After 10 years away from solo backpacking, I finally did my first overnight alone again—nervous, excited, and determined to prove to myself I can still do it. I take you with me as I hike into my campsite in the desert, choose a safer spot (not the lowest point because flash floods are real), and set up my tent on slickrock using rocks instead of stakes. I also share the real-time stuff that happens when you’re solo: the quiet feels almost unreal, your brain starts inventing stories, and you have to keep coming back to “I’m the one in control.” This trip becomes a lesson in self-trust and how to stop overthinking. Once I’m actually out there—shelter up, dinner made, bear can stored away from camp (even without bears, critters are a thing)—my anxiety drops fast. The big takeaway is that the fear isn’t the boss… I am. If you’re stuck spinning in your head, I offer a simple reframe: love the part of you that thinks backing out is keeping you safe, then take one small step anyway. And when you start spiraling, try this: “Vida… slow down. What if it goes well?”