From Burnout to Base Camp: How a Day Hike Changed Everything

In the fall of 2020, as the world battled an invisible enemy, I was one of thousands of nurses standing at the bedside, exhausted, heartbroken, and desperately trying to stay afloat. The COVID-19 pandemic had turned our hospitals into war zones, and every shift felt like a battle. I was surviving, but just barely.

Then something unexpected happened.

In the middle of that chaos, I met a kindred spirit—a fellow nurse and comrade in arms who, like me, found comfort in the outdoors. We both craved peace, clarity, and a break from the constant alarms and heartbreaking goodbyes. One crisp autumn day, we took a day-hike together at Turkey Run State Park in Indiana. The leaves were turning, the air was cool, and for the first time in what felt like ages, we could breathe.

We talked about the weight we carried: stress, grief, uncertainty, and the silent burnout shared by so many nurses during that time. But as we climbed, moved, and breathed in the quiet power of nature, something shifted. We weren’t just venting or escaping. We were healing.

That hike changed us. We walked away recharged and ready to face our critical roles in one of the darkest chapters of modern healthcare. We also walked away with a realization:

There is something profoundly spiritual about walking uphill.

That single hike planted a seed. Months later, that seed bloomed into something incredible—we booked a flight halfway across the world to Nepal, to hike the Annapurna Circuit.

We didn’t go alone. Alongside us were two remarkable men: her husband of many years and my partner, my rock, my love, someone who had stood by me through so much in a short amount of time and quickly became the love of my life.

Together, we trekked through breathtaking Himalayan landscapes, visited ancient villages, and climbed toward some of the tallest peaks in the world. Each step reminded us of the path we started on back home: two nurses hiking not just for fitness, but for healing.

One moment in particular stands out. While visiting the Monkey Temple in Kathmandu, we stumbled upon a nursing school nestled inside the temple grounds. The irony, the poetry of it, stopped us in our tracks. We took a photo there, divinely lit, naturally symbolic it was honoring the intersection of our profession, our friendship, our spiritual journey, and the powerful connection between healing others and healing ourselves.

That was the day we remembered where it all began:

A simple hike, two burnt-out nurses, and the deep wisdom that nature offers those who are willing to just walk.

Now, I carry that memory and this journey with me every day. Whether I’m on a trail near home or caring for patients, I hold onto the lesson: healing is a journey, and sometimes the first step is stepping outside.

To all the nurses, caregivers, and anyone feeling overwhelmed: take a walk. Start small. Find a trail. Breathe deep. Let the earth hold what your heart can’t. You never know where one hike might lead.