One Step at a Time: Jen’s Camino Story

Have you ever had that thought ,"I just need to get away?" Not from your family, not from your job, but from the noise of everything, from the mental load, the decisions, the endless to-do list that never ends.

That’s where Jen Saunders found herself at 53. Except she didn’t just take a weekend off or book a spa break. She packed a rucksack, laced up her boots, and started walking - all the way from Pau in France to Santiago de Compostela, then on to Finisterre; literally the end of the world!

Nearly 1,800 kilometres on foot.

No big fanfare, no group tour. Just one woman, nothing to lose, and a lot of road ahead.

The Start of Something

Jen told me she didn’t have a grand plan or a spiritual awakening. She simply felt something inside say,go.

The Camino isn’t one single route, but a network of ancient pilgrimage paths stretching across Europe. For Jen, it became both a physical and emotional journey;  a slow, steady stripping away of everything that she didn't need anymore.

The Rhythm of Walking

Days on the Camino are simple: wake, walk, eat, rest, repeat. Somewhere between the blisters and the breathtaking views, something starts to shift.

Walking is therapeutic in so many ways; from pumping oxygenated blood around your body, loosening your limbs and thought to clearing your head with the phytochemical and ozone. It's an easy way to reset, to recharge, to feel refreshed and to clear your head when life feels overwhelming.

Jen said the hardest part wasn’t the distance, but the quiet. Without the daily noise of work and family, she had to face her own thoughts. In that space, she found answers she didn’t even know she was looking for.

Lessons from the Road

By the time Jen reached Finisterre, she said she felt lighter -  not just physically, but emotionally. She’d shed old fears, old versions of herself, and even a few expectations that were never really hers in the first place.

Midlife has brought me wisdom and a sense of self that have helped me to understand myself and my programming. I've shed people-pleasing and perfectionism (well, I'm looking at it anyway!). And I certainly don't pretend everything's fine any more.

The lesson, I think, is this: you don’t need to walk across countries to change your life. You just need to start walking towards something that feels right.

Finding Your Own Camino

Your Camino might look very different.  It may be finding a new job, an art class, more time in nature, or simply saying no more often. The point isn’t the distance; it’s the decision.

What's your own Camino? What adventure, change or question is calling you right now?

Because that’s whatThe Midlife Edit is about;  creating space to breathe, to question and to chase those dreams.

If You’d Like to Hear More

You can listen to my full conversation with Jen onThe Midlife Edit Podcast:
🎧 [The Long Walk Home – Jen Saunders’ Camino Story]

It’s funny, heartfelt and full of those quiet truths that only reveal themselves when you finally stop rushing.

“Sometimes,” Jen said, “you just have to start walking and trust that the path will appear.”