10 pieces of life advice from people hiking the Camino

Hello friends! Time has slipped right by these past few weeks, but I'm excited to connect with you again here. I've been flipping through old journals and wanted to share some beautiful sentiments from people I befriended while hiking the Camino de Santiago.

While hiking across Spain on the Camino I packed pretty light, but I still managed a few extra items like my personal journal, headphones, and a small notebook with a single question:

"What is one piece of advice you wish you knew earlier?"

I carried the notebook with me for over a month and frequently shared it with those I met. Outside cafes, on the side of the trail, and in shared bunk rooms the journal was passed around and people from different sides of the world uncapped a pen and shared things they wish they had realized when they were younger.

This notebook became a place of stories. Heartache and hope. Confusion, confidence and Camino memories. People wrote in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Lithuanian... there are a few doodles, a few stickers. Most importantly it became a living breathing artifact of the human journey.

Every time a new person wrote an entry they also got to read the advice from others and so it became the gift that kept on giving.

Here are 10 pieces of advice people along the Camino shared with me. I hope they strike a cord in your heart as they have in mine. (I have omitted names and opted instead for people's countries of origin to be courteous of privacy.)

1. "The best advice I can give you is to stop and look back! Don't be in a hurry. Breathe."

--Canada

2. "One thing I wish I knew earlier in life? There was never anything wrong with me, I was taught things about myself that weren't true."

--United States

3. "On my first day on the Camino, I made all kinds of mistakes. I didn't sleep well the night before, didn't eat enough and I started walking fast to match the pace of others just to feel like I was a part of. I was quickly exhausted after 5km and had 20km to go.

I decided to let the others go ahead. I started listening to my own body's rhythm and slowly and surely made my way to Roncesvalles. So my advice is... anytime you doubt anything about yourself just listen to your heart and body. You will know the way by listening to your own song with which to dance through life."

--Brasil

4. "Don't worry about what others think-- it is not important. You have to be true to yourself and no one else."

--Australia

5. "People sometimes hurt you badly -- even people that are supposed to care for you. They mostly aren't aware they are doing it. Don't take it personally. It's more about them than it is about you. You get to decide what hurt to take on."

--South Africa

6. "The best advice I can give you is to LOVE YOURSELF! Trust yourself. Seek challenges. Laugh... especially at yourself."

--Australia

7. "There is not one way, you make your path while walking."

--Spain

8. "For me, following my inner feelings has been life changing. When I started to trust my inner voice I had the courage to follow my desires despite any life circumstances. This is what it is to feel alive. Following your heart will always lead you to where you need to be."

--Latvia

9. "The Camino is a great teacher. It teaches you to be grateful and humble and these are the most important things."

--Belgium

10. "Embrace the moment. Take in the fresh air. Thank God for every moment you have. Be humble and kind and understand this life is sacred. Once you know this you will have understood the gift of reciprocity."

--Portugal

Is there one piece of advice you wish you'd known earlier? Does any of this advice resonate with you? Perhaps by sharing these truths, we can create a world that better nurtures connection, growth, and empathy. At least I sure hope so.

// Rewilding Child