Hey First name / my lovely!
How are you? Isn't this summer just amazing? I love, love, LOVE all the sunshine and the heat - it really does feel like summer to me. What have you been up to?
I've been in a real slump since my stint leading the Women's End2End Relay (over a month ago now), hence the radio silence. Post hiking/adventure depression is a real thing. I've been demotivated, confused about life and where I'm headed, unable to see any way around difficult ‘life obstacles’ and trying hard to drag myself out of a horrible, debilitating low mood before it takes a deep dive. Enter sea swimming.
I've discovered that a dip in the sea after a walk is invigorating and lifts my mood more than I ever expected. I've made no bones about the fact that I hate the cold and used it as an excuse to avoid getting in for years. (I used to love swimming.) But watching friends on Instagram, all around the country, smiling from ear to ear after a wild swim made me give it a re-think. And it's working. My mind is waking up, I'm thinking more creatively, and, crucially, planning a few hiking things for the next few months.
On reflection, not having something else to look forward to after an event that left me on such an unexpected high, was a glaringly obvious mistake. Lesson learnt - and hopefully one I can pass on to you.
If you're off for a hike or an exciting adventure make sure you have something else lined up afterwards. It doesn't have to be big of course (other times, after a national trail hike for example, I've scheduled in some local long-distance day hikes - sadly it didn't work this time round), but maybe something a little different than you'd normally do will keep the endorphins flowing.
I've put some things in place for the next few weeks now, so the positive vibes are beginning to wash over me again, but more on that in a bit - there are a few things I'd like to share with you first!
