“Directionally challenged” is how I describe myself almost daily. I do not know why my brain doesn’t work that well when it comes to figuring out where I am in relation to where I need to be. I have lived in my home for more than a decade and still have to think very hard about which direction I need to turn out of the driveway to get to the grocery store.

When people give me directions or locations telling me something is North, South, East or West I have no idea what that means in relation to where I am standing, unless the sun is rising or setting. Some people seem to have an innate ability to know where the north side of something is. I cannot tell you, ever.

It is not age, I have been like this my entire life. It has not gotten any better with the invention of google maps. Solo hiking for me is a challenge and often nerve wracking because I am always afraid I will get lost. While I do have the comfort of AllTrails maps and all of the other technology right there in my phone, I still struggle with anxiety when it comes to finding my way around.

I have come to realize the more I practice, the better and more comfortable I become. I know I need landmarks to find my way around and I create those landmarks as I hike, making note of particular points of interest to me as I walk. The sense of pride and accomplishment I feel when I make it back to the car, is worth it, even though I often add a lest a half mile to any hike trying to get better on relying on reason and memory to guide my adventure.