How to tell your Friends & Family your want to travel or thruhike

It can be incredibly hard telling your friends and family that you want to embark on an adventure of a lifetime. No matter if you want to travel to a new country for the first time or hike a long distance trail. Unless they have done it themselves, it will be really difficult for them to understand, wrap their mind around it or try to support you. There are a few things you can do to help them get on board with your plans and make the transition easier. Remember, you already had time to think everything through, they have not. Give them time.

You know your friends and family best. Know what they will most likely ask you, what is important to them, and what their biggest concerns will be. Be ready to deliver those answers as detailed as they need. The better you are prepared, the more likely they are to jump on board and feel more at ease with knowing all the facts. Have a rough timeline on your trip, so they know where you will be at certain times. Also, a good safety tips for anyone traveling solo. Let people know where you will be.

Be patient with them and be ready to get a lot of questions. You had a lot of time to prepare and answer the questions yourself. Be ready for a waterfall of questions that is heading your way. Have all the answers ready and be prepared to answer the questions more than once. First with your parents, then with your grandparents, then with your friends and neighbors, your teachers and probably everyone else you know. They will all ask the same questions. Yes, this can be exhausting, but sometimes a lot of fun seeing the pure disbelieve on so many faces. Be patient and keep answering. As you can tell, it is best to tell them ahead of time. Because even if you can answer all of their questions, they will need time to do their own research to the best of their abilities. The more time they have to do their own research and get behind the idea, the more likely it is for them to get as excited as you.

Remember: Not everybody will approve, and the worry will stay. Some might even ask you on departure day if you are absolutely sure you want to do this. Don't let that discourage you. As long as all of your responsibilities are taken care of, go after your dreams.

If they are unsure or can't seem to jump on board, you can find a way to involve them in your adventure. If you are hiking, then maybe get them to manage your resupply boxes or ask them for their opinion while packing or planing the route. You don't need to do what they say but involving them in your decision-making will make them feel like they are a part of it. You can also create a special support crew and give them personal access to your location when you are on the road. With the Garmin inReach they can receive your daily location update and can follow along on your route. Especially important for parents.

There will always be somebody who does not approve with your plans and who will try everything to make you not go. They will place doubt in your mind and make it sound like the most dangerous endeavor. Show them how important it is to you, how passionate you are, and how much their support means to you. In the end, there will be some people who simply won't get it. And that is alright. Not everybody needs to understand or get behind your idea. But don't let that discourage you. If you want to give this a shot, you should at least try. You cannot fail because you will either succeed or you come home early but have at least tried. That is more than anyone else can say. And that is a success. Go after your dreams.