Instagram story viewer> @wandering_nik> Posts

Nik | Helping Women Heal

@wandering_nik

6.9K

followers

4554

following

Not all who wander are lost ⛰️
Just a woman healing in the wild 🌿
Hiking • healing • finding yourself again
Helping women remember who they are 🤍

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Just a girl and her tripod reaching new heights. 🏔️🤘🏾✨

Usually I’d post a lot of words around this, but actually, for the first time, I can’t find them.

Mount Teide, you were a humbling pleasure. 🌅🥾🏔️🤍✨ taken in Pico Del Teide 3718mt by @wandering_nik

116

36

4 days ago

Just a girl and her tripod looking for the best seat in the house. 🌅 💡🌈

#southstack #sunset #northwales #life #soloadventures by @wandering_nik

349

79

3 months ago

You are not the words people have said about you.
You are the person you choose to become despite them. 🏔️🤍

And when I forget that, I come somewhere like this and remind myself exactly who I am. Photo credits @franko_outdoors @journeywithjode 📸 by @wandering_nik

129

36

16 days ago

A week of climbing mountains, exploring new places, chasing sunsets, drinking far too much coffee and frolicking around in the woods. 🌍🏔️🌲☕️

It’s been over a year since I last travelled abroad solo and my god, I needed this.

This time felt different though. No alcohol, no rushing around trying to cram everything in, just doing the things I genuinely love and actually taking the time to enjoy them.

Nature, hiking, the gym, good food, coffee and plenty of time in my own company. And on the days my body needed rest, I actually listened. No guilt, no feeling like I was wasting a day. Just resting. Something I’ve not always been very good at. 🤣

And whilst I absolutely love solo travelling, it does come with its challenges. Being single, there are moments when you wish you had someone beside you to share the views, the adventures and those little moments with.

But something I’ve learnt over the last two years of taking myself on adventures is that wanting companionship doesn’t mean I should settle for it just to have someone there. I’d rather keep exploring the world on my own than miss out on living it whilst waiting for the right person to share it with. 🤍

Solo travel really does do something to the soul. The freedom, the confidence, the quiet moments of reflection and realising that your own company can bring you so much happiness and peace.

I’ve learnt a lot about myself lately, and this week has reminded me of what genuinely makes me happy. The simple things, the adventures, the stillness and knowing I’m capable of so much more than I sometimes give myself credit for.

Heading home with tired legs, a full heart and a little more confidence in myself. 🏔️✨

And ladies, if you’re waiting for someone to go with, please don’t. Book the flight, climb the mountain, take yourself on that date and go make some bloody memories.

Life’s too short to put your own happiness on hold. 🌍🥾🤘🏽🤍 taken in Las Vistas Beach, Tenerife by @wandering_nik

96

27

21 hours ago

Sunset. Sea. Solitude. ✨🤍🦋🌅 taken in Las Vistas Beach, Tenerife by @wandering_nik

119

49

2 days ago

At 38 years old, I’m still learning things about myself that make me look back and think, my god, that explains a lot. 🧠🤍

Recently I’ve been trying to understand my attachment style and I’ve come to recognise a lot of disorganised attachment patterns in myself.

Something that can develop when the people who were supposed to make you feel safe growing up were also a source of fear, hurt or unpredictability.

It can leave you craving love and connection, yet being terrified of losing it. Holding on too tightly when you feel someone pulling away, but sometimes being the one to pull away when things feel overwhelming.

Now throw AuDHD into the mix. The overthinking, rejection sensitivity, emotional overwhelm and struggling to regulate emotions in the moment.

And my god, it’s been a lot to unpack.

It’s impacted my mental health, my relationships and at times how I’ve viewed myself.

I’ve made mistakes. I’ve hurt people, I’ve been hurt myself and there are things I wish I’d handled differently. I’ve reacted from hurt, fear and overwhelm, and I haven’t always communicated in the healthiest way.

Understanding where those reactions come from doesn’t excuse them. I can take accountability for my part without carrying responsibility for everything.

I’ve recently gone back to therapy because I’ve recognised patterns I don’t want to keep repeating. I want to continue learning, growing and understanding myself, not just for others but for me.

Yesterday I stood on top of the highest mountain in Spain, completely alone, feeling so bloody proud of myself. 🏔️🌍

Not just for reaching the summit, but for everything I’ve worked through to get to this point.

I’m still learning, still making mistakes and still healing. But I’m also recognising just how far I’ve come.

I can’t change what happened to me, but I can take responsibility for how I move forward.

And I think that’s something worth being proud of. 🤍✨

#AuDHD #AttachmentStyles #MentalHealthAwareness #HealingJourney #SelfGrowth taken in Mount Teide by @wandering_nik

73

28

3 days ago

The woman I was 12 months ago wouldn’t recognise the woman I am today. ❤️🌍

My god, this past year has taught me some lessons.
Rejection, heartbreak, disappointment and learning that not everything or everyone is meant to stay in our lives.

And I won’t pretend some of it hasn’t hurt like hell.

But I’m incredibly proud of how differently I’ve handled things. Instead of allowing rejection to define me, I’ve used it to reflect, learn and grow.

And that includes taking accountability for my own mistakes. I haven’t always shown up as the best version of myself. I’ve reacted from hurt, overwhelm or simply from a part of me that was struggling to cope at the time.

That doesn’t excuse those moments, but I’m learning that I can take responsibility whilst also showing myself compassion. I’m human and I’ve still got plenty to learn. ❤️

After two years of healing from trauma, opening my heart again was huge for me. And although it didn’t end how I’d hoped, I don’t regret loving someone. I’m proud that despite the hurt, I’ve continued to choose kindness.

Looking back, I can see how some endings have actually been blessings. And maybe losing a relationship was also an opportunity to start pouring some of the love I’ve always given to others back into myself.

So here I am, 38 years old, exploring another part of the world solo, climbing mountains and doing what makes me feel most alive. 🏔️🌍

Nothing reminds me how strong, capable and resilient I am quite like being out in nature. Just me, my legs and a mountain to climb.

I still have difficult days, I still miss certain people and I’m still figuring things out. But I’m not putting my life on hold while I do.

I’m genuinely proud of the woman I’m becoming.

You can be hurt by life without becoming hardened by it. You can make mistakes without allowing them to define you. And you can lose something you wanted without losing yourself. ❤️

Get out there, take the trip, climb the mountain, make mistakes, learn from them and don’t forget to give yourself some of that love you so freely give to others.

We’ve only got one life. Make sure you’re living yours🌍❤️ taken in Santiago Del Teide, Canarias, Spain by @wandering_nik

171

73

5 days ago

September has been a reminder that no matter how hard I get knocked down, I always seem to find my feet again. 🩵

August was hard. I lost my home, the business I’d been building there and a relationship, all in a matter of weeks.

But I’m really proud of how I handled it. I stayed grounded, showed compassion, kept going and leaned on my people when I needed to.

And what a difference a month makes.

I hadn’t realised how much pressure I’d been under, how much I was carrying or how much energy I was putting into the expectations of other people until suddenly I wasn’t anymore.

I feel lighter. Life feels brighter. I’m laughing more, adventuring, spending time with good people and genuinely enjoying being me again. 🏔️

There were days I needed people to help me back up, and I’ll forever be grateful for the sheer kindness of good humans. 🫶🏼

Turns out you can knock me off my feet, but I’m pretty bloody good at getting back up.

And if you’re in the middle of one of those months where everything feels like it’s falling apart, keep going. You might not be able to see past it yet, but things can change so much quicker than you think. Lean on your people, take it a day at a time and don’t underestimate your own ability to get back up. 🩵

Here’s to lighter and brighter days ✨

In collab with @pioneercampgear 🏔️ taken in Ogwen Valley - Snowdonia by @wandering_nik

122

53

17 days ago

Just a girl stood on a big rock, searching for her sanity and dancing with her shadow☺️🚫👀🙋‍♂️🤪 💃 👹 taken in Ogwen Valley - Snowdonia by @wandering_nik

229

39

3 months ago

Learning to trust the process, even when I can’t see where it’s taking me. 🌿

Some things fall apart. Some things fall into place.

Either way, I keep moving. ⛰️✨ taken in Y Garn (Nantlle Ridge) by @wandering_nik

125

22

11 days ago

Crib Gogh that’s all for now 🏔️ it never fails to heal a part of my soul ✨💜 taken in Crib Goch by @wandering_nik

186

29

3 months ago

A little bit of my Wales since January 🏔️🤍

I’ve always been someone who runs when things fall apart. Loss usually makes me want to disappear, change everything, go somewhere else and start again.

But this time I don’t want to go anywhere.

Well… apart from up another mountain. 😂🥾

Because up there I get to feel small for a while. Not in a bad way. Just small enough that the things that feel massive in my head suddenly don’t take up quite so much space.

I can breathe. I can think. Sometimes I cry. Sometimes I laugh. Sometimes I just stand there looking around thinking how fucking lucky I am that this is home. 🥹🏔️

This year hasn’t gone how I thought it would. I’ve lost people, places, plans and things I genuinely thought were going to be part of my future.

And normally that would have me wanting to run.

But I don’t.

I still want my little life here. I still want the mountains. The ridiculous weather. The early starts. The aching legs. The views that make everything else go quiet for a minute. 🌿✨

Wales used to be somewhere I escaped to.

Now it’s somewhere I come back to.

And somewhere along the way, without really noticing it happening, I think I became home to myself too. 🤍⛰️ taken in North Wales, UK by @wandering_nik

128

24

22 days ago