So You Think You're Not Outdoorsy?

When I first started hiking, I didn’t feel brave. I felt terrified, on edge, and like everyone else could tell I had no idea what I was doing.

I didn’t grow up doing this stuff. I didn’t know what layering was or even what to wear, how to read a map, or whether I was allowed to just… walk through a forest. The outdoors felt like a VIP club I hadn’t been invited to. Full of people with fancy gear, lots of stories of previous adventures and lingo that I didn’t understand and I well and truly felt like an intimidated outsider.

Over the last few years I have learnt that while you will get more confident and comfortable, the fear may never completely go away and you don’t have to feel fearless to belong in outdoor spaces.

If you’ve ever felt like the outdoors isn’t “for people like you,” this is your sign that it absolutely is. Here’s your short and sharp beginner’s guide to feeling brave in the wild.

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