A NATURE HIKE TOOK PLACE IN “PILSKALNES SIGULDIŅĀ”

On 15 September this year, several events of the ESF project “Activities to promote the health of the local community and prevent diseases in the Ilūkste area of Upper Daugavpils Municipality” (No. 9.2.4.2/16/I/058) took place in Pilskalne. One of them was a “Self-discovery hike to improve psycho-emotional well-being”.

Since 2021, meetings with a sports specialist and a psychologist have been held every autumn and spring during hikes to discuss and reflect on questions concerning the basic principles and fundamental steps of a healthy lifestyle. Understanding oneself and getting to know others, as well as the development of character and attitudes and decision-making, can significantly affect physical health in the long term, which also depends directly on mental health. By recognising this connection, each person feels responsible for the processes taking place in their life, especially when they have to face various challenges and everyday problems and find solutions that are safest for their health.

During the hike, tenth-grade students of Ilūkste Raiņa Secondary School, together with their form teacher and a teacher, embarked on a small adventure. During the physical activity—the hike—they looked at their everyday lives from an outside perspective and fostered team spirit and group cohesion. At the end of the event, the young people acknowledged that they had experienced positive emotions—joy, motivation, peace and a little fatigue, as well as satisfaction with what they had accomplished and inspiration from what they had heard and from conversations with their peers and the psychologist. One of the young people’s inspiring insights was: “A challenge is the beginning of something good,” encouraging them not to be afraid of difficulties but to overcome them confidently.

The event was also a small challenge for those who were somewhat more shy. During the hike, the young people reflected on their everyday habits and how to change them in small steps.