On 5th October, 2025, I got my first real taste of trekking.
I posted a few photos afterward, and the response surprised me. What I realised almost immediately was this:
working silently, alone, in the darkness of loneliness doesn’t work for me.
Everyone loves validation. There’s no virtue in pretending otherwise.
The pictures from my first Karnala trek received an unexpectedly good response. For the first time in many years, I felt validated—not just for trekking, but for any effort I had made over a long period of time.
Yes, I enjoyed the attention.
But at the same time, I wasn’t fully convinced.
In fact, I was subconsciously waiting for this attempt to fail.
That’s what had always happened before.
Most of my past impulses had eventually died out, leaving behind a trail of failed experiments and wasted money. Almost every attempt involved spending—courses, equipment, memberships. When motivation faded, the money was already gone.
Trekking was different.
No money was involved. And yet, I was certain this too would die down. Soon.
The Lofty Decision
Still, I made a decision.
I decided to do one trek every week.
It was the same kind of exaggerated commitment we all make when we join a gym on 1st January—“I’ll go every day for the rest of my life.”
I did the same thing in my head.
“One trek each week.”
The very next weekend—12th October—I took my Golden Retriever, Amu, and went to Karanjade hill. It wasn’t even a proper trek. Just a hill climb, a few pauses, and some photos.
That’s it.
But I repeated the same behaviour.
I clicked photos.
I shared them on my WhatsApp status.
Once could be a fluke.
Twice was… something.
The response was similar again. Likes. Messages. Quiet encouragement. A few people saying they felt inspired.
And that’s when the shift happened.
Slowly, it stopped being about health.
It became about social validation.
Not in a shallow way—but in a very human way.
I wasn’t fighting my nature anymore.
I was working with it.