As globalization is on the rise, so is the pace of day to day activities. This has led to increased stress and the need to find a way to spare some moments to regain oneself. In urban life where all the major amenities and amusement facilities are readily available yet the escape into the lap of nature is on the rise specially after the recently hit pandemic.

One such segment of escaper’s to nature are drawn towards the mountains. For some it is the leisure time in the hills that attracts, for some it is the attraction of wilderness and mighty peaks, while for some is the combination of all these including the challenge posed by the mighty peaks and its trails. Spending time on hills and trekking through the mountains has proved to be therapy that no medical professional could provide, a lesson no management and leadership seminars, workshops could provide. Let’s talk about how simply being amidst nature has proven to be a life changing experience for many and still continues to prove the same.

Spending time in the hills.

Life in hills is not as fast as in the metropolitan, the population density is low, the cultural and traditional way of living in the community can be easily seen among all. The dependency on nature for day to day needs of life is far more as compared to the dependency on nature in the highly urbanized world. Due to less exposure to the outside world the notorious aspects of mind are minimal. Hence when you visit hills in the rural and urban region of hills you will find your mind not racing to meet the day to day challenges posed by the city life and its requirements.

Trekking in the mountains.

Trekking on the other hand is an activity which demands not only mentally gearing up but also physical preparedness. Let us ponder on some of the aspects that come as a boon with trekking.

Into nature.

It’s an opportunity to get close to nature and if you have a keen observation you can learn numerous organizational skills from nature simply by observing its elements. This is something that hardly anyone can teach us, because it’s a matter of observation and connecting to nature.

Physical aspects 

Hiking on the trails means getting out of your comfort zone and subjecting yourself to the challenges of nature which you can always choose as per your ability. With an aim to trek from one point to another point i.e  your destination you exert physical strain on your body hence the endurance begins to get into play. 

Walking on the uneven terrain with a heavy backpack on your back can make many high performing athletes question their fitness acquired in the gym, race tracks etc. Hence if you choose trekking as a hobby you will find a significant improvement in your physical fitness standards.

Mental aspects

In trekking physical fitness has a lot to do with mental fitness. There is no heater, no AC and similar amenities of comfort to support the trek. If you want to finish the task at hand you will have to do it in the natural environment. Some days can be pleasant, while many days can offer you adverse conditions such as low to freezing temperatures, winds, rain, snow, hail etc. For a determined one it’s an opportunity to feed your mental strength by facing these challenges and choosing to finish the task at hand. For the determined one too, the only way to survive these challenges from a minute degree to a large degree is to become mentally strong.

Leadership skills.

Trekking in the wilderness is a matter of staying safe, survival and when done with a combination of mental and physical strength backed by your leadership skills it becomes a challenge that you fall in love with.

When you plan a trek you have an opportunity to hone your physical ability, mental ability, management skills, analytical skills, team player skills.

There are a lot of survival aspects to be considered while planning a trek. For this purpose one needs to plan his destination, its route, ration, equipment, logistics, and team members(in case not a solo). 

One needs to have a mental plan and ability to deal with adversaries and arising team issues.

All these situations build up one’s leadership abilities and hones the same.

Personality improvement.

When you take up the challenge and keep moving forwards under the effect of physical exhaustion, mental voices asking you to stop moving ahead you reach the destination. If the destination is a hill top and reaching the top you get to see the valley below that you climbed through against all kinds of odds and you literally have earned to be on the top of the hill you stand. You conquer your anxieties, fears, giving up tendency, your ego, frustrations, you conquer yourself. With this done you now have found or honed your strength of mind and body. If you preserve this new found and honed strength they will help you in your problem solving ability in your day to day life.