dealing with the dark and solo night as well
These tips will really help me, I'm very scared of the night part of a solo overnighter. I could walk around in the forest all day and just love ever bit of it, but at night is very different for me. I have been planning on borrowing a dog when I go, it's a dog I know well and that loves me back so it really would be like bringing a friend along. The worksheet will help me think about this in a new way and finding solutions I don't think I would have found without the proper structure to find them, even if new fears were to come to me before it's time to set off.
So glad to hear they’re helpful 🥰. I relate completely to the nighttime anxiety. In an upcoming video (10 mistakes I made solo backpacking ) I talk about how to help with that I used to cover my eyes in the day time to get used to the sound sensitivity at night. I also used to set Boobietraps lol like sticks and things people would trip over if they come within my perimeters I encourage you to take it slow! No need to be extreme, just make that comfort zone 10% bigger. You got this 💪
Aww thanks so much! I love when NAA people find me here :). Back is Ok, it’s just something I love with, after the episode I found out I have degenerative disk disease 😬
loving your channel, excellent tips, makes me excited about hiking, and now will start considering a solo journey, it will be freeing. And you always crack me up, love your humor, so unique.
Been wanting to do a solo overnight hike, felt this was the universe calling me haha. Also that cute doggy might not be able to read, but i bet it reads energy and peoples body language better than most.
Too funny.... i finally did my first overnight backpacking trip, which was also my first solo trip, this Sunday into Monday (same day the video was released). I'm only disappointed I didn't do it sooner because it was an amazing experience.
@TheJoyfulWarrior as the weather turns, I want to get as many more trips in as I can before the snow flies.... And now I know I can physically handle the terrain and carrying my world on my back so I can tackle one of my bucket list trips to see Manitoba's tallest waterfall - Kwasitchewan
To me the dark is to be welcomed and its just as dark for you as to anyone else, now there are many dangers that it poses so that you don't want to travel blindly unless you have too and are very very familiar with the path. There is also night vision available to the public the quality of it makes the price vary its available in cameras, binoculars and so on just do a search
Scared of the dark to naked and alone big jump LOL. Peek a Boo LOL, Not sure what fears I have any longer , I over think about everything I'm doing and sometimes don't do it because of the worse case scenario might happen mechanical failure of my quad (somewhat driven by a quad with a mystery trouble that we could never find that broke down every now and then LOL) my mind is rambling now , and you said when you get home and your hair smells like fire and out doors and I smiled because that's what it's all about, That apple looks delicious LOL. Good luck at grad school , I hope you're going to share that journey with us, glad you didn't say when you accidentally fell off a wheel chair ramp .....or was that where you were going at the end when you said don't do dumb sh....t ..LOL Have a great week my friend
Hey Sara, Aloha from home! Great to see you helping other folks with their fears. You have lots of great tips and strategies.
As someone who, in the past, has suffered from overwhelming fears and anxieties, I know what fear can do to you. I've be a solo hiker/backpacker for over twenty years and it has been my salvation. It started with many day and night hikes on the active lava flows in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park as an Eruption Duty Ranger. Navigating solo on a featureless landscape in pitch darkness without any trail or cell service can really play mind games on you. One trick I learned was to be 100% focused on my here and now and not let my mind wander. On my solo hikes and backpacking trips in the Ka'u Desert my situational awareness is heightened. My mind is focused on the wonderful sights and sounds around me (the sound of silence, the wind and the little things). I find this very calming. Hiking solo built my confidence to where I feel totally relaxed and at peace. I always have a healthy respect for Mother Nature and accept she doesn't care whether I live or die. I hope this helps. Mahalo to you and what you do. Let's go backpacking when you come home for a visit. Good Luck in grad school!
Aloooha! Thanks for sharing your stories, I love the bit about one of the best tricks being focused on the here and now, it's probably one of the most underestimated!
I’m hearing myself up to do my first solo camping for this spring and this is the first video that has talked about fears! I’m so grateful because I have lots of fears and I love planning but I never thought about planning for the fear. It makes a lot of sense, thank you!
Omg I’m so glad! Dude, I have SO MANY fears and anxieties, and this always helps. I’m glad it landed and I hope you get lots of use out of it on and off trail :). Keep you eyes peeled, next week is 10 mistakes I made solo back packing that I hope you avoid. There’s a little section on dealing with the dark and solo night as well
@@TheJoyfulWarrior can’t wait!
Congrats!! Such a cool moment glad to be here and apart of the journey! Youve got this
Aww thanks! Love me some solo hikes!
I feel so inspired. Thank you! I cannot wait to start my wilderness journey!
Aww yay!! The me for sharing 🥰. So happy for you, and please let me know how I can help anytime
These tips will really help me, I'm very scared of the night part of a solo overnighter. I could walk around in the forest all day and just love ever bit of it, but at night is very different for me.
I have been planning on borrowing a dog when I go, it's a dog I know well and that loves me back so it really would be like bringing a friend along.
The worksheet will help me think about this in a new way and finding solutions I don't think I would have found without the proper structure to find them, even if new fears were to come to me before it's time to set off.
So glad to hear they’re helpful 🥰. I relate completely to the nighttime anxiety. In an upcoming video (10 mistakes I made solo backpacking ) I talk about how to help with that I used to cover my eyes in the day time to get used to the sound sensitivity at night. I also used to set Boobietraps lol like sticks and things people would trip over if they come within my perimeters
I encourage you to take it slow! No need to be extreme, just make that comfort zone 10% bigger. You got this 💪
Also yay for the worksheet, thanks for using it!
I recently discovered and binge watched N&A. You were great. Hope your back is feeling better!
Aww thanks so much! I love when NAA people find me here :). Back is Ok, it’s just something I love with, after the episode I found out I have degenerative disk disease 😬
@@TheJoyfulWarrior Oh no I'm sorry to hear that. Get this gal some stem cells!
loving your channel, excellent tips, makes me excited about hiking, and now will start considering a solo journey, it will be freeing. And you always crack me up, love your humor, so unique.
Aww thank you! Haha I feel seen and appreciated 🥰🌈🙏. Always let me know if you have any questions, it inspired future videos :)
Thank you….!!!! I cannot wait to conquer the outdoors ❤️
I’m in ABQ!
oh heeyy! so many great trails in your state! happy trails, and adventure well my friend
Getting that first solo night under my belt was so empowering! Great tips!
Badass! And you’ve done so many since then too 💪
Been wanting to do a solo overnight hike, felt this was the universe calling me haha. Also that cute doggy might not be able to read, but i bet it reads energy and peoples body language better than most.
Too funny.... i finally did my first overnight backpacking trip, which was also my first solo trip, this Sunday into Monday (same day the video was released). I'm only disappointed I didn't do it sooner because it was an amazing experience.
Oh I love that timing! Congrats; my friend :) So glad you had a positive experience. It’s really special isn’t it?!
@TheJoyfulWarrior as the weather turns, I want to get as many more trips in as I can before the snow flies....
And now I know I can physically handle the terrain and carrying my world on my back so I can tackle one of my bucket list trips to see Manitoba's tallest waterfall - Kwasitchewan
To me the dark is to be welcomed and its just as dark for you as to anyone else, now there are many dangers that it poses so that you don't want to travel blindly unless you have too and are very very familiar with the path. There is also night vision available to the public the quality of it makes the price vary its available in cameras, binoculars and so on just do a search
Scared of the dark to naked and alone big jump LOL. Peek a Boo LOL, Not sure what fears I have any longer , I over think about everything I'm doing and sometimes don't do it because of the worse case scenario might happen mechanical failure of my quad (somewhat driven by a quad with a mystery trouble that we could never find that broke down every now and then LOL)
my mind is rambling now , and you said when you get home and your hair smells like fire and out doors and I smiled because that's what it's all about, That apple looks delicious LOL. Good luck at grad school , I hope you're going to share that journey with us, glad you didn't say when you accidentally fell off a wheel chair ramp .....or was that where you were going at the end when you said don't do dumb sh....t ..LOL Have a great week my friend
To be fair there were many years and adventures between naked and afraid and being afraid of hiking alone!
Have a great week!
@@TheJoyfulWarrior all part of your journey , which is always required to get to any destination.