When I was in elementary school there was a boy named Justin who told me he wasn't afraid of anything. I remember trying to be like him- to act like I wasn't scared. He made fun of me until I agreed to go on a "daring adventure" so far into the woods behind my house that when my parents called I couldn't hear them and my dad drove halfway around town looking for me before he found us at the playground around the block. That was the first time I broke out of my comfort zone and I never really strayed far from there again.
I've been called a "goodie-two-shoes" on more than one occasion (yes, those exact words). But it was because I was too scared to be anything but perfect.
Earlier in my 20s I started having panic attacks. Literally everything terrified me- all at once. Any straying from what I considered "normal and appropriate behavior" would set me off. I could be alone and driving my car and all of a sudden I would need to pull over because I was so overcome with this tightness in my chest that it hurt to breathe and my vision blurred. Mental health, in my opinion, is just as important as (if not more than) physical health.
From my favorite point of reference:
Unfortunately, it's not as easy to come back from that as most would think... I allude to the many people surrounding me telling me to stop being so dramatic and let it go (just like Sheldon exclaimed: "Calm down!"). Once the panicking starts it's like trying to convince yourself you're not going to die while your organs are simulating a heart-attack. If you compare it to your physicality, it's like telling a person with no muscles or exercise experience to just start dead-lifting 200lbs. Just Do It doesn't exactly work here. It's not impossible- but you need training. The key to maintaining good mental health is like anything physical- and that's through prevention and exercise. I can thankfully say I've learned how to prevent my anxiety (and the best part- without medication). To be honest, I feel stronger mentally than ever before.
So- why bring up such a topic? What does this have to do with a hiking blog?
The answer is my newest obsession- watching "Naked and Afraid" on the Discovery Channel.
If you've never watched Naked and Afraid- I highly suggest it for the people that think they're tough (like my friend, Justin), or for people that truly appreciate the beauty and power that is Mother Nature- and the ability to use it to your advantage. The premise of the show is to drop two people (one man and one woman) in a remote location with nothing but one tool a piece and a camera crew of people that aren't allowed to interfere except for medical emergencies. The players can tap out at any time (and I've seen it happen), but then their partners are left to fend for themselves- and to be honest, no one ever lasts alone.
Why is it that no one lasts alone?
I once watched an episode where a guy bailed before he even got to the remote location.
It's scary.
The show only selects trained professionals based on a survival skill rating (PSR). They're not exactly throwing amateurs out there. They have exactly 21 days to survive- and guess what? The majority of it has NOTHING to do with physical ability. You need to be smart. You need to make good decisions (one guy drank unfiltered water a few days in- and that was it for him). You need to not kill your partner when their only job for the day is to hunt for food and they come back empty-handed. They've had "complainers" on the show. The people that get mad at everyone else except for themselves- or worse- ridicule. At the end of it all, they learn the hardest lessons (watch Episode 8- Double Jeopardy- probably the best example of this). The people that survive together- the people who finish strong together- are the people that work the best mentally. The strongest guy swung his machete too hard and nearly chopped off his leg.
I like hiking because, mentally, it makes me stronger.
From my post: "Was it Algonquin or Algonqin?" I talked about thrashing my toe into a rock about an hour into the hike. I couldn't quit then... otherwise Mother Nature would have won. I exercise my mentality by challenging it. By stretching it. I prevent my anxiety by surrounding myself with people and things that make me happy, by being active (and staying hydrated). Could I ever see myself on a show like Naked and Afraid? Probably not. Coming from where I was, mentally, I would need a lot more training to Just Do It.
But, I have to admit, it's an admirable goal.
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