In today’s fast and often stressful way of life, many of us forget about ourselves and our own balance. For years, I was dedicated to my family and work, and then, reflecting on what I could do just for my soul, I came to – painting.

Four years ago, I enrolled in an adult painting school, without great expectations. I hadn’t held brushes and paints in years, but I remembered the joy that a finished painting brings. This time, as a more mature person, I experience painting in a completely different way. It is like meditation – it connects me with my own emotions and thoughts, without the need for words. When I take the brush, the tension disappears, and the dynamic thoughts are replaced by a story unfolding on paper. Colors bring imagination to life, shape it, and return a smile to my face.

There is a special atmosphere in the school – music in the background, a cup of coffee, the feeling that we are in our own world. Sometimes we paint the same motive, but every painting looks completely different, because it depends on emotions in the moment. The most beautiful part is the new challenges – mastering techniques, sharing ideas, the sense of play and release. When we line up our works, exchange comments and smiles, we go home lighter, with “reset” thoughts.

My other love is hiking. Being in nature, socializing, and moving in fresh air are just as important to me as canvas and colors. I often wonder if it is a coincidence that many hikers paint or take photographs – I believe it is not. Nature is the greatest painter.

Hiking is not only a physical activity, it is an experience that changes perspective. It teaches us to live in the moment – the sky full of colors, shadows over the peaks, the murmur of a stream, the roar of a waterfall. The trail is not always easy: steep slopes, rocks, cliffs require persistence. But overcoming obstacles strengthens self-confidence. And when we reach the top, happiness is immeasurable – the view into the distance brings new energy, and problems seem smaller and easier to solve.

Both the mountain and the painting school connect people. During the climb, we help each other, share experiences, learn tolerance and compassion. At the peak, we are all equal, united in silence and freedom. It is the same when someone in school says, “I won’t succeed” – and then, with support, praise, or a joke, the goal is reached. That feeling of shared victory erases boundaries and leaves warmth.

Painting and hiking are connected by a sense of confidence and peace. Both bring focus, relieve stress, and develop creativity. When I paint, I feel nature. When I hike, I see it as a painting.

I believe nothing in life is accidental. Painting and hiking are, for me, a form of regular relaxation, a return to myself, a source of energy and inspiration. And always a small, personal – but also shared – victory.