A MEMOIR OF LETTING GO AND WALKING 2,000 MILES TO A MEANINGFUL LIFE

Ever wonder what happens when you hit the pause button on life, lace up a pair of boots, and walk into the unknown?

Well, I did it—and let me tell you, 2,000 miles later, nothing was the same.

Wander isn’t just a story about hiking the Appalachian Trail. It’s about what happens when we let go of the life we think we should live and dare to discover who we really are. It’s raw, real, and full of moments where I questioned everything—from my sanity to my snack choices. (Turns out, Pop-Tarts are an elite trail food. Who knew?)

This book is for anyone who’s felt stuck, restless, or just curious about what it really means to walk your own path—whether on a trail or in everyday life.

Come walk with me.

Many people only ever dream of leaving it all behind to follow their heart. In Wander, Ryan Benz shares the story of how he upended his ‘successful’ life and turned that dream into a reality.
In this raw and authentic memoir, Benz embarks on a journey of physical and emotional perseverance and transformation to discover what it means to live a truly meaningful life.
An encouraging read for the dreamer in each of us, Wander illuminates the impact wandering can have on a person’s life, and is a meditation on purpose, authenticity, and intentionality. While walking over two thousand miles from Georgia to Maine, Benz explores the nature of adventure, self-discovery, and what it means to follow your heart.
While telling the story of one man’s quest for meaning, Wander also serves as a roadmap for the rest of us, inspiring us to awaken to the potential that lies within and choose the path truest to our being.
While successful by most external measures, by his early thirties, Ryan Benz felt empty and exhausted, dissatisfied with his life, and eager to strengthen his connection to himself and the natural world. In the prime of his life, he chose a nontraditional path, diving headfirst into the world of mindfulness and letting go of everything contributing to his unhappiness—including the career he had spent over ten years building. Turning to the healing power of nature, Benz’s trek took him over two thousand miles through the woods from Georgia to Maine, and with each step traveled, he returned a little closer to his true self. Ryan now spends his time sharing his story to show others they have the power to choose their own path.

3x Award-winner and Bestseller

“AN INSPIRATIONAL TALE OF TRANSFORMATION. The life lessons and self-transformation described in this book do a wonderful job of encouraging the reader to take time to reflect. If you’re a fan of adventure memoirs like Wild or Eat, Pray, Love, this is the book for you.”

“AN ENGAGING STORY OF OVERTAKING SELF-IMPOSED LIMITATIONS. Ryan’s first encounter with a bear gives us chills and makes us smile at the same time. His sense of humor is contagious, and the wisdom he shares is priceless.”

“WANDER OFFERS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE on how stepping away from societal norms can momentarily collapse mental structures, creating space for transformation.”