Hiking Your Feelings
BLAZING A TRAIL TO SELF-LOVE
Turn your pain into power. Part inspirational memoir, part practical guide, Hiking Your Feelings offers a toolkit to unpack your “trauma pack” and step into the best version of yourself.
Where To Buy
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Click here to support your local bookstore and order Hiking Your Feelings today!
While you’re at it, ask them if they host author events and recommend Sydney for one.
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To promote and support Black businesses, here is a directory of Black-owned bookstores based in the USA.
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To promote and support Indigenous businesses, here’s a directory of Indigenous-owned bookstores based in the USA and Canada.
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Did you know you can request Hiking Your Feelings: Blazing a Trail to Self-Love at your local library? If your library is on the Libby app, you can request it there, or you can submit a purchase request in-person or on your library’s website.
Google “[YOUR LIBRARY NAME] Suggest a Purchase” or “[YOUR LIBRARY NAME] Purchase Request Form” or search for your local branch on the Libby app! -
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about the book
Join wellness advocate and wilderness guide Sydney Williams as she shares her healing journey from eating and drinking her feelings to hiking her feelings.
When Sydney unexpectedly found herself diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, while grappling with grief and unresolved trauma built up over a decade, she set out on a quest to turn her pain into power. Two hikes across Catalina Island and eighty miles later, she learned to disconnect from distractions and reconnect with herself, all through the power of nature. Now, she’s encouraging others to get outside and blaze their own trail to self-love, turning buried traumas into healthy coping mechanisms. With affirmations, prompts, and reflection exercises throughout—all presented from Sydney’s supportive and self-effacing perspective—Hiking Your Feelings offers a toolkit to unpack your “trauma pack” and step into the best version of yourself.
Praise for Hiking Your Feelings
“Sydney is here to share her hard-won, heartfelt, and wildly entertaining lessons from the trail to help guide you toward deeper self-knowledge and peace of mind.”
–Gale Straub, author of She Explores: Stories of Life-Changing Adventures on the Road and in the Wild
“Like any good hike, this book is an adventure. Sydney beautifully takes us on a journey with her as she hikes her feelings and discovers what it means to be whole again.”
–Anastasia Allison, founder of Kula Cloth®
“Williams’ candid storytelling and personal anecdotes make you feel like you’re hiking alongside her, sharing in her moments of vulnerability and growth. Hiking Your Feelings is a compelling call to embrace both our inner landscapes and the world that surrounds us.”
–Kenya Jackson-Saulters, M.S., Chief Experience Officer of the Outdoor Journal Tour and author of Nature Meditations Deck: Simple Mindfulness Practices Inspired by the Natural World
“Through sharing her journey, Sydney is able to help others navigate their own challenges. In this book, we see firsthand the transformation that nature can provide.”
–Sirena Rana, author of Best Day Hikes on the Arizona National Scenic Trail and founder of Trails Inspire
“Hiking Your Feelings helps the traveler turn reflective miles into heartfelt smiles. Hiking includes both ups and downs, but when it’s done as described in this book, you can be confident in both your journey and your destination.”
–Wayne S. Dysinger, M.D., M.P.H., former president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine
Embark on a journey of self-discovery: download your FREE sample chapter of Hiking Your Feelings!
Outdoor Community Resources
Are you interested in hitting the trail but unsure where to start? Do you feel like you’re not outdoorsy, or that people who look, love, or live like you aren’t welcome in the outdoors? You’re not alone.
We hold the belief that we are all connected and therefore responsible for our personal, collective, and planetary well-being. In our programs and experiences, you can look forward to meeting folks from all over the world, ranging in age from their early 20’s to early 80’s, coming from all walks of life. No matter what identities we hold and lived experiences we carry, we all have at least one thing in common: we’ve all survived the worst days on our Trail of Life, and we’re curious about the healing power of nature and community.
We’re a small but mighty organization and we know we can’t be everything to everyone or host events everywhere all at once, so we are deeply committed to connecting you with communities and organizations we love and trust will take good care of you if you join them for an adventure. Some of these organizations have local chapters, some of them are great resources for specific communities in the outdoors, and all of them are ready to welcome you, no matter who you are (assuming you aren’t a jerk).
In no particular order, here are some of the communities doing the work to make the outdoors a more inclusive place for everyone. This is by no means an exhaustive list, so be sure to check the resources sections of their websites to be connected even further:
Outdoorist Oath
This Oath itself is a commitment to action any outdoorist can take to support our planet, inclusion, and adventure.
Women Who Hike
Women Who Hike is an organization that empowers women on and off the trail. Through their online communities and group hikes, you can connect with women who hike all over the world.
Outdoor Journal Tour
The Outdoor Journal Tour is on a mission to encourage people all over the world to tap into the healing and empowering influences within ourselves, our communities and the Great Outdoors.
Outdoor Afro
“Hiking with Oprah, need we say more?” Outdoor Afro is the nation’s leading, cutting edge network that celebrates and inspires African American connections and leadership in nature.
Latino Outdoors
Latino Outdoors is on a mission to inspire, connect, and engage Latino communities in the outdoors and embrace cultura y familia as part of the outdoor narrative, ensuring that history, heritage, and leadership are valued and represented.
Indigenous Women Hike
Jolie Varela, founder of Indigenous Women Hike, is striving to increase the visibility of indigenous folks in the outdoors and increase awareness of the first people to live on the land.
INSPIRATIONAL & INSIGHTFUL
Follow Sydney as she reflects on her own journey from buried traumas and poor body image to acceptance, healthy coping mechanisms, and self-love.
RELATABLE & UNIVERSAL
Touches on themes and problems that many struggle with, including grief and loss, sexual assault, poor body image, career stress, and the stigma of diabetes, all presented from Sydney’s supportive and self-effacing perspective.
HEALING POWER OF NATURE
Discover how getting outside—even just for a walk around the block—can help you tune into your body better.
HIKE YOUR OWN HIKE
Learn to love yourself as you are now. Go from eating, drinking, working, or spending your feelings to hiking your feelings.
UNPACK YOUR TRAUMA PACK
Identify new activities and rituals that will allow you to choose love over fear and lift the invisible weight from your shoulders.
PROMPTS, ACTIVITIES & EXERCISES
Apply the lessons Sydney has learned to your own life, through thoughtful tasks at the end of each chapter.
about sydney
Sydney Williams is the founder of Hiking My Feelings®, a nonprofit dedicated to the healing power of nature. Williams has 15+ years of communications experience and is a former competitive skydiver. She has been featured in HuffPost, Psychology Today, U.S. News & World Report, and on the SXSW stage.
Notable Hikes
Trans-Catalina Trail (2016, 2018, 2022)
Mt. Whitney (2021)
Chicago Outerbelt: 220-miles (2021)
Great Lake-to-Lake Trail #1: 248 miles (2021)
Bright Angel Trail (2019)
Wellness in the Wilderness with Sydney Williams is a podcast that offers a unique and refreshing perspective on achieving well-being and finding balance in our busy lives. Sydney's deep connection with nature and her passion for holistic health shine through in each episode, as she explores topics like mindfulness, nutrition, and self-care against the backdrop of the serene wilderness. By tuning in to Wellness in the Wilderness, you'll not only gain valuable insights and practical tips for enhancing your physical and mental well-being but also experience a soothing escape to nature through Sydney's storytelling.