Perhaps one of the hardest things about a hike on the AT is that you are surrounded by silence. There’s no sound except the wind in the trees, footfalls on the soft path, and the heavy breathing that represents unending effort.

However, there is one additional sound that isn’t found in the woods, it’s located in your brain. When you’re on the journey, it’s so easy to become distracted. You think about the next ridge, the struggle, the pain, the weight on your shoulders. You think about a soft bed, warm food, and your favorite TV show. Your brain doesn’t let up.

Rather than focusing on the beauty all around, the opportunity to hike this amazing trail maintained by volunteers and wandered by thousands each year, the blue skies and towering conifers, the joy of walking with brothers, I spent most my time distracted by the goal of reaching another ridge, the pain in my feet, the thirst in my throat, the hunger in my belly, and being home.

We often do the same in our Spiritual Journey. We so easily become distracted by the noise in our heads and in our lives. News, social media, texts, projects, entertainment, self-talk, gossip…These things often take our focus off what matters and direct us to the unimportant. A friend of mine said it well, “I can spend time studying the Bible or watching CSI.”

Where do you spend your time? Where do you focus? What redirects you? This week, I would challenge you to be aware of those things that serve as distractions in your life. What are those things that keep you side-tracked?

You might not think that focusing on diversions is a spiritual practice. However, it’s a perfect way to start your journey. Once you identify those things that serve as a barrier to a more important focus, we can find more peace as we put them aside and focus on the journey.

Here are some practical steps to help you be aware:

1. At the end of the day, recount how much time you spent with the television turned on. Was it a matter of minutes or hours?
2. How many times in a day do you find yourself “doom scrolling” on news feeds and social media?
3. Did you have any conversations with others that you would not want broadcast on the nightly news?
4. When you think about your “self-talk”, the little voice in your head, is it encouraging or critical? And finally,
5. If you were to tally the moments of your day, do they add up to a positive experience or one that leaves you wishing for more?

If you are hoping to walk the Formative Path, noticing those things that might make us stumble along the way is critical to our success. It's not a once-and-done activity, but and ongoing practice to keep us centered on the path, attentive to what matters most.