I have recently returned from walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, a pilgrimage route of some 500 miles across Northern Spain. At the beginning my focus was to ensure that I walked the distance to reach that night’s hostel. I was always looking forward, thinking about what was coming up. Would I have the stamina to finish?
After a few days I settled into a new rhythm. I began to stop more and to turn around to see where I had come from. It was surprising to see how much ground I had covered in a couple of hours and gave a real sense of achievement. I started to realise that my success wasn’t accidental. There had been three months of preparation for the trip with walks of increasing lengths and difficulty. I wouldn’t have been able to cover the distances I was walking without that preparation, which I had totally discounted.
We can often be dismissive of our past achievements or take them for granted. But stopping to take stock of the knowledge, skills, experience or connections that have been built up over time is helpful and rewarding.
What would you notice about yourself if you stopped and looked back?