I am a big believer in the mind, body, spirit balance and I feel that each part is as critical as the others in being your best self. I find that I am a better woman, mother, partner, and colleague when I am taking care of myself both physically and mentally. Hiking is one way that I balance my stress, take time to meditate in nature, and challenge myself physically. When I hike (or run or workout) I just feel better! I make an effort to be physical in some way each and every day. It may just be taking the dog for a walk, or it may be more extreme like an intense cardio or weight lifting workout - whatever it is, it impacts my health both in my body and in my mind.
I have been a huge proponent of physical exercise as a stress reliever almost my entire life. It is something I learned very early on as a young tennis player and again as a young college student when I had gained "the freshman fifteen". I quickly realized the connection between my mental health and the physicality of my body, and I don't necessarily mean how my body looks or my appearance. While that can definitely impact how I feel about myself, the physical exertion of the activity is what clears my mind and relieves my stress. Hiking is one of my favorite ways to do all of these things! It is an amazing way to build endurance, shed some pounds, and reduce stress. For me, it is part physical and part meditational and the benefits are equally amazing. The feeling I get when I have arrived at the summit of the mountain trail is complete euphoria. Whatever trail I am hiking, and in whichever location in Arizona, the challenge and accomplishment are real!
I have hiked all over Arizona...from parts of Tucson, all over the Phoenix metropolitan area, the trails in Scottsdale, and north to Sedona, Prescott, and Flagstaff. In the last week, I was fortunate enough to hike my favorite trails in both Phoenix and Flagstaff. It is so cool that I can be in urban Phoenix one minute and just two hours later I can be in the beautiful forest of Flagstaff. You can easily search many sites to find great trails in Arizona, so get out and explore!!
Some of my favorite sites that give you great information are All Trails https://www.alltrails.com/us/arizona and Visit Phoenix https://www.visitphoenix.com/sonoran-desert/hiking/best-hikes-in-phoenix/
Or just get out and find your own trail - but always be safe and bring lots of water!
Last weekend Ken and I took the dogs (Archie and Lola) on an Easter hike through the Flagstaff National Forest https://www.flagstaff.az.gov/1379/Flagstaff-Urban-Trails-System-FUTS. It was amazing. We had beautiful weather with temps in the 70's, views of snow still on the mountain, and the trail almost to ourselves. Along the trail we discovered the sweetest thing...a Fairy Garden in the forest! I am guessing this beautiful garden was created by small children and their parents or grandparents and it was adorable! We came along the path met by various gnomes, fairies, easter eggs, and rocks painted with words of inspiration! And it made our day.
Check out the pictures of our forest hike and get out there and experience this beautiful Arizona climate and scenery for yourself! See you on the trail!
XOXO
Emily
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