Welcome to episode 197 of the first 40 miles.

If you're new to backpacking, or if you're hopelessly in love with someone who wants you to love

backpacking, then this podcast is for you. We'll talk about the essentials, how to lighten your load

and how to make the most of your time on the trail. I'm your host Heather Legler.

And I'm Josh Legler. And this is the first 40 miles.

Today on the first 40 miles, when hiking or backpacking,

our whole goal is to move forward. Otherwise, just set up our tent in the parking lot.

But what do you do when anxiety stops your progress? We have some tools that will help.

Then we'll share a hack that will cut your tent weight almost in half,

and we'll wrap up the show with a quote that revives fire from the ashes. All this? That's about it. Today on the first 40 miles.

We're all affected by some sort of anxiety. It doesn't have to be clinical, you know, book anxiety.

It can just be kind of that unsettled feeling that you get right before a job interview or a fear that you have.

But anxiety is part of the human condition and we're all on a spectrum no matter what it is we all every human on earth is on this

spectrum and we're all triggered by different things at different times in our lives.

And no matter what type of anxiety you experience or the source of that anxiety,

all anxiety has one thing in common. It keeps us from moving forward. It halts our progress.

So on this episode today we want to share tools with you that will help you to

overcome the anxiety that creeps up on the trail.

It's that unwelcome feeling that makes your pulse race and your palms sweat and your muscles tense up.

And just because Josh and I have a backpacking podcast doesn't mean that we haven't experienced

anxiety on the trail.

It really is a universal feeling. Anyone who thinks they're the only

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