has anyone else found that disconnecting from the digital world and immersing themselves in nature has helped with existential anxieties? I’ve struggled for years with feeling insignificant and questioning the meaning of everything, but something about backpacking trips seems to put it all into perspective. Maybe it’s the physical challenge, or the focus on immediate needs like finding water and shelter, that forces you to live in the present.
for me, it started with a simple three-day hike in the Shenandoah National Park. The breathtaking views from Skyline Drive gradually shifted my focus away from abstract worries and towards the beauty of the natural world. Rather of feeling small and insignificant, I felt like a part of something bigger. Later, carrying my life on my back for weeks at a time in places like the White mountains of New Hampshire stripped away the needless layers of modern life and revealed a simpler, more essential existence.
I’m curious to hear if others have had similar experiences.What is it about backpacking, or othre similar activities like long-distance cycling or off-grid living, that seems to quiet the mind and help confront these deeper questions? Is it the forced minimalism, the physical exertion, or just the sheer immersion in nature? I’d love to hear your thoughts and personal stories.