Last week, I set out on a hiking tour with two friends, hoping for fresh air, beautiful views, and some time away from my desk. What I didn’t expect was how many parallels I would find between hiking and the way we navigate life — especially when it comes to resilience.
Resilience is our ability to adapt, recover, and grow stronger in the face of challenges. While it’s often discussed in the context of stress or adversity, nature offers the perfect classroom for practising it. Out there on the trail, every step can teach us something about staying steady, hopeful, and resourceful.
Here are some of the lessons the mountains offered me:
1. Enjoying slowness
In our day to day life, we’re used to rushing from one task to the next. Hiking reminds us that there’s value in slowing down. When you move at the pace of your own two feet, you start to notice the details: the crunch of gravel under your boots, the smell of pine needles in the sun, the play of light through the leaves. In life, slowing down allows us to connect more deeply to the present moment, reduce overwhelm, and recharge our energy.
2. One step at a time
Some trails feel endless, with steep inclines or rocky stretches that seem impossible. The secret? Stop thinking about the whole climb. Just focus on the next step. Resilience works the same way. Big challenges can feel daunting, but breaking them into small, manageable steps makes progress possible — and sustainable. Breaking challenges into micro-practices—like taking three deep breaths, noting the sensation of your feet on the earth, or naming today’s next action.” These simple acts make progress tangible.
3. Training makes you stronger
You can’t expect to tackle a long, difficult hike if you’ve never walked further than your front door. The same goes for mental resilience — it grows through practice. Just as muscles strengthen with regular exercise, our capacity to handle life’s ups and downs increases when we practise skills like self-care, mindful pauses, and reframing challenges.
4. Adjusting to the unexpected
Weather changes, maps can be wrong, or a path might be blocked by a fallen tree. On a hike, you learn to adapt — to take a detour, put on an extra layer, or rethink your route. Resilience is about the same flexibility: accepting what you can’t control and finding creative ways to move forward.
5. The view is worth it
Every climb, every moment of doubt, every bead of sweat is part of the journey toward the summit. And when you finally arrive, the view reminds you why you kept going. In life, the “summit” moments — a breakthrough, a solved problem, a period of peace after a struggle — are sweeter because of the effort it took to get there.
6. The power of companions
Hiking with others brings shared laughter, encouragement, and an extra hand when the trail gets tough. Likewise, resilience grows when we connect with people who support and inspire us. On this hike, my friends were faster and stronger than me — and they didn’t just walk ahead. They encouraged me, paced themselves to stay with me, and coached me all the way up the mountain.
It reminded me that resilience isn’t about doing everything alone. Sometimes being resilient means not doing it alone — it’s saying ‘yes’ to support when you need it.
Trail-tested micro tips for resilience
Inspired by the wisdom of hiking, here are small practices you can bring into everyday life:
- Pause and look around – Take a mindful minute to notice what you see, hear, and smell, just as you would when stopping to enjoy a view on the trail.
- Next step focus – When overwhelmed, ask yourself: What is the very next step I can take? Then do just that.
- Carry light – Let go of one small worry or task that’s weighing you down today, like removing an unnecessary item from your backpack.
- Train daily – Build your “resilience muscles” with tiny habits: stretch in the morning, breathe deeply before a meeting, or take the stairs.
- Share the trail – Reach out to a friend or colleague for a short check-in. Encouragement works both ways.
In the end, hiking teaches us that resilience is not about being unshakable — it’s about moving forward, step by step, through the terrain life presents us.
Whether on a mountain trail or in the middle of a life challenge, we can trust our ability to adapt, pace ourselves, and find beauty along the way. Sometimes the most courageous step is not pushing ahead alone—but allowing others to guide you when the path is steep.
Curious about how to strengthen your resilience — in work and life? Explore our resilience trainings and coaching here.
