Lessons I Learnt Walking the Camino

Walking the Camino was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. It was a challenge I had been planning for four years. 

I read a lot of Camino stories before walking. A lot. 

But as you and I both know, all the research in the world can only prepare us so much. It certainly helps, but the only way to know is to do. And I did! 

So, apart from being the most mentally and physical thing I have undertaken to date, what lessons did I learn while walking?

Well, there were many. These are the ones I can think of now, but I am sure there will be more as time goes on.

Lessons I Learnt Walking The Camino

1. No one can make or break your day. It’s all down to you and no one else. You are the master of your own happiness or misery.
2. Even the hardest day will come to an end.
3. You can always find something to be grateful for even if that’s just making it through the day.
4. I am capable of far more than I realised. I can push myself hard when I need to.
5. It’s ok to take my time. I will get there when I get there.
6. Create your own agenda and outcomes.
7. It’s ok to be alone. To get the most out of the Camino, I think you should do it alone.
8. I am a problem solver and can adapt to situations I never thought I could. 
9. I am not a quitter.
10. I’m proud of myself. My mindset has changed more than I ever thought possible.
11. I developed a love of walking!
12. Keep moving when you get home. I didn’t (bloody bushfires), and I seized up.
13. I am happy in my own company.
14. Go easy on yourself in the beginning. It took me a long time to work out a routine. I was so far out of my comfort zone a lot of the time I was just focused on walking.
15. Life really can be simple. You carry what you need in a backpack. You eat what you need to get by. You connect with fellow pilgrims. At the end of each day, everyone is looking for a shower, meal, and a bed to sleep in. And your content.
16. I accepted myself as I am (finally!). 42 days – no makeup, barely did my hair, wearing clothes I would not normally wear, and I felt good about myself. 
17. Everyone is equal on the Camino. It doesn’t matter who you are, your age, or what you do – you’re a pilgrim.
18. Hostels are not as bad as I thought. As an introvert, I do need my own space now and then, but if I had not stayed in albergues, I would have missed the camaraderie of other pilgrims. 
19. I have no limits. I can do anything I put my mind to. That is a lesson worth learning. I cannot explain how free that makes me feel—not having limitations.

Let’s Talk About What The Camino Gave Me

Confidence

I can honestly say I have never felt as accomplished and as confident as I did blubbering my way into St James Square in the pouring rain at the end of my Camino. Never. 

I dragged my gimpy leg (it had randomly started to pain me a week before) down to that Pilgrim’s Office bursting with pride. 

Lifelong friends

I’m friendly. I am. I promise, even if you did see me hiding in my bunk watching Netflix instead of going out for drinks. 

Of course, there weren’t as many pilgrims walking at that time of the year (68 arrived at the Pilgrim Office on that day), but the people I did connect with I have a deep affection for. 

Hopefully, they feel the same way about me, or it might seem a little creepy.

Freedom

I now believe I can do anything I put my mind to. 

I found faith. Not in a religious way but in the way that I believe everything will always work out. Because it did. 

Even on the days, I thought I would never make it, I still managed to put one foot in front of the other or work out any problems I encountered.

Letting Go Of Saying “I Should” And “I Have To”

Gone. Forever, I hope. 

It was my two closest Camino friends that drilled that into me. That this was my Camino, and I could walk it, however, I needed or wanted. 

When I got sick with a chest infection, I knew I had to get medical treatment. And that meant either walking one-two days in the snow or taking a bus 34 km to Burgos and the hospital. 

I took the bus, even though I had vowed I would not take a bus on my Camino. 

Common sense thankfully prevailed, and I let go of doing the things I thought “I should or should not do” from then on.

A Deep Appreciation For Home

I know a lot of people talk about finding it hard to go home after the Camino. To fit back into life post-Camino. 

But something I battled every day on the Camino was homesickness. It was the most bizarre thing as I don’t ever get homesick when I travel. 

Sure, I miss my partner and family, but never to the point that I want to chuck it all in and go home. 

But I decided to be grateful for that feeling every day. Because I know what it’s like not to want to go home after a trip, knowing the life you have is not the one you want. 

I was so thankful for the beautiful life I had created with my partner Dan that I missed it and him so much. 

Had I known how bad the bushfires at home were, I might have felt different! But hey, evacuating a couple of days after my homecoming just kept the adventure going!! (We were ok by the way, the fires were close, but there was no loss of homes or life in our village).

Different Travel Opportunities

I was never a walker. 

I would scoff and think who are these crazy people that walk on their holidays? Nuts! 

Now I find myself scouring articles about walks in Scotland, hiking Cinque Terre, and hikes in the Tasmanian wilderness. Who have I become???

Tips For Walking The Camino

Don’t expect too much in the first couple of weeks. If walking distances is new to you, then it will take your body and mind time to adjust.

• Be open-minded and flexible about your walk. Set aside as many days as possible to allow for a buffer if you need it. How do you know how far you can walk each day? Why stress your body and risk injury walking set kilometres?  The unexpected does happen. I got sick twice! The weather was unusual and extreme when I walked and having time meant I could walk shorter days when the weather was particularly nasty.

• Don’t walk in the busy season if you don’t like the heat, crowds, or the stress of not finding a bed for the night.

• Don’t walk in Winter if you want more flexibility about where to stop each day. Albergues, cafes, and restaurants start closing at the end of October. 

• Don’t let others tell you how far you should walk. And don’t hold onto others just to keep up and have company. You will be OK on your own, I promise. You need to walk the distance that suits you or you risk injury.

More Thoughts About The Camino

I walked the Camino the year I turned 50. That felt significant.

Many things ended for me on this Camino – the repercussions of an old toxic relationship I had been living with, negative opinions, and beliefs about myself.

My Camino, my journey into self, was an acknowledgment, a “putting to bed” so to speak of my life before, the first 50 years.

I also realised that I was no quitter. When I was 10 a cherished family member had told me I was a quitter. I didn’t remember that until it randomly popped into my head one day along the Way.

And I realised that I had been carrying that belief for 40 years. That realisation set in motion a new direction for my life. I could finally let go of something without feeling like a quitter.

I proved many things to myself on this journey, and I felt renewed. Even though I am older, and there are aches and pains and issues I now deal with that my younger self did not, I am stronger.

I know this sounds morbid, but there was a question I asked myself while walking – If my life ended tomorrow, would I be happy with all I am, all I have achieved, and with the life I have created?

My answer is yes.

There is more to do and see and become and improve. But I am so happy to be where and who I am now.

That realisation was my greatest Camino gift.

Cindy x

Update: This post was written in January 2020 before COVID-19 became part of all our lives, and as the Australian bushfires wreaked havoc on our communities. It has been a tough six months. My heart breaks for those doing it tough during these extreme times. Each day I am reminded of my Camino lessons and the simple joys in my life, which I now appreciate more than ever while in isolation at home.