“Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.”
—Maya Angelou
In early July, I’ll set off on a hike that traverses the Canadian Rockies.
It’s called the Great Divide Trail, a rugged, remote, 750-mile route that traces the high mountains between Alberta and British Columbia. It’s spectacularly beautiful – and spectacularly risky with challenging river crossings, unmarked overland portions, possible snow travel and plenty of wildlife encounters.
Yep, every step of the trail lies in grizzly and moose habitat.
I know, I know. That one sentence sparks a dozen questions.
- Are you carrying a gun?
- How do you eat?
- How long will it take?
- You’re not doing this alone, are you??
Let me get those out of the way:
No gun, but I will carry bear spray. It’ll take two months to walk. I’m packing food for seven resupplies. And no, I’m not going solo. I’m hiking with two tough, experienced women friends.
But this article isn’t about logistics. It’s about mindset.
Every time I take on a long-distance trail, I’m reminded that the lessons from the wilderness wear well in everyday life. And for a trail like the GDT, those lessons begin with this: hope, prepare, and stay open to awe.
The GDT isn’t just physically demanding—planning it has been its own adventure.
The trail weaves through five National Parks, eight Provincial Parks, and two Special Management Areas, each with its own permitting system. For nearly half the route, we’ve needed to book exact campsites for specific dates, which means plotting out our daily mileage months in advance.
That’s a tall order for long-distance hikers who usually thrive on the freedom to roam.
So in January, my trail buddies and I jumped into the Parks Canada lottery system, competing for permits in high-demand zones. As we white-knuckled our way through the process, it hit me – this trip would be different. Some of the mystery had already been stripped away. Every night was spoken for.
Still new questions emerged:
- What if we can’t hike that fast?
- What if something goes wrong?
- How do we adjust our schedule?
That’s where Maya Angelou’s wisdom comes to mind:
“Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.”
That quote has become my compass.
Hope keeps me optimistic. Preparation keeps me grounded. But the real secret is the third part – being unsurprised. That’s how I stay resilient.
Because here in my cozy, temperature-controlled studio – with a full belly and zero bears – it’s easy to swing between extremes: idealizing the trip. Just look at those peaks! What could go wrong? or spiraling into fear. Even the twenty-somethings say this trail is brutal!
Training myself to be unsurprised means staying flexible and steady when things inevitably go sideways. It means preparing like crazy – dialing in my gear, packing for all weather, brushing up on navigation, climbing local hills with a full pack – while also leaving space for joy, wonder, and the things I can’t plan for.
That openness isn’t naïve, and it’s not about manifesting a flawless outcome. It’s a powerful mindset that gives me energy when things get hard. It quiets anxiety and shifts my focus from fear to possibility.
Over the years and many, many miles, I’ve learned to delight in what I can do and to release what I can’t. Not every day is a summit day. Some days, success is simply reaching camp before dark.
But that open mindset? It replenishes my “why.” It helps me meet challenges with grace. And it opens the door for awe.
So yes, I’m packing food, maps, gear – and bear spray. But more importantly, I’m packing an open mind.
In your next big endeavor, what are you preparing for, and what are you hoping for? How can being open make for a more successful outcome.
