A Mindful Trek

This weekend, I visited the McDowell Sonoran Preserve with plans of taking a 4 or 5 mile hike. The day was lovely and fresh, I was by myself with time to spare so I decided to challenge myself by attempting the Windgate-Bell Loop which is approximately 11 miles over steep terrain. It's meant for hardy hikers and I don't consider myself to be one of those. But I wanted to push my boundaries and to test myself. I told myself that it was only important to put one foot in front of the next. Like in life, just keep moving up the hill. 

Along the way, the land unfolded and shared so much beauty. Jagged edges on the south facing side became lush mountain prairies on the northern slope. I felt connected to each curve and crack along the way. Keeping me company was Jon Kabbat-Zinn since I was listening to Coming To Our Senses. This complemented the mindful meditation of my trek. When I returned to base, I was completely exhausted but deeply fulfilled.  I was beaming with a sense of accomplishment for having the fortitude to traverse these newly charted trails.

I invite you to test you boundaries a little and live a bit outside of your box. Each person will experience that differently. But one thing is sure, the box gets smaller without testing its corners. There's a big world to delight and challenge you. Dive in and discover your own trails. You will be amazed at how good it feels to make the extra effort. 

Keep living mindfully! Debra