Guusje Nuijten joined our most recent hike in the mountains of Mallorca. Guusje is 26 years old, has her own Social Media agency and lives currently in Amsterdam. She wrote about her Peak Perspective experience to inspire and to give you a better understanding of how ´The Hike´ can be life-changing.
Her experience is vulnerable and touching. We are really proud and thankful that she is brave enough to share her story. Are you ready for her journey?
That moment when I turned my notifications back on, received messages from the outside world and looked around at all the unfamiliar faces on the airplane. I’m about to land back in Amsterdam after four days of hiking in Mallorca. I feel lighter and clearer, yet I’m carrying the same bag I had when I arrived in Mallorca.
As I am evaluating the past few days, I can’t believe what has happened in such a short time. While reflecting, I feel a tear coming down from my right eye, gently. Showing tears is a sign of opening up, expressing what your heart feels, and releasing the pain inside. We saw each other’s tears, and we allowed them to be there.
Before embarking on this journey, the quality of my sleep dramatically decreased. My belly was bloated all the time, I felt symptoms of my period but didn’t get my period. Again. And again and again. I am so tired. What is wrong with me?
Then the moment arrived, the group met each other. A group of different souls, different backpacks, different jobs and positions. The introduction; so who are you? Stressed faces around me and I hear that inner voice telling me; do you know who you are? Well, I tried to introduce myself shortly, but of course, the pain had already come to the surface.
My name is Guusje, I am an empowered woman on a self-healing journey. For the last three years, I have lived abroad, traveled, lost myself and found myself again. And right now, I feel content yet my body is not working and dysfunctional. I don’t get my period with my PCOS, I have pain in my belly 70% of the time and it frightens me. I want to be normal like the people around me. It’s hard to accept my body while looking in the mirror. That belly makes me feel sick, I want to hide it. Tears came down.
Yes, already at the introduction.
This was just a sneak peek of the Peak Perspective experience. I thought to myself: Let’s do this;
I will welcome all the pain, and the emotions, and go through it all. Through pain, you grow, and with the hardest climbs you find the greatest view right? Sounds easy. Until you receive your first challenge; What a surprising opening for the first day of hiking! The first challenge was tough. What?! Am I like this?! Emotions of anger arise, but mostly the tears. I collapsed.
We continued walking, and I needed someone to support me. After talking, talking, and walking I found some peace. Johanna gave me a new perspective. The reason why this hurts goes deeper than I realized; it’s a mirror. I felt lonely, and the feedback I received was the behaviour I showed when I felt lonely, misunderstood, and not seen. It goes back to your childhood, the traumatic events you went through and how those events made you feel at that time.
An insight that hurt, but at the same time brought some light at the end of the tunnel.
The pain in my belly was unbearable.
