Hiking the Camino de Santiago is the ultimate type of travelling. You are not looking forward to things day by day, you are not expecting certain things will happen. Every moment and experience is special because they happen to you and for you at exactly the right moment.
On both trips my best friend asked me what I was looking forward to most and each time I didn’t have the answer. The joy of being out in nature and being open to every experience along the way was far more exciting than any location or event.
On my final night, Richy blessed me with another lesson which summarised this perfectly. Uncertainty is a blessing. Which in this instance couldn’t be more true. If I knew exactly what was going to happen the entire way along the route would I still want to go? Perhaps. But I definitely wouldn’t be excited by it, or have enjoyed it anywhere near as much.
As with the lessons that I’m about to delve into. None of these thoughts were premeditated. They came to me in the moment, because there is no better place to think and to learn about yourself and the world than the great outdoors on your feet for 8 hours a day!
Day 1: Specificity is Key.
My first day of the Camino Portugués found me hiking out of Porto via the coast. A decision that I had only made the night before, collectively, with a couple of others from the albergue.
It was the dreariest of mornings, but then out of nowhere we had someone else sneak up on us. Katie-Jane was an Irish lass who had also decided to take the coastal route. As the conversation went on she shared that she was an elite hockey player, representing the Irish national team.
With a desired career change into studying sport science and high performance athletes, I questioned KJ like a primary school kid who has had a sports star come into their classroom. The season has just finished but she’s already been sent the preseason workouts required to stay in shape.
As a self-proclaimed cowboy when it comes to training, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to all of the specific sessions that she had to complete to keep her primed for the upcoming season. It was an apt reminder that if I actually want to do something with running I need to start taking it a lot more seriously and train more specifically. The one time that I was able to do this saw me finish second in Australia’s hardest 100km race… there’s something to this.
I have a marathon which I want to enter in October, and I will try my best to apply this despite likely travelling up until about 6 weeks before. Any running friends reading this who can recommend a coach, please reach out.
Day 2: Succeed or Fail, You Will Only Regret It If You Don’t Try.
This lesson typically has a basis in love, as the examples used during the conversation today relate to my parents and my own relationships. On this day, I spent a large chunk of my time chatting with Maria. A recent graduate from Germany. She was one of a few people in the past month who taught me all that I know about sailing.
I know that our conversations had a real impact on her because she sent me back a summary of all of the key takeaways from our time together on the trail. This was incredibly sweet, as my purpose is to inspire others, and on this day I did so in a major way.
It’s much more common for people to regret the things that they didn’t do or say, than it is for them to regret the things that they did. It’s a lot easier for us to forgive ourselves for our actions, than it is to let go of what could have been.
This is something that has also plagued me in my lifetime, thinking about the opportunities that I didn’t take because I hadn’t yet found my voice. However, I’ve learnt over the last decade that if we want something enough, we will make it happen.
I’m trying to live a life in which I have no regrets and the simplest way to do this is to leave nothing on the table, leave no stone unturned, making sure that if I truly want something then I have an honest go at making it happen.
Day 3: We Are Rich People.
Another one from Richy. It wasn’t until the last night that I realised how much I valued Richy’s company, as we sat watching the sunset at the end of the world. This was an off-the-cuff comment that he made whilst we were on a break from hiking but stuck in my brain for the remainder of the afternoon and the journey.
By this, he means that we need to really acknowledge our privilege. When comparing ourselves to the vast majority of humanity, or even the people that we love. To have the ability and freedom to undertake such a journey without responsibility or consequence. This is something that many people only dream of.
Everything we need, we have. Sure, we’re always left wanting more, but there is an all too common conflation between these words in Western society. All of our basics needs are met, so by that definition anything that we have above that is a life of riches.
In circumstances such as the Camino, you do spend a lot of your time thinking about how fortunate you are to be able to do the things that you are doing. Knowing and appreciating this is can only do so much. You need to proactively do what you can to promote equity, but also acknowledge the incredible privilege and opportunities you have been afforded in this life and not waste the privilege within which you live.
It is incredibly important to remind ourselves of this, even when we are going through it. Our problems are very rarely life or death and we should not take this for granted as much as we do.
An alternative theory is that he said this simply because he has rich in his name 🤷🏽♂
Day 4: Be More Compassionate.
This is the palatable lesson from the direct thoughts that I had today, which were about not chastising others for the decisions that they make when you don’t know the circumstances they were in to make that decision.
Perhaps to a fault, I always give people the benefit of the doubt and am too trusting. This is something that has been highlighted to me in recent weeks, making me question my beliefs. But I’ve come out the other side content in the lens through which I view the world.
I think it’s incredibly easy for us to take a self-centric view of the world - which I absolutely do every day in making the decisions that will serve me best. However, I had an incredibly powerful conversation on this day about not knowing what other people’s circumstances are and not knowing what caused them to take the action that they may have taken.
It made me take a step back to think about how complex life is. I’ve got a lot going on in my head all the time and it’s so easy to forget that every single person that we interact with is human too and has got their own internal dialogue informing their decisions. Today’s lesson was one about compassion and being there for the people that you love unconditionally.
This is not something that I particularly struggle with, but I’m coming to realise that it is something that needs to be remembered more often and should be the lens through which we see the world. The energy that you put out into the world is the energy that you attract.
Day 5: Flexibility is Freeing.
If you read anything about my experience on the Camino Frances, you will recall that I did next to no planning. The bare minimum you might call it. For this journey, I still had a reminder on my phone until after I started saying Coastal Route vs Central Route Research (the two main variants pilgrims can choose between when leaving Porto). It’s safe to say that I did not do any and just made it up on the fly deciding the day before I set off; as is only possible when you’re open to new adventures. Flexibility, if you will.
It was this flexibility that allowed me to really maximise my experience on the Camino Portugués. Allowing me to see and do all that I wanted to. I did 3 days along the coastal route. Before heading inland along a route that definitely isn’t part of the official route, I simply followed the river between point A and B. The only other pilgrim I saw was the one I happened to be travelling with that day and we had a great time!
As I’m writing this, I’ve just arrived in Serbia with a month or two allocated to spend in the Balkans but I have absolutely no idea where or how I’m going to spend my time. I just have a bed to sleep in for a few nights and I’ll take it from there.
Especially when travelling, flexibility allows you to go with the flow and maximise whatever you’re enjoying in the moment. I understand the privilege of being able to travel like this, but I encourage everybody to do so if they find themselves in a position where they can.
This repeated itself when I decided to take the spiritual variant of the Camino Portugués. Affording me some of the most beautiful trail along the entire route. It also allowed me to change my plans at the very last minute to ensure that I got the experience that I wanted out of this Camino - to finish with friends!
Day 6: Not All Relationships Have To Last A Lifetime.
Today’s lesson is one that I’ve learnt many times over, and relates to both romantic and platonic relationships. It’s a fallacy to think that you’ll have the same friends and have them fill the same needs for your entire life.
I’ve come to learn that it is perfectly normal to have friends in your life for different reasons. If these reasons change or are no longer required, your relationship will drift and there is nothing wrong with this.
I have had a number of relationships cut short in the past. I chose not to use the word failed here because I don’t think any of them were, despite not going the distance. In each and every romantic relationship I’ve been in, they have served me for that period in my life. I do not regret any of them and remain grateful for each and every single one of them help shape the person that I have become.
Talking with Marie this morning, we shared stories about our relations and how we both believe the above to be true. There is no time or space in life for holding negative energy, for this is what you will attract back towards yourself.
Life is fleeting, we should be grateful for every connection that we build with another human or animal and not take any time spent with them for granted.
Day 7: Control Your Emotions When You Can’t Control The Outcome.
Emotions are largely a choice. It can be confronting to hear that, and is not always true. However, when we are presented with a specific outcome (as we are every second of every day) our response to this is a choice, whether consciously or subconsciously. In a later lesson I talk about reframing, which is an incredibly powerful tool here to better regulate your emotions.
I listened to a podcast in the past week which reiterated this lesson for me. The key takeaway from this episode was:
“Out of all of the emotions you could have chosen, why have you chosen that one? And how is that working out for you?”
I had some things going on, on this day and I had chosen a negative state of mind. Based on the stimulus in front of me, I had interpreted it and reacted in a negative light. However, I had this knowledge in my back pocket.
I knew that I was choosing to respond to this situation negatively and I didn’t want for this to be the case. So I spent the first hour or two of my hike coming to terms with why I was feeling this way. It was during this time that I reminded myself that in these situations all I can do is control my emotions, because I cannot control the outcome.
A more widely applicable example of this is managing your expectations before you visit somewhere new. Having expectations is a conscious thought about how something is going to be. If you come into these situations with a much more neutral stance, then you can choose to be elated or disappointed based on your experiences, not what you expected your experiences to be.
Keen to read more about what the experience is like hiking each day. I have another piece outlining all you can expect when hiking this trail.
Day 8: Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For What You Want.
Complacency kills. Typically, not in the literal sense. But it very easily kills inspiration, innovation, motivation, etc. At too many points along the Camino I found myself following the crowd or simply not advocating for myself when I should have been. Thankfully, this is something I’ve seen in hindsight rather than it stealing from my joy in the moment.
Being someone who naturally enjoys being alone, it was a big (but easy) decision to come back for another Camino with the sole purpose of connecting with people. Here I am, trying to apply the lessons that I learnt on my previous journey, in that the journey is better shared.
I do slightly feel like I gave up a sense of freedom to move with the crowd; sometimes falling victim to swallowing my voice. However, life is about balance and I think at the end of the day I will always find the scales tipped in my favour.
A big lesson that I’ve learned recently that everything in life comes down to priorities and decisions. We have enough time to do everything that we want, we simply have to choose which things we want to prioritise. We need to make decisions and be resolute in them, not worrying about the alternative or what could have been.
Tying back into the lesson, making these decisions is a vote for yourself if you can find your voice. Something that we all need to be reminded to do every once in a while.
Day 9: Be More Playful.
This is something that started on day 2 and became a constant throughout my second Camino experience. I took the Coastal Route for the first few days and promised myself that I would swim in the ocean mid-hike one day, and this just so happened to be on the second day.
During this swim I took myself back to a time when I was 8 or 9 years old and was playing with my childhood best friend, Jax. The scenario that I was in didn’t inspire any specific memories, but I was trying to invoke that level of imagination and joy from the simplest things.
Today, this happened to be seaweed that looked like a jellyfish with a monster’s mouth in place of its head. I lost track of time playing with this imaginary monster - it took my mind off how cold the water was and how uncomfortable I was being in the middle of a slimy seaweed forest.
Once again, I was reminded of this when I visited another beach on day 9. At many other points throughout the journey I played little games with myself to occupy my mind in the spaces between thoughts and feelings.
It’s incredible watching children play with only their imagination, when I struggle to go to the toilet without taking my phone with me. This is a lesson that I perhaps needed to learn more than ever, as screen time as a whole continues to rise.
Thankfully, I can attribute a lot of that increase to the amount of writing that I have been doing :)
Day 10: You’re Never Too Young Or Old To Do Anything.
This morning on a boat I was surrounded by a Spanish speaking majority. Neither I or the three Americans spoke up when the skipper started the tour in only Spanish. Once he found out there were English speakers on the boat he started speaking in both languages.
However, before he had the opportunity we’d already had all of what he’d said to us so far translated to us, by a local Spanish girl (who couldn’t have been more than 8). Without prompt, she asked us if we would like her to translate what the skipper was saying. I couldn’t quite believe it, I wouldn’t have had the courage to do that then, nor the courage to do it now.
Similarly, I met an Aussie guy - Brett - from Penguin who told me about how he started backpacking at 62.
“My son taught me how to backpack around South America ten years ago.”
I was in awe, this man had summited Aconcagua - the highest trekkable mountain in the world after he had turned 60. Whilst I have been thinking that my days travelling South America finish the moment that I have kids.
I met many people on my pilgrimageswho unfortunately had to wait until they retired before they could start their Camino journey. Whilst I regret that they couldn’t have undertaken this journey sooner (in their prime). I take a lot of inspiration that I will still be doing great things for many years to come. And that’s a promise!
Day 11: Pay It Forward.
The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela is an 800 year old tradition and it is only still possible because of the sacrifice and devotion of locals and hospitaleros who provide for us pilgrims.
When you meet hospitaleros or others who have been involved in the Camino for a long time you always hear the same message. Pay it forward. We walk the road to Santiago because of all the people who have walked before us and continue to pave the route for those who come after us.
It really is as simple as the ideology to always leave things better than how you found them. Most people who hike the Camino de Santiago do so for the right reasons, but few realise what sacrifice has been made to ensure that it is accessible in the way that it is.
Completing the Camino de Santiago in centuries gone by also came with incredible risk from those pilgrims, who often had to pack up all of their belongings and risked everything due to banditry along the route. Again, it was a select group of people who did everything they could to keep pilgrims safe and traditions alive.
A big thank you to all of the volunteers at all of the albergues, the pilgrim information points, and those who maintain facilities in any location no matter how remote. Without them it wouldn’t be possible and I wouldn’t have these incredible experiences to reflect upon.
As Naval Ravikant says “Always pay it forward. And don’t keep count.”
Day 12: Reframing is a Superpower.
What I thought was a continuation of the Camino Frances turned out to be its own Camino entirely - El Camino Fisterra. As such, my mission to continue running was a journey to finish running across Spain rather than finishing the Camino Frances which I started in May.
This is a basic example of reframing, but this lesson really applies to the deeper things that have happened in my life over the past few years. It was Campbell Walker (Struthless) who often poses the question “How is this the best thing that ever happened to me?” when looking at past events that are inherently awful.
I was involved in a cycling accident, got sued, and had a legal case drag on for 2.5 years with pretty much the worst imaginable outcome.
However, I’ve been able to reframe this - find the silver lining if you like - as now, the relationship I have with my father has never been better. We spoke on the phone more than we ever have before, becoming a lot closer and a much bigger part in each others lives.
I think the most common reframe that I use is that I don’t HAVE to do anything, but rather that I GET to do everything. Even small, seemingly insignificant changes in the way you view things can bring a renewed sense of gratitude and greater levels of appreciation for the things that we already have in our lives.
This was ever present during all of the running I did along the Camino. Often, I would be cursing myself for taking on such a challenge, but would need to remind myself that I chose to do this, that I was incredibly privileged to be able to take off the time and have the physical ability to do such things, which would undoubtedly make me feel much better about slogging it out in ~32 degree heat.
Day 13: Slow Down and Prioritise Connection.
My final day on the Camino for the summer. I was so focussed on the task at hand that I didn’t have a single lesson that I dove into whilst on the trail. However, I did find myself at the ‘end of the world’ and so had plenty of time for reflection as I watched the sun set over the North Atlantic Ocean.
It was Richy (again) who posed the question of what five words I would use to describe my Camino experience. Without much thought, Slow Down and Prioritise Connection came out. These are two of the lessons from my previous experience running across Spain, but are worthy of reiterating here now that I have done both of those things during my hike along the Camino Portugués.
Reflecting again upon the statement that you do the Camino at the speed with which you move through life. I’ve definitely slowed down. I haven’t written much about my time in Morocco, but I’ve never written more than when I was in Morocco. Working on a few projects that I will be excited to share in the future.
This is only because I really slowed down. I went and sat in cafes you wouldn’t look twice at with locals trying to learn as much about their culture as I could with Spanglish conversations when possible. I definitely prioritised connecting with locals over trying to see and do it all.
This was mirrored on the Camino when I had the opportunity to stay in a beautiful monastery on my penultimate night or forge on to spend the night with some friends I’d made along the way. This was a no-brainer, I’d come back to do the Camino to make genuine connection and this was the perfect opportunity.
I walked into Plaza de Obradoiro with Marie, the same person I started my Camino with despite taking wildly different routes. The rest of the day was spent in good company and resulted in many happy memories. Which just goes to show that the journey is better shared!This is only because I really slowed down. I went and sat in shit cafes with locals trying to learn as much about their culture as I could between Spanglish conversations when possible. I definitely prioritised connecting with locals than trying to do and see it all.
This was reflected on the Camino when I had the opportunity to stay in a beautiful monastery or forge on to spend the night with some friends I’d made along the way. This was a no-brainer. I’d come back to do the Camino to make genuine connection and this was the perfect opportunity.
I walked into Plaza de Obradoiro with Marie, the same person I started my Camino with despite taking wildly different routes. The rest of the day was spent in good company and just goes to prove that the journey is better shared!
If you enjoyed this piece, consider checking out my previous post where I discuss the lessons I learnt whilst running the Camino de Santiago - French Way.
Like your life lessons Paddy ! Always good as a reminder ;)