Leadership in Journeys - Paige Kelly

 Finding meaning throughout journeys, such as long-distance hiking, links very closely hand-in-hand with many concepts mentioned throughout the Christopher Newport University Leadership curriculum. The main concept that links to meaning making is the concept of a 'holding environment'. According to the Fuller Theological Seminary, a 'holding environment' allows people to be uncomfortable enough that they cannot avoid their problem, but they will also feel a sense of safety and security that allows them to experiment with different ways of being. This concept can be directly linked with why people will embark on long-distance hikes, such as the Appalachian Trail and the Camino de Santiago. Many people who are on the trail face tough questions going through their head or come into their journey with questions. The trail and journey itself acts as a 'holding environment' because it allows people to experiment with different solutions or answers to their questions, while also making sure they actually have to think about them since they will most likely spend many hours in their thoughts.

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