Will Rabil’s Journey from Rock Bottom to Mountain Top: On Intuition, Climbing, and Coming Back to Himself

From losing himself after divorce to reconnecting with intuition and nature, Will's healing journey is a story of rebuilding from the ground up.

In this conversation, he shares how depression, spiritual exploration, and the unlikely path of rock climbing helped him rediscover purpose, peace, and power.

When Life Falls Apart… and the Trail Appears

Some stories begin with a breaking point. Will’s began with a divorce, depression, and a sense of being completely lost.

“I’ve hit rock bottom more than once,” Will shared.“ But every time, I start to listen better.”

At the time, he felt disconnected from his body, from joy, from everything that used to give life meaning. He was barely going outside, spending most of his days behind screens. Angry. Stagnant. Disconnected.

But something inside nudged him to go on a hike.

“I was told to go to this specific spot. Put a timer on for 45 minutes. I was listening to this voice, and at the end of the hike, right when I reached the overlook, the alarm went off. That moment… I just cried. I knew I was being guided.”

That hike marked the beginning of a spiritual awakening—an invitation to stop waiting and start listening.

Before the Fall

Before everything shifted, Will describes his life as quiet—but not in a peaceful way... It was numb. A self-described “vampire” where he rarely saw the sun, living mostly indoors, disconnected from the natural world he once loved as a kid.

“I had gained a lot of weight. I was stagnant. Angry. Not really doing anything meaningful. I had forgotten how to love myself, how to care for myself.”

That time in his life was marked by stagnation and emotional buildup. Anger lived under the surface, unchecked and unprocessed. His relationships suffered. He felt lost and stuck in patterns that no longer served him. Something needed to change—and deep down, he knew it.

Listening to the Voice Within

What began as a religious experience evolved into something even deeper: A journey into intuition, soul work, and personal alignment.

“I started deconstructing everything—my beliefs, my behaviors, my ideas of what was right or wrong. I kept what served me and let go of what didn’t. That’s what healing is to me. Alchemizing your life into something that finally feels like you.”

Will now calls himself a Key Master and Alignment Alchemist—someone who helps others unlock parts of themselves buried under fear, pain, and old programming.

“Everyone has keys. We’re born with them. But sometimes life makes us forget where we put them.”

His story is a reminder that sometimes the greatest wisdom doesn’t come from experts or teachers—it comes from slowing down, listening, and getting radically honest with yourself.

Climbing Back to Life

Of all the tools that helped Will come back to himself, one of the most unexpected was rock climbing.

What began as an impulsive activity—meant to impress his ex—became a passion that brought strength, confidence, and courage back into his life.

“I’d look at a climb and think, there’s no way I can do that. But I’d try. And sometimes I’d fall. Sometimes I’d make it. That became a metaphor for everything in life—don’t let your mind decide you can’t. Try first.”

He eventually let go of old hobbies, like LARPing, and dove fully into climbing. It wasn’t just about the sport—it was about becoming someone who faced fears, failed often, and got back up stronger.

“Now when I feel stuck, I think—Will, you climb mountains. You’ve done harder things than this. Keep going.”

Climbing as a Mirror

Rock climbing became a mirror for Will’s emotional landscape.

“You learn how to fall. You learn how to pause. You learn how to listen to your body. All of that helped me build a new relationship with fear—not as something to avoid, but as something to get curious about.”

He shared how learning to fail on the wall helped him stop fearing failure in life. How listening to his intuition mid-climb sharpened his ability to listen in real life. How confronting real danger helped him trust his instincts again.

“Sometimes I have to say no. Not because I’m scared, but because my body is telling me the answer. And learning to trust that—on the wall and in life—that changed everything.”

The Power of Being Alone in Nature

One of the most beautiful chapters in Will’s healing was learning to enjoy his own company again—especially in nature.

“We aren’t separate from nature. We are part of it. When I’m outside, especially alone, I can finally hear what’s true.”

He shared how hikes in places like Canyonlands became spiritual conversations. How placing his hand on a pine tree led to a meditative journey through its roots. How solitude—once uncomfortable—became a sanctuary.

“The desert feels ancient. Quiet. Still. It doesn’t rush you. It holds you.”

In those solo walks, Will didn’t just find peace. He found himself again.

From Intuition to Action

So how do you start listening to your intuition—especially when life feels chaotic or uncertain?

Will’s advice is simple:

“Start small. Do something. Anything. Just move. Your yeses and no’s will start to show up. You don’t need all the answers to begin.”

He encourages people to try something new—especially something physical, something outdoors, something that reconnects you with the body.

“You can’t hear your intuition if you’re sitting still in the same cage every day. You’ve gotta move. You’ve gotta live. That’s how the voice gets louder.”

Reflections from Me

Listening to Will share his story felt like watching a mountain rise out of the fog. Layer after layer of lived experience—chiseled by pain, reshaped by nature, softened by self-compassion.

I’ve seen his transformation up close. I’ve shared the trail with him, both metaphorically and literally. But hearing him speak his truth—raw, reflective, unfiltered—was something else.

“Healing begins when we stop waiting and start walking.”

Whether it’s a canyon hike, a rock wall, or a moment of stillness under a tree…Healing is waiting. The path is already calling. You just have to say yes.

Why I’m Sharing This Story

Will’s story is a reminder that healing isn’t always loud or linear. Sometimes it’s slow. Messy. Unseen. Sometimes it starts not with a breakthrough—but with a breakdown.

His voice carries a quiet kind of strength—the strength it takes to face yourself in the mirror and say: I want more than this. The courage to listen to a whisper when the world is screaming. The willingness to trust the next right step—even when the full path isn’t clear.

He reminds us that nature isn’t just a place to visit—it’s a place we return to when we forget who we are.

This is why I started Healing in Nature Stories. To show that healing can begin anywhere: in a canyon, on a climbing wall, beside a tree. And that your story—your real, raw, not-put-together-yet story—is worth hearing too.

Will, thank you.

Thank you for sharing so honestly, for showing us what it looks like to rebuild from rock bottom—not just back to who you were, but forward into who you’re meant to be.

Thank you for reminding us that growth is possible. And that it’s okay to begin again. And again. And again.

Want to Watch the Full Conversation?

Will’s story is full of layered insights, unexpected turns, and truth spoken with so much heart.

Come join us. Listen. Reflect. Heal.

Want to Connect with Will?

Will is open to connecting with anyone who resonated with his journey.

📲 You can find him on Instagram and through his website.

Whether you’re curious about intuition, healing, rock climbing, or just want to say “hi,” he’d love to hear from you.

Over to You

Did something in Will’s story spark something in you? Maybe it reminded you of a time you started over… or a moment you chose to climb rather than stay stuck.

💬 I’d love to hear what stood out for you in the comments. Or just drop a mountain emoji 🏔️ if you’re learning to trust your own path today.

With love and respect for your journey,

Klara!