The Solution to Your Biggest Anxiety Might Be on a Trail with a Sausage Dog

The solution to your life's biggest anxieties might not be on a trail in the Adirondacks with a sausage dog. But you should probably check. The last time I was here was in December, the trails were covered in snow, and I was snowshoeing with one of our other dogs while trying to sort through a lot of uncertainty.

I had recently stepped away from practicing law. I loved educating people about estate planning through my podcast and writing, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. I walked through the woods trying to quiet the constant noise in my head. Somewhere between the trees and the silence, I realized I wanted to start practicing law again. The hike didn't magically solve everything. It didn't write a business plan, find clients, tell me how to build a law practice or eliminate the uncertainty that comes with starting something new.

But it gave me enough space to hear what I already knew. I'm back in the Adirondacks this summer, occasionally hiking with a very opinionated little sausage dog who is far more interested in chipmunks than career decisions. Being here has reminded me that not every problem needs another hour in front of a screen.

I spend a lot of my days helping families make difficult decisions about estate planning, probate, and preparing for the future. Those decisions deserve careful thought, but they also deserve clarity. And clarity doesn't always show up when we're sitting at our desks trying to force it.

Sometimes it shows up on a trail after we've stepped away from the problem long enough to see it differently. Your life's biggest anxieties might not be solved by a mountain hike with your favorite dog. But if you've been feeling stuck lately, it might be worth giving it a try.