The forest has been calling me lately and when I saw that this afternoon was the only sunny patch forecasted in the week previous and the week ahead, I knew exactly what needed to happen!
I headed to the same hiking trail I did a couple weeks ago in the beautiful Deep Cove area. This trail is amazing, challenging, beautiful and busy! Busy being very important as there are so many people on the trails it feels like it is a safe one to do some solo hiking on those days when I want to just wander with my camera. It was even busier this week but there were still enough moments of quiet that I was able to take a few self-portraits.
Speaking of the camera, I’m so loving discovering what a beautiful duo photography and hiking are…and not just in the obvious way! This trail is pretty intense compared to the average forest wander and there are tonnes of moments where I need to take breaks. I made a big discovery in these last few hikes that feels pretty empowering.
I realized that in each of those moments I need breaks, there is always something beautiful to stop and take a photo of. I know for me, sometimes in those moments where I can’t go up another stair and need to pause, I might let myself feel shame that I need a break (note: i think breaks rock, and am all good with taking them). For some of us physical activity or not feeling like you can do something can be triggering of things like shame and invite us to berate ourselves…..but not in this case. In those spaces where I might have felt shame, I have a camera in my hands to refocus and shift the energy. Once again, photography is such a dreamy tool for cultivating self-love as it fills those spaces, those breaks with beauty and leaves no room in those moments for shame to appear.
It truly was a gorgeous hike…even warmer than last time and breathtakingly beautiful and here is a visual tale of today’s adventures…
