As you read this, hopefully I’m somewhere out on the PNT. I’m sure I will have encountered some phenomenal scenery. I’m also sure there will have been plenty of times when I’ve had to embrace the suck.

Embrace the suck is a motto for thru hikers. Rather than complaining about the hard times, we embrace them as part of the journey. In fact, we know that when we look back on the sucky times later, we will more than likely view them as part of the class II fun in our lives, those places from which we draw a deep sense of accomplishment. Without the sucky moments, I believe thru hiking loses much of its value.

I try to embrace thru hiking with few expectations. I know there will be physical pain. I expect at times I’ll be too hot, too cold, too hungry, too tired or too wet for comfort. I also expect to feel afraid at times. I think all of those are realistic expectations based on my past experiences. By embracing the suck, I won’t become undone when the hard times do come. In fact, I’ll be able to view them as challenges I want to overcome.

I also expect to be wowed by the scenery and inspired by the journey. I expect at times my body will feel strong and I will feel proud about my daily accomplishment. At other times I might be discouraged, but I’ll try not to let the discouragement last long. I hope to have some great interactions with people I meet on the trail. I expect at times I might be lost both physically and emotionally. But I also know that eventually I will be found. Other than that, I try to let go of expectations and leave whatever is going to happen in the future. I want to stay present in the moment so that I can fully experience whatever this trail brings me, whether it is beautiful sunny days or raging, hail and thunderstorms.

I’ve come to realize that embrace the suck is a great motto for all of life. Now, when hard times come wherever I am, I try to be grateful and ask what the lesson is I need to learn. I wonder what untold stories some parts of me are trying to bring to the surface, knowing that if I can connect with them, I’ll be able to rid myself of old trauma and open up more space for greater happiness.

Embracing the suck leaves me open to hearing what those disassociated parts inside have to say. It also allows those parts to feel welcomed, knowing they won’t be pushed away. All of this helps build bridges between the different parts inside of me, allowing me to more fully present life.

I’m about to enter Glacier national Park where the cell service and Internet will be minimal. I don’t know how long it will be before I actually start the Pacific Northwest Trail. Once I reach the first town with service, I’ll post more blogs. Until then you might find shorter posts on my Instagram page. https://www.instagram.com/themarybadass

Until the next time, thanks for hiking along with me.

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