>>1789961Hiked the A.T. in 2016 and while it was a great time and am glad I did it, I would never do anything like that again.
Spiritually I did gain a lot from it, especially during the times spent alone. Being completely immersed in nature from sunrise to sunset and knowing that what you are doing took a real commitment has a really calming and peaceful feeling.
Emotionally it was really hard for me. I have/had a lot of inner demons and things I didn't like about myself, and when you only have yourself to talk too for long periods of time, you can find yourself running circles in your head thinking about those aspects of your life. But, on some days you wake up and all you do is just live in the moment and enjoy being there, really depends on where you are on the hike I think.
Physically it destroyed me. I have always been into lifting weights and outdoor activity and when I got done with the hike I had to stop all of that for 2-3 weeks. You will lose a lot of weight and muscle, your upper body will be disproportionately affected since you aren't really using it at all.
You won't find your place while on the trail, but it will help round you out as a human being and help you focus on what you want to do with your life. My biggest piece of advice is to try and limit your time with other thru hikers while out there. It's cool to talk to people and hear their stories, but you will gain a lot more from being alone.
Happy to answer any specifics you have
