Winter Hiking: The Best Self-Care

By Michelle Turner

I love hiking in the winter! The colder, the better. If it’s 32° Fahrenheit, I say, “Let’s go!”

I am the primary caregiver for my 87-year-old mother with Alzheimer’s disease. I do this in addition to working full time. Caring for my mom is the hardest thing I have ever done. It’s very stressful and quite isolating.

That’s why spending Saturday mornings on the trails with my dog Harris and my #VintageHikingGals is my time of self-care.

The physical movement of hiking helps burn away some of the stress. Being out in nature, breathing the crisp air, soaking in the sunlight and fellowshipping with friends lifts my spirit and feeds my soul. I’ve learned that it’s okay to take time for myself.

My time on the trail reminds me of the song lyrics from “My Help” by singer and songwriter Jacquelyn Gouche-Farris:

I will lift up mine eyes to the hills
From whence cometh my help
My help cometh from the Lord,
The Lord which made heaven and earth…

I’m thankful for the self-care I experience on the trail and for the help from my Lord. This combination keeps me going as I continue to care for my mother.